Most Arabic words grow from a root of three consonants that carries a core meaning. A verb form is a fixed pattern laid over the root, and each pattern nudges the meaning in a predictable direction. Fusha uses all ten common forms.
Roots
The root k-t-b is about writing:
- كتبkatabahe wrote
- كتابkitaabbook
- مكتبةmaktabalibrary, bookshop
- كاتبkaatibwriter
- مكتوبmaktuubwritten
The ten forms
Grammarians number the patterns with Roman numerals and use f-3-l as a placeholder root.
| Form | Past | Present | Masdar (verbal noun) | Typical meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | fa3ala | yaf3alu | (varies) | the basic meaning | kataba (write) |
| II | fa33ala | yufa33ilu | taf3iil | make someone do it; intensive | darrasa (teach) |
| III | faa3ala | yufaa3ilu | mufaa3ala | do it with/to someone | saa3ada (help) |
| IV | af3ala | yuf3ilu | if3aal | make someone do it | akhraja (take out) |
| V | tafa33ala | yatafa33alu | tafa33ul | reflexive of II | ta3allama (learn) |
| VI | tafaa3ala | yatafaa3alu | tafaa3ul | do it to each other | ta3aawana (cooperate) |
| VII | infa3ala | yanfa3ilu | infi3aal | passive; get done | inkasara (break, intr.) |
| VIII | ifta3ala | yafta3ilu | ifti3aal | self-directed | ijtama3a (meet, gather) |
| IX | if3alla | yaf3allu | if3ilaal | colours, defects | i7marra (turn red) |
| X | istaf3ala | yastaf3ilu | istif3aal | seek, consider | istakhdama (use) |
Notice that Forms II, III and IV have yu- in the present, while the others have ya-.
Families from one root
- علِم / علّم / تعلّم / استعلم3alima / 3allama / ta3allama / ista3lamaknow / teach / learn / inquire
- خرج / أخرج / استخرجkharaja / akhraja / istakhrajago out / take out / extract
The masdar
Each form has a fixed verbal noun ("the -ing"), except Form I, whose masdars have to be learned: ta3liim (teaching, from II), musaa3ada (help, from III), istikhdaam (use, from X).