Arabic Verbs Form

If you're trying to learn Arabic verbs form and concept then you will find some useful resources including a course about derived patrticiples, and the passive and active form... to help you with your Arabic grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and notice the pattern that occurs each time the word changes its place. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Arabic. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!

Arabic Verbs Form

Learning the Arabic Verbs Form is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. The table below shows all possible forms an Arabic verb can have. It is a so called Arabic verb-paradigm. By changing the root the meaning of a verb is extended, for example form II a intransitive verb I transitive. The table below shows all the possible forms a verb might take, examine it carefully:

	verbs				derived patrticiples
	active		passive		active	passive	masddar
	imperfect	perfect	imperfect	perfect
I	Fa3aLa	yaF3aLu	Fu3iLa	yuF3aLu	Fa`3ieLun	maF3uuLun	to many
	فــَعَلَ	يَفـْعَلُ	فــَعَلَ	يَفـْعَلُ	فـَائِلٌ	مَفْعُولٌ
II	Fa33aLa	yuFa33iLu	Fu33iLa	yuFa33aLu	muFa33iLun	muFa33aLun	Fa3ieLun
	فـَعَّلَ	يُفــْعِّلُ	فـَعَّلَ	يُفــْعِّلُ	مُفَعِّلٌ	مُفَعَّلٌ	فـَعِيلٌ
III	Faa3aLa	yuFaa3iLu	Fuu3iLa	yuFaa3aLu	muFaa3iLun	muFaa3aLun	Fi3aaLun
	فـَاعَلَ	يُفـَاعِلُ	فـَاعَلَ	يُفـَاعِلُ	مُفـَاعِلٌ	مُفـَاعَلٌ
IV	`aF3aLa	yuF3iLu	`uF3iLa	yuF3aLu	muF3iLun	muF3aLun	`iF3aaLun
	أَفـْعَلَ	يُفـْعِلُ	أَفـْعَلَ	يُفـْعِلُ	مُفـّعَلٌ	مُفـّعِلٌ	اِفـْعَالٌ
V	taFa33aLa	yataFa33aLa	tuFa33iLa	yutaFa33aLa	muttaFa33iLun	muttaFa33aLun	taFa33uLun
	تَفـَعَّلَ	يَتَبَعَّلُ	تَفـَعَّلَ	يَتَبَعَّلُ	مُتَفـَعِّلٌ	مُتَفـَعَّلٌ	تَفـَعُّلٌ
VI	taFaa3aLa	yataFaa3aLu	tuFaa3iLa	yutaFaa3aLu	muttaFaa3iLun	muttaFaa3aLun	taFaa3uLun
	تَفـَاعَّلَ	يَتَفـَاعَّلُ	تَفـَاعَّلَ	يَتَفـَاعَّلُ	مُتَفـّاعِّلٌ	مُتَفـّاعَّلٌ	تَفـَاعُلٌ
VII	inFa3aLa	yanFa3iLu	n/a	n/a	munFa3iLun	n/a	`inFi3aaLun
	إِنْفـَعَلَ	يَنْفـَعِلُ	n/a	n/a	مُنْفـَعِلٌ	n/a	إِنْفـِعَالٌ
VIII	iFta3aLa	yaFta3iLu	uFta3iLa	yuFta3iLu	muFta3iLun	muFta3aLun	`iFti3aaLun
	إِفـْتَعَلَ	يَفـْتَعَلُ	إِفـْتَعَلَ	يَفـْتَعَلُ	مُفـْتَعِلٌ	مُفـْتَعَلٌ	إِفـْتِـِعَالٌ
IX	iF3aLla	yaF3aLlu	n/a	n/a	muF3aLlun	n/a	`iF3iLalun
	إِفـْعَلَّ	يَفـْعَلُّ	n/a	n/a	مُفـْعَلٌّ	n/a	إِفـْعَلالٌ
X	istaF3aLa	yastaF3iLu	ustuF3iLa	yustaF3aLu	mustaF3iLun	mustaF3aLun	`istiF3aaLun
	إِسْتَفـَلَ	يَسْتَفـْعَلُ	إِسْتَفـَلَ	يَسْتَفـْعَلُ	مُسْتَفْعِلٌ	مُسْتَفْعَلٌ	إِسْتِفـَعَالٌ
XII	iF3aw3aLa	yaF3aw3iLu	uF3uu3iLa	yuF3aw3aLu	muF3aw3iLun	muF3aw3aLun	`iF3i3aaLun
	إِفـْعَوعَلَ	يُفـعَوْعَلُ	إِفـْعَوعَلَ	يُفـعَوْعَلُ	مُفـْعَوْعَلٌ	مُفـْعَوْعَلٌ	إِفـْعِعَالٌ

The table above shows all possible forms a Arabic verb can have. It is a so called Arabic verb-paradigm. By changing the root the meaning of a verb is extended, for example form II a intransitive verb I transitive, for example KaRaMa mean to e noble (it is intransitive since it doesn’t carry over on a object like the verb DDaRaBa to hit someone, Intransitive verbs usually denote a state or condition.) in its second form is

Kabbara which means to make (someone) noble i.e. to honor. Form V makes a verb of form I reflexive, as in 3aLaMa ta3aLlaMa meaning to let oneself know, i.e. to study.

The paradigm shows the active perfect and imperfect and the passive perfect and imperfect forms. When the passive is used in Arabic, the actor must not be mentioned. So the letter was written can be translated in the Arabic passive, but the letter was written by the man can not, since it mentions the actor!

Note the passive is made by changing the vocalization KaTaBa he wrotes / has written KuTiBa he is /has been written. This makes Arabic particularly difficult to read, since the vowels are not written. Verbs therefore can be read actively or passively.

There where the right interpretation is important, sometimes only the first passive vowel is written.

The verb Fa3aLa (he did or has done) is used as standard verb. Forms VII and 9 IX in them selves are already passive forms, hence they have no passive forms.

Verb model in the passive and active form have a very important role in Arabic. Once you're done with Arabic Verbs Form, you might want to check the rest of our Arabic lessons here: Learn Arabic. Don't forget to bookmark this page.

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