Verbs
Perfective Structures
Conjugation of Irregular Verbs (continued)
For description of irregular verb types, you may go here
4) Defective Verbs
Defective verbs are verbs whose last original letter is a weak letter.
Defective verbs can end with ا / ى (fakeweak ‘alif) or with apparent و w or ي y.
All perfective defective verbs end with ا / ى except form I verbs that have ior u vowels before their final weak letters.
I. Triliteral Defective Verbs Ending With-iy(a)/ -uw(a)
These verbs can only be form I verbs. They will conjugate regularly except in the 3rd parson masculine plural conjugation, in which the final weak letter will be deleted along with the preceding short vowel when adding the suffix.
Example:
نَسِيَ
nasiy(a)
(He) forgot
The root is : ن س يN S Y I
|
(he) forgot |
nasiy(a) |
نَسِيَ |
|
(I) forgot |
nasiyt(u) =naseet(u)* |
نَسِيْتُ |
*Remember that a still weak letter preceded by a corresponding short vowel is equal to a long vowel (iy = ee, uw = oo).
In the 3rd parson masculine plural conjugation, the final weak letter will be deleted along with the short vowel preceding it (-vCa) when adding the suffix.
Example:
|
(He) forgot |
nasiy(a) |
نَسِيَ |
|
(They masc.) forgot |
nasiyoo |
نَسِيُوْا |
|
(They masc.) forgot |
nasoo |
نَسُوْا |
The full conjugation:
|
الْمَاْضِيْPerfective // نَسِيَ : فَـعِـلَ (Form I, Active Voice) |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) forgot |
nasiyt(u) |
نَسِيْتُ |
|
(You masc.) forgot |
nasiyt(a) |
نَسِيْتَ |
|
|
(You fem.) forgot |
nasiyti |
نَسِيْتِ |
|
|
(He) forgot |
nasiy(a) |
نَسِيَ |
|
|
(She) forgot |
nasiyat |
نَسِيَتْ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) forgot |
nasiytumaa |
نَسِيْتُمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) forgot |
nasiyaa |
نَسِيَاْ |
|
|
(They fem.) forgot |
nasiyataa |
نَسِيَتَاْ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) forgot |
nasiynaa |
نَسِيْنَاْ |
|
(You masc.) forgot |
nasiytum |
نَسِيْتُمْ |
|
|
(You fem.) forgot |
nasiytunn(a) |
نَسِيْتُنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) forgot |
nasoo |
نَسُوْا |
|
|
(They fem.) forgot |
nasiyn(a) |
نَسِيْنَ |
|
*Keep in mind that iy = ee and uw = oo. Arabic does not have real long vowels but only these combinations.
II. Triliteral Defective Verbs Ending With -aa
These verbs represent all the defective perfective verbs except form I verbs that have ior u after their second root-letters.
Form I verbs that have aafter their second root-letter can end withا or ىdepending on whether the original final weak letter is wor y, respectively. Forms other than form I can only end with y, regardless of the origin of the final weak letter.More details are available on this page.
►Form I
The final the ا / ىof form I defective verbs will be changed back to the original weak letter it substitutes for in the following conjugations:
-
The 1st person
-
The 2nd person
-
The 3rd person feminine plural and masculine dual
Example:
نَمَاْ
namaa
(He) grew (intr.)
The root is: ن م وN M W I
|
(he) grew |
namaa |
نَمَاْ |
|
(I) grew |
namaat(u) |
نَمَاْتُ |
|
(I) grew |
namawt(u) |
نَمَوْتُ |
The short vowel apreceding the final weak letter will appear in all verbs ending with weak ‘alif.
For the rest of the conjugations other than the basic one (namely the 3rd person feminine singular & dual, and masculine plural), the final ا / ى will be always deleted.
For the 3rd feminine singular and feminine dual, the preceding short vowel (the a) will be deleted along.
Example:
|
(He) grew |
namaa |
نَمَاْ |
|
(She) grew |
namaaat |
نَمَاَتْ |
|
(She) grew |
namat |
نَمَتْ |
For the 3rd person masculine plural, the short vowelabefore the deleted weak letter will be preserved, and the resultant suffix will be -awrather than -uw (=oo).
|
(He) grew |
namaa |
نَمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) grew |
namaauw |
نَمَاُوْا |
|
(They masc.) grew |
namaw |
نَمَوْا |
The full conjugation:
|
الْمَاْضِيْ Perfective // نَمَاْ : فَـعَـلَ (Form I, Active Voice) |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) grew |
namawt(u) |
نَمَوْتُ |
|
(You masc.) grew |
namawt(a) |
نَمَوْتَ |
|
|
(You fem.) grew |
namawti |
نَمَوْتِ |
|
|
(He) grew |
namaa |
نَمَاْ |
|
|
(She) grew |
namat |
نَمَتْ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) grew |
namawtumaa |
نَمَوْتُمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) grew |
namawaa |
نَمَوَاْ |
|
|
(They fem.) grew |
namataa |
نَمَتَاْ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) grew |
namawnaa |
نَمَوْنَاْ |
|
(You masc.) grew |
namawtum |
نَمَوْتُمْ |
|
|
(You fem.) grew |
namawtunn(a) |
نَمَوْتُنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) grew |
namaw |
نَمَوْا |
|
|
(They fem.) grew |
namawn(a) |
نَمَوْنَ |
|
Another example:
بَكَىْ
bakaa
(He) cried
The root is: بك يB K Y I
|
الْمَاْضِيْ Perfective // بَكَىْ : فَـعَـلَ (Form I, Active Voice) |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) cried |
bakayt(u) |
بَكَيْتُ |
|
(You masc.) cried |
bakayt(a) |
بَكَيْتَ |
|
|
(You fem.) cried |
bakayti |
بَكَيْتِ |
|
|
(He) cried |
bakaa |
بَكَىْ |
|
|
(She) cried |
bakat |
بَكَتْ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) cried |
bakaytumaa |
بَكَيْتُمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) cried |
bakayaa |
بَكَيَاْ |
|
|
(They fem.) cried |
bakataa |
بَكَتَاْ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) cried |
bakaynaa |
بَكَيْنَاْ |
|
(You masc.) cried |
bakaytum |
بَكَيْتُمْ |
|
|
(You fem.) cried |
bakaytunn(a) |
بَكَيْتُنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) cried |
bakaw |
بَكَوْا |
|
|
(They fem.) cried |
bakayn(a) |
بَكَيْنَ |
|
►Forms Other Than Form I
Defective verbs with more than three letters (i.e. forms other than form I, verbs with additional letters or quadriliteral roots) always end with a weak ‘alif that looks like this:
ى
This weak ‘alif will be always changed to y when there is need to change, regardless of its true origin.
The conjugation of these verbs is not any different from what was mentioned for form I verbs ending with ى .
Example:
اِنْتَهَىْ
‘intahaa
(He) ended, finished
The root is: ن هـ يN H Y I
|
الْمَاْضِيْPerfective // انْتَهَىْ : اِفْتَعَلَ (Form VIII, Active Voice) |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) finished |
‘intahayt(u) |
اِنْتَهَيْتُ |
|
(You masc.) finished |
‘intahayt(a) |
اِنْتَهَيْتَ |
|
|
(You fem.) finished |
‘intahayti |
اِنْتَهَيْتِ |
|
|
(He) finished |
‘intahaa |
اِنْتَهَىْ |
|
|
(She) finished |
‘intahat |
اِنْتَهَتْ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) finished |
‘intahaytumaa |
اِنْتَهيْتُمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) finished |
‘intahayaa |
اِنْتَهَيَاْ |
|
|
(They fem.) finished |
‘intahataa |
اِنْتَهَتَاْ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) finished |
‘intahaynaa |
اِنْتَهَيْنَاْ |
|
(You masc.) finished |
‘intahaytum |
اِنْتَهَيْتُمْ |
|
|
(You fem.) finished |
‘intahaytunn(a) |
اِنْتَهَيْتُنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) finished |
‘intahaw |
اِنْتَهَوْا |
|
|
(They fem.) finished |
‘intahayn(a) |
اِنْتَهَيْنَ |
|
|
Endings of Perfective Defective Verbs (3rd Person Masculine Singular) |
|||
|
Form I |
fa“iw(a) |
-iy(a) |
ـِيَ |
|
fa“iy(a) |
|||
|
fa“uw(a) |
-uw(a) |
ـُوَ |
|
|
fa“uy(a) |
|||
|
fa“aw(a) |
-aa |
ـَاْ |
|
|
fa“ay(a) |
-aa |
ـَىْ |
|
|
Other Forms |
-aa |
ـَىْ |
|
|
Conjugation of Perfective Defective Verbs |
||||
|
1st person 2nd person 3rd person feminine plural 3rd masculine dual |
3rd person feminine singular 3rd person feminine dual |
Masculine plural |
||
|
Form I |
fa“il(a) |
-iy-suffix |
-iy-suffix |
–––-uw |
|
fa“ul(a) |
-uw-suffix |
-uw-suffix |
–––-uw |
|
|
fa“aw(a) |
-aw-suffix |
–––-suffix |
–––-aw |
|
|
fa“ay(a) |
-ay-suffix |
–––-suffix |
–––-aw |
|
|
Other Forms |
-ay-suffix |
–––-suffix |
–––-aw |
|
Enfolding verbs 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
The first type 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.
Example:
هَوَىْ
hawaa
(He) fell
The root is : هـ و يH W Y I
|
الْمَاْضِيْ Perfective // هَوَىْ : فَـعَـلَ (Form I, Active Voice) |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) fell |
hawayt(u) |
هَوَيْتُ |
|
(You masc.) fell |
hawayt(a) |
هَوَيْتَ |
|
|
(You fem.) fell |
hawayti |
هَوَيْتِ |
|
|
(He) fell |
hawaa |
هَوَىْ |
|
|
(She) fell |
hawat |
هَوَتْ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) fell |
hawaytumaa |
هَوَيْتُمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) fell |
hawayaa |
هَوَيَاْ |
|
|
(They fem.) fell |
hawataa |
هَوَتَاْ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) fell |
hawaynaa |
هَوَيْنَاْ |
|
(You masc.) fell |
hawaytum |
هَوَيْتُمْ |
|
|
(You fem.) fell |
hawaytunn(a) |
هَوَيْتُنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) fell |
hawaw |
هَوَوْا |
|
|
(They fem.) fell |
hawayn(a) |
هَوَيْنَ |
|
The second type of the enfolding verbs enfolds the definitions of both Mithaaland defective verbs. These verbs get the dealing of both Mithaal and defective verbs together. However, since that Mithaalverbs conjugate regularly in the perfective, conjugating enfolding verbs will be very much like conjugating defective verbs.
Example:
وَفَىْ
wafaa
(He) fulfilled
The root is : و ف يW F Y I
|
الْمَاْضِيْ Perfective // وَفَىْ : فَـعَـلَ (Form I, Active Voice) |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) fulfilled |
wafayt(u) |
وَفَيْتُ |
|
(You masc.) fulfilled |
wafayt(a) |
وَفَيْتَ |
|
|
(You fem.) fulfilled |
wafayti |
وَفَيْتِ |
|
|
(He) fulfilled |
wafaa |
وَفَىْ |
|
|
(She) fulfilled |
wafat |
وَفَتْ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) fulfilled |
wafaytumaa |
وَفَيْتُمَاْ |
|
(They masc.) fulfilled |
wafayaa |
وَفَيَاْ |
|
|
(They fem.) fulfilled |
wafataa |
وَفَتَاْ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) fulfilled |
wafaynaa |
وَفَيْنَاْ |
|
(You masc.) fulfilled |
wafaytum |
وَفَيْتُمْ |
|
|
(You fem.) fulfilled |
wafaytunn(a) |
وَفَيتُنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) fulfilled |
wafaw |
وَفَوْا |
|
|
(They fem.) fulfilled |
wafayn(a) |
وَفَيْنَ |
|
|
Enfolding Verbs |
|
|
Root: C-C–C |
Treat as defective verbs |
|
Root: C-C-C |
Treat as Mithaal & defective verbs |
Where C is a sound consonant, and C is a weak consonant.
Exercise
|
(He) escaped (intr.) |
فَرَّ |
|
(He) admitted |
أَقَرَّ |
|
(He) stood, stopped |
وَقَفَ |
|
(He) won origin: فَوَزَ |
فَاْزَ |
|
(He) feared origin: خَوِفَ |
خَاْفَ |
|
(He) rested, became relived |
اِرْتَاْحَ |
|
(He) rose, ascended |
عَلا |
|
(He) remained, stayed |
بَقِيَ |
|
(He) bought |
اِشْتَرَىْ |
|
(He) bent (intr.) |
اِلْتَوَىْ |
|
(He) protected |
وَقَىْ |
Based on these verbs, can you translate the following to Arabic?
(you need not to translate the pronouns in parenthesis)
|
(You sing. masc.) escaped |
|
(They plu. masc.) escaped |
|
(We) escaped |
|
(We) admitted |
|
(You plu. masc.) admitted |
|
(They dual fem.) admitted |
|
(They plu. fem.) stood |
|
(She) won |
|
(you sing. fem.) won |
|
(I) won |
|
(We) feared |
|
(They dual masc.) feared |
|
(You dual) feared |
|
(I) rested |
|
(They plu. fem.) rested |
|
(They plu. masc.) rested |
|
(We) ascended |
|
(They plu. masc.) ascended |
|
(She) ascended |
|
(They dual) ascended |
|
(You dual) stayed |
|
(I) stayed |
|
(She) stayed |
|
(They plu. masc.) stayed |
|
(You sing. fem.) bought |
|
(She) bought |
|
(We) bent |
|
(She) bent |
|
(They plu. masc.) bent |
|
(You sing. masc.) protected |
|
(She) protected |
|
(They plu. masc.) protected |
Answers
|
(You sing. masc.) escaped |
فَرَرْتَ |
|
(They plu. masc.) escaped |
فَرُّوْا |
|
(We) escaped |
فَرَرْنَاْ |
|
(We) admitted |
أَقْرَرْنَاْ |
|
(You plu. masc.) admitted |
أَقْرَرْتُمْ |
|
(They dual fem.) admitted |
أَقَرَّتَاْ |
|
(They plu. fem.) stood |
وَقَفْنَ |
|
(She) won |
فَاْزَتْ |
|
(You sing. fem.) won |
فُزْتِ |
|
(I) won |
فُزْتُ |
|
(We) feared |
خِفْنَاْ |
|
(They dual masc.) feared |
خَاْفَاْ |
|
(You dual) feared |
خِفْتُمَاْ |
|
(I) rested |
اِرْتَحْتُ |
|
(They plu. fem.) rested |
اِرْتَحْنَ |
|
(They plu. masc.) rested |
اِرْتَاْحُوْا |
|
(We) ascended |
عَلَوْنَاْ |
|
(They plu. masc.) ascended |
عَلَوْا |
|
(She) ascended |
عَلَتْ |
|
(They dual) ascended |
عَلَوَاْ |
|
(You dual) stayed |
بَقِيْتُمَاْ |
|
(I) stayed |
بَقِيْتُ |
|
(She) stayed |
بَقِيَتْ |
|
(They plu. masc.) stayed |
بَقُوْا |
|
(You sing. fem.) bought |
اِشْتَرَيْتِ |
|
(She) bought |
اِشْتَرَتْ |
|
(We) bent |
اِلْتَوَيْنَاْ |
|
(She) bent |
اِلْتَوَتْ |
|
(They plu. masc.) bent |
اِلْتَوَوْا |
|
(You sing. masc.) protected |
وَقَيْتَ |
|
(She) protected |
وَقَتْ |
|
(They plu. masc.) protected |
وَقَوْا |
Verbs (continued)
Imperfective Structures