Arabic Verbs 3
Imperfective Structures
Forms II Through QIV (continued)
♪Ya–i Verbs
Represented by form VII in the three introductory examples, these verbs have the prefix ya– and the green vowel i in the active voice (and like all imperfective verbs, the prefix yu– and the green vowel a in the passive voice).
Ya–i verbs are the majority of the verb forms. They can be identified by elimination: any verb form that is neither quadriliteral (composed of four letters) nor begins with a reflexive prefix ta- will be a Ya–i verb. The Ya–i verbs are namely the forms VII through XV and forms QIII & QIV .
| Ya–i Verb Forms | ||
| Imperfective (Active-Indicative) | Perfective (Active) | |
| Form VII | يَنْفَعِلُ | اِنْفَعَلَ |
| yanfa“il(u) | ‘infa“al(a) | |
| Form VIII | يَفْتَعِلُ | اِفْتَعَلَ |
| yafta“il(u) | ‘ifta“al(a) | |
| Form IX | يَفْعَلُّ* | اِفْعَلََّ |
| yaf”all(u) | ‘if”all(a) | |
| Form X | يَسْتَفْعِلُ | اِسْتَفْعَلَ |
| yastaf”il(u) | ‘istaf”al(a) | |
| Form XI | يَفْعَاْلُّ* | اِفْعَاْلَّ |
| yaf”aall(u) | ‘if”aall(a) | |
| Form XII | يَفْعَوْعِلُ | اِفْعَوْعَلَ |
| yaf”aw”il(u) | ‘if”aw”al(a) | |
| Form XIII | يَفْعَوِّلُ | اِفْعَوَّلَ |
| yaf”awwil(u) | ‘if”awwal(a) | |
| Form XIV | يَفْعَنْلِلُ | اِفْعَنْلَلَ |
| yaf”anlil(u) | ‘if”anlal(a) | |
| Form XV | يَفْعَنْلِيْ* | اِفْعَنْلَىْ |
| yaf”anliy | ‘if”anlaa | |
| Form QIII | يَفْعَنْلِلُ | اِفْعَنْلَلَ |
| yaf”anlil(u) | ‘if”anlal(a) | |
| Form QIV | يَفْعَلِلُّ* | اِفْعَلَلَّ |
| yaf”alill(u) | ‘if”alall(a) | |
*These are irregular doubled verb. The green vowel is hidden in forms IX & XI and displaced backward in form QIV. The original structures of these forms will be restored only in the feminine plural conjugations.
*This verb always conjugates as a defective verb. The final weak A will be transformed to y in the imperfective.
Examples on conjugation:
Form VIII
اِنْزَعَجَ
‘inza“aj(a)
(He) was/became annoyed
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِنْزَعَجَ :اِنْفَعَلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) become annoyed | ‘anza”ij(u) | أَنْزَعِجُ |
| (You masc.) become annoyed | tanza”ij(u) | تَنْزَعِجُ | |
| (You fem.) become annoyed | tanza”ijeen(a) | تنْزَعِجِيْنَ | |
| (He) becomes annoyed | yanza”ij(u) | يَنْزَعِجُ | |
| (She) becomes annoyed | tanza”ij(u) | تَنْزَعِجُ | |
| D U A L | (You) become annoyed | tanza”ijaan(i) | تَنْزَعِجَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) become annoyed | yanza”ijaan(i) | يَنْزَعِجَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) become annoyed | tanza”ijaan(i) | تَنْزَعِجَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) become annoyed | nanza”ij(u) | نَنْزَعِجُ |
| (You masc.) become annoyed | tanza”ijoon(a) | تَنْزَعِجُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) become annoyed | tanza”ijn(a) | تَنْزَعِجْنَ | |
| (They masc.) become annoyed | yanza”ijoon(a) | يَنْزَعِجُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) become annoyed | yanza”ijn(a) | يَنْزَعِجْنَ | |
Form VIII
اِنْتَظَرَ
‘intzar(a)
(He) waited (tr.)
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِنْتَظَرَ : اِفْتَعَلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) wait | ‘antazir(u) | أَنْتَظِرُ |
| (You masc.) wait | tantazir(u) | تَنْتَظِرُ | |
| (You fem.) wait | tantazireen(a) | تَنْتَظِرِيْنَ | |
| (He) waits | yantazir(u) | يَنْتَظِرُ | |
| (She) waits | tantazir(u) | تَنْتَظِرُ | |
| D U A L | (You) wait | tantaziraan(i) | تَنْتَظِرَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) wait | yantaziraan(i) | يَنْتَظِرَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) wait | tantaziraan(i) | تَنْتَظِرَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) wait | nantazir(u) | نَنْتَظِرُ |
| (You masc.) wait | tantaziroon(a) | تَنْتَظِرُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) wait | tantazirn(a) | تَنْتَظِرْنَ | |
| (They masc.) wait | yantaziroon(a) | يَنْتَظِرُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) wait | yantazirn(a) | يَنْتَظِرْنَ | |
Try conjugating the following verb:
اِنْتَصَرَ
‘intasar(a)
(He) won
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِنْتَصَرَ : اِفْتَعَلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) win | ‘antasir(u) | أَنْتَصِرُ |
| (You masc.) win | tantasir(u) | تَنْتَصِرُ | |
| (You fem.) win | tantasireen(a) | تَنْتَصِرِيْنَ | |
| (He) wins | yantasir(u) | يَنْتَصِرُ | |
| (She) wins | tantasir(u) | تَنْتَصِرُ | |
| D U A L | (You) win | tantasiraan(i) | تَنْتَصِرَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) win | yantasiraan(i) | يَنْتَصِرَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) win | tantasiraan(i) | تَنْتَصِرَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) win | nantasir(u) | نَنْتَصِرُ |
| (You masc.) win | tantasiroon(a) | تَنْتَصِرُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) win | tantasirn(a) | تَنْتَصِرْنَ | |
| (They masc.) win | yantasiroon(a) | يَنْتَصِرُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) win | yantasirn(a) | يَنْتَصِرْنَ | |
The forms that denote color or bodily defect state of the subject (IX & XI) are doubled verbs. They will conjugate regularly except in the feminine plural conjugations where they will need the insertion of an i (the hidden green vowel) between the two doubled letters of the stem.
Form IX
اِخْضَرَّ
‘ikhdarr(a)
(He) greened (up)
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِخْضَرَّ : اِفْعَلَّ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) green | ‘akhdarr(u) | أَخْضَرُّ |
| (You masc.) green | takhdarr(u) | تَخْضَرُّ | |
| (You fem.) green | takhdarreen(a) | تَخْضَرِّيْنَ | |
| (He) greens | yakhdarr(u) | يَخْضَرُّ | |
| (She) greens | takhdarr(u) | تَخْضَرُّ | |
| D U A L | (You) green | takhdarraan(i) | تَخْضَرَّاْنِ |
| (They masc.) green | yakhdarraan(i) | يَخْضَرَّاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) green | takhdarraan(i) | تَخْضَرَّاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) green | nakhdarr(u) | نَخْضَرُّ |
| (You masc.) green | takhdarroon(a) | تَخْضَرُّوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) green | takhdarirn(a) | تَخْضَرِرْنَ | |
| (They masc.) green | yakhdarroon(a) | يَخْضَرُّوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) green | yakhdarirn(a) | يَخْضَرِرْنَ | |
Form XI
اِحْمَاْرَّ
‘ihmaarr(a)
(He) reddened (up) (much)
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِحْمَاْرَّ : اِفْعَاْلَّ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) green | ‘ahmaarr(u) | أَحْمَاْرُّ |
| (You masc.) green | tahmaarr(u) | تَحْمَاْرُّ | |
| (You fem.) green | tahmaarreen(a) | تَحْمَاْرِّيْنَ | |
| (He) greens | yahmaarr(u) | يَحْمَاْرُّ | |
| (She) greens | tahmaarr(u) | تَحْمَاْرُّ | |
| D U A L | (You) green | tahmaarraan(i) | تَحْمَاْرَّاْنِ |
| (They masc.) green | yahmaarraan(i) | يَحْمَاْرَّاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) green | tahmaarraan(i) | تَحْمَاْرَّاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) green | nahmaarr(u) | نَحْمَاْرُّ |
| (You masc.) green | tahmaarroon(a) | تَحْمَاْرُّوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) green | tahmaarirn(a) | تَحْمَاْرِرْنَ | |
| (They masc.) green | yahmaarroon(a) | يَحْمَاْرُّوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) green | yahmaarirn(a) | يَحْمَاْرِرْنَ | |
Form X
اِسْتَعْمَلَ
‘ista“mal(a)
(He) used
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِسْتَعْمَلَ :اِسْتَفْعَلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) use | ‘asta”mil(u) | أَسْتَعْمِلُ |
| (You masc.) use | tasta”mil(u) | تَسْتَعْمِلُ | |
| (You fem.) use | tasta”mileen(a) | تَسْتَعْمِليْنَ | |
| (He) uses | yasta”mil(u) | يَسْتَعْمِلُ | |
| (She) uses | tasta”mil(u) | تَسْتَعْمِلُ | |
| D U A L | (You) use | tasta”milaan(i) | تَسْتَعْمِلانِ |
| (They masc.) use | yasta”milaan(i) | يَسْتَعْمِلانِ | |
| (They fem.) use | tasta”milaan(i) | تَسْتَعْمِلانِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) use | nasta”mil(u) | نَسْتَعْمِلُ |
| (You masc.) use | tasta”miloon(a) | تَسْتَعْمِلوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) use | tasta”miln(a) | تَسْتَعْمِلْنَ | |
| (They masc.) use | yasta”miloon(a) | يَسْتَعْمِلُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) use | yasta”miln(a) | يَسْتَعْمِلْنَ | |
Form QIV is also a doubled verbs like forms IX & XI; however, the green short vowel here is not hidden but is rather displaced backward. In the feminine plural conjugations, the original form of QIV verbs (‘if”allal(a)) must be restored before conjugation; or, in another way of saying it, the green short vowel must be restored to its original place in the feminine plural conjugations.
Form QIV
اِطْمَأَنَّ
‘itma‘ann(a)
(He) was/became reassured
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِطْمَأَنَّ :اِفْعَلَلَّ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) become reassured | ‘atma’inn(u) | أَطْمَئِنُّ |
| (You masc.) become reassured | tatma’inn(u) | تَطْمَئِنُّ | |
| (You fem.) become reassured | tatma’inneen(a) | تَطْمَئِنِّيْنَ | |
| (He) becomes reassured | yatma’inn(u) | يَطْمَئِنُّ | |
| (She) becomes reassured | tatma’inn(u) | تَطْمَئِنُّ | |
| D U A L | (You) become reassured | tatma’innaan(i) | تَطْمَئِنّانِ |
| (They masc.) become reassured | yatma’innaan(i) | يَطْمَئِنّانِ | |
| (They fem.) become reassured | tatma’innaan(i) | تَطْمَئِنّانِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) become reassured | natma’inn(u) | نَطْمَئِنّ |
| (You masc.) become reassured | tatma’innoon(a) | تَطْمَئِنّوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) become reassured | tatma'<ninn(a) | تَطْمَئْنِنَّ | |
| (They masc.) become reassured | yatma’innoon(a) | يَطْمَئِنُّونَ | |
| (They fem.) become reassured | yatma'<ninn(a) | يَطْمَئْنِنَّ | |
| Imperfective Conjugation | ||
| Yu–i Verbs | Forms II, III, IV, & QI | four forms with four letters |
| Ya–a Verbs | Forms V, VI & QII | prefix ta- |
| Ya–i Verbs | Forms VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, QIII & QIV | Everything else |
| Imperfective Conjugation | |
| Ya–a | Active voice of forms I, V, VI & QII |
| Ya–i | Active voice of forms I, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, QIII & QIV |
| Ya–u | Active voice of form I |
| Yu–i | Active voice of forms II, III, IV, & QI |
| Yu–a | Passive voice of all forms |
| Arabic Verbs | ||
| Imperfective (Active-Indicative) | Perfective (Active) | |
| Form I | يَفْعلُ | فَعلَ |
| yaf”?l(u) | fa“?l(a) | |
| Form II | يُفَعِّلُ | فَعَّلَ |
| yufa””il(u) | fa””al(a) | |
| Form III | يُفَاْعِلُ | فَاْعَلَ |
| yufaa”il(u) | faa”al(a) | |
| Form IV | يُفْعِلُ | أَفْعَلَ |
| yuf”il(u) | ‘af”al(a) | |
| Form V | يَتَفَعَّلُ | تَفَعَّلَ |
| yatafa””al(u) | tafa””al(a) | |
| Form VI | يَتَفَاْعَلُ | تَفَاْعَلَ |
| yatafaa”al(u) | tafaa”al(a) | |
| Form VII | يَنْفَعِلُ | اِنْفَعَلَ |
| yanfa”il(u) | ‘infa”al(a) | |
| Form VIII | يَفْتَعِلُ | اِفْتَعَلَ |
| yafta”il(u) | ‘ifta”al(a) | |
| Form IX | يَفْعَلُّ | اِفْعَلََّ |
| yaf”all(u) | ‘if”all(a) | |
| Form X | يَسْتَفْعِلُ | اِسْتَفْعَلَ |
| yastaf”il(u) | ‘istaf”al(a) | |
| Form XI | يَفْعَاْلُّ | اِفْعَاْلَّ |
| yaf”aall(u) | ‘if”aall(a) | |
| Form XII | يَفْعَوْعِلُ | اِفْعَوْعَلَ |
| yaf”aw”il(u) | ‘if”aw”al(a) | |
| Form XIII | يَفْعَوِّلُ | اِفْعَوَّلَ |
| yaf”awwil(u) | ‘if”awwal(a) | |
| Form XIV | يَفْعَنْلِلُ | اِفْعَنْلَلَ |
| yaf”anlil(u) | ‘if”anlal(a) | |
| Form XV | يَفْعَنْلِيْ | اِفْعَنْلَىْ |
| yaf”anliy | ‘if”anlaa | |
| Form QII | يَتَفَعْلَلُ | تَفَعْلَلَ |
| yatafa”lal(u) | tafa”lal(a) | |
| Form QI | يُفَعْلِلُ | فَعْلَلَ |
| yufa”lil(u) | fa”lal(a) | |
| Form QIII | يَفْعَنْلِلُ | اِفْعَنْلَلَ |
| yaf”anlil(u) | ‘if”anlal(a) | |
| Form QIV | يَفْعَلِلُّ | اِفْعَلَلَّ |
| yaf”alill(u) | ‘if”alall(a) | |
Present vs. Future Tense