The past tense (the "perfect") is one stem with an ending for each person.
Endings
Here is kataba (he wrote):
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | -tu | katabtu |
| anta (you m) | -ta | katabta |
| anti (you f) | -ti | katabti |
| huwa (he) | -a | kataba |
| hiya (she) | -at | katabat |
| antumaa (you two) | -tumaa | katabtumaa |
| humaa (they two, m) | -aa | katabaa |
| na7nu (we) | -naa | katabnaa |
| antum (you pl m) | -tum | katabtum |
| antunna (you pl f) | -tunna | katabtunna |
| hum (they m) | -uu | katabuu |
| hunna (they f) | -na | katabna |
"He" (kataba) is the form dictionaries list.
- كتبتُ الرسالةَ أمسِkatabtu ar-risaalata amsiI wrote the letter yesterday.
- خرجتْ مبكراًkharajat mubakkiranShe went out early.
- شربنا الشايَsharibnaa ash-shaayaWe drank tea.
Three vowel patterns
Form I verbs have a past stem in fa3ala, fa3ila or fa3ula:
- كتب / شرب / كبرkataba / shariba / kaburahe wrote / he drank / he grew big
Verbs that change shape
Verbs with w or y in the root change shape before the endings:
- قال / قلتُqaala / qultuhe said / I said
- مشى / مشيتُmashaa / mashaytuhe walked / I walked
- ظنّ / ظننتُzanna / zanantuhe thought / I thought
See verb classes for why, and the verb tables for full conjugations.