Arabic Irregular Verbs

More examples on defective verbs:

An important fact can be inferred from this table; the figure of the final, fake, weak ‘alif is related to its origin. If the ‘alif  was originally w, it will look like this:  ا ; this is called in Arabic the “standing” or “erect” ‘alif. If the ‘alif  was originally y, it will look: ى ; this ‘alif is sometimes called the “soft” ‘alif.

However, in any Arabic word with more than three letters, the final weak ‘alif will take this form ى regardless of its origin. When such an ‘alif is transformed back to a weak letter, like what happens when conjugating defective verbs, it will be always transformed to y regardless of its true origin.

Now that we’ve came this far in Arabic, I think this is a good time to reveal a little secret of this language:

Arabic does not have a true weak ‘alif AT ALL. All the weak ‘alif ‘s are transformed from y‘s or w‘s (and sometimes from other things). Thus, there is no real long A vowel in Arabic.

Defective verbs can exist in any verb form except the forms that end with shadda(t) _ّ (doubled consonants without vowel in between), namely forms IX, XI, and QIV. Form XV always ends with ى (oيin the imperfective) and hence always conjugates as a defective verb.

Inasmuch as it is preceded by a short A, the final weak letter of a defective verb will be transformed to a weak A in all the verb forms except form I verbs that have ior u vowels after their second root-letters.

The conjugation of defective verbs is a bit problematic. A major step in conjugating defective perfective verbs is to transform the final weak‘alif back to its origin. This will happen with the 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person feminine plural, and 3rd person masculine dual conjugations. For the remaining conjugations barring the basic one (the 3rd person masculine singular), the final weak letter will be omitted.

In the indicative and subjunctive imperfective, the final weak letter will be omitted in the 2nd person feminine singular and in the masculine plural conjugations. A final weak ‘alif will be transformed to y in the dual and the feminine plural conjugations.

In the jussive and the imperative, the final weak letter will be omitted in all conjugations except the dual and the feminine plural conjugations. In these conjugations, a final weak‘alif will be transformed to y.

V. Enfolding Verbs

Enfolding verbsالْمُعْتَلُّ اللَّفِيْفُ  are verbs that have two weak letters in their roots. They are two types:

• Verbs that have a middle and final weak original letters C-C–C

• Verbs that have a first and final weak original letters C-C-C

Examples:

The first type الْمُعْتَلُّ اللَّفِيْفُ الْمَقْرُوْنُ enfolds the definitions of both hollow and defective verbs, yet it is always treated as a defective verb only, and the middle weak letter is treated as if it were a sound letter.

The second type الْمُعْتَلُّ اللَّفِيْفُ الْمَفْرُوْقُ enfolds the definitions of both Mithaaland defective verbs. These verbs get the dealing of both Mithaal and defective verbs together.

Where C is a sound consonant, and C is a weak consonant.

Irregularly Conjugated Verbs

These are six verbs, four regular and two defective verbs, that conjugate in different manners from the rest of regular and defective verbs. They all contain hamza(t)‘s in their roots.

۞ أَخَذَ & أَكَلَ

These two verbs irregularly lose their first hamza(t)‘s in the imperative.

۞ أَمَرَ & سَأَلَ

These two verbs also irregularly lose their first hamza(t)‘s in the imperative; but they can keep it if they were not the first words in the sequence of speech.

۞ رَأَىْ

This is a defective verb that is conjugated irregularly.

The root is :  ر أ ي R ‘ Y

۞ أَرَىْ

This a form IV defective verb that is conjugated irregularly.

The root is :  ر أ ي R ‘ Y