2) Mithaal Verbs
Mithaalverbs are verbs whose first original letter is a weak letter.
These verbs conjugate regularly in the perfective. In the imperfective, they conjugate regularly in all the forms but forms I & IV. In these two forms, the conjugation can be regular or irregular depending on whether the first original letter is y or w.
►Form I Mithaal Verbs
-
Y Mithaal Verbs
Form I Mithaalverbs whose first original is y conjugate regularly. These verbs are rare.
Example:
يَبِسَ
yabis(a)
(he) dried up, hardened (intr.)
|
(He) hardened |
yabis(a) |
يَبِسَ |
|
(He) hardens |
yaybas(u) |
يَيْبَسُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) يَبِسَ : فََعِلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) harden |
‘aybas(u) |
أَيْبَسُ |
|
(You masc.) harden |
taybas(u) |
تَيْبَسُ |
|
|
(You fem.) harden |
taybaseen(a) |
تَيْبَسِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) hardens |
yaybas(u) |
يَيْبَسُ |
|
|
(She) hardens |
taybas(u) |
تَيْبَسُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) harden |
taybasaan(i) |
تَيْبَسَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) harden |
yaybasaan(i) |
يَيْبَسَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) harden |
taybasaan(i) |
تَيْبَسَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) harden |
naybas(u) |
نَيْبَسُ |
|
(You masc.) harden |
taybasoon(a) |
تَيْبَسُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) harden |
taybasn(a) |
تيْبَسْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) harden |
yaybasoon(a) |
يَيْبَسُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) harden |
yaybasn(a) |
يَيْبَسْنَ |
|
-
W Mithaal Verbs
Form I Mithaalverbs whose first original is w will lose the w in the imperfective if the green vowel of the imperfective is i . If the vowel is a , it will mostly be kept except in some verbs whose second or third root-letters are guttural or throat letters. If the green vowel is u, the w will not be lost.
I. i Verbs
These are the most common of Mithaal verbs. The w of these verbs will be always lost.
Example:
وَجَدَ
wajad(a)
(he) found
|
(He) found |
wajad(a) |
وَجَدَ |
|
(He) finds |
yawjid(u) |
يَوْجِدُ |
|
(He) finds |
yajid(u) |
يَجِدُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) وَجَدَ : فَعَلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) find |
‘ajid(u) |
أَجِدُ |
|
(You masc.) find |
tajid(u) |
تَجِدُ |
|
|
(You fem.) find |
tajideen(a) |
تَجِدِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) finds |
yajid(u) |
يَجِدُ |
|
|
(She) finds |
tajid(u) |
تَجِدُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) find |
tajidaan(i) |
تَجِدَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) find |
yajidaan(i) |
يَجِدَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) find |
tajidaan(i) |
تَجِدَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) find |
najid(u) |
نَجِدُ |
|
(You masc.) find |
tajidoon(a) |
تَجِدُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) find |
tajidn(a) |
تَجِدْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) find |
yajidoon(a) |
يَجِدُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) find |
yajidn(a) |
يَجِدْنَ |
|
Try conjugating the following i verb:
وَعَدَ
wa“ad(a)
(He) promised
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) وَعَدَ : فَعَلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) promise |
‘a“id(u) |
أَعِدُ |
|
(You masc.) promise |
ta“id(u) |
تَعِدُ |
|
|
(You fem.) promise |
ta“ideen(a) |
تَعِدِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) promises |
ya“id(u) |
يَعِدُ |
|
|
(She) promises |
ta“id(u) |
تَعِدُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) promise |
ta“idaan(i) |
تَعِدَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) promise |
ya“idaan(i) |
يَعِدَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) promise |
ta“idaan(i) |
تَعِدَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) promise |
na“id(u) |
نَعِدُ |
|
(You masc.) promise |
ta“idoon(a) |
تَعِدُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) promise |
ta“idn(a) |
تَعِدْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) promise |
ya“idoon(a) |
يَعِدُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) promise |
ya“idn(a) |
يَعِدْنَ |
|
|
Imperfective |
Perfective |
||
|
ya“id(u) |
يَعِدُ |
wa“ad(a) |
وَعَدَ |
|
(he) promises |
(he) promised |
||
|
yasif(u) |
يَصِفُ |
wasaf(a) |
وَصَفَ |
|
(he) describes |
(he) described |
||
|
yasil(u) |
يَصِلُ |
wasal(a) |
وَصَلَ |
|
(he) arrives (he) connects |
(he) arrived (he) connected |
||
|
yaqif(u) |
يَقِفُ |
waqaf(a) |
وَقَفَ |
|
(he) stands up (he) stops |
(he) stood up (he) stopped |
||
|
yathiq(u) |
يَثِقُ |
wathiq(a) |
وَثِقَ |
|
(he) trusts (intr.) |
(he) trusted (intr.) |
||
|
yajib(u) |
يَجِبُ |
wajab(a) |
وَجَبَ |
|
(he) becomes necessary Fr. il faut |
(he) was/became necessary Fr. il fallait |
||
II. a Verbs
The w will be kept in the majority of these verbs. However, the verbs that are commonly used in modern Arabic are usually ones in which the w will be lost (verbs like put, fall, tread, and bestow).
Example, a classical verb:
وَجِلَ
wajil(a)
(he) was/became afraid
|
(He) became afraid |
wajil(a) |
وَجِلَ |
|
(He) becomes afraid |
yawjal(u) |
يَوْجَلُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) وَجِلَ : فَعِلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) become afraid |
‘awjal(u) |
أَوْجَلُ |
|
(You masc.) become afraid |
tawjal(u) |
تَوْجَلُ |
|
|
(You fem.) become afraid |
tawjaleen(a) |
تَوْجَلِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) becomes afraid |
yawjal(u) |
يَوْجَلُ |
|
|
(She) becomes afraid |
tawjal(u) |
تَوْجَلُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) become afraid |
tawjalaan(i) |
تَوْجَلانِ |
|
(They masc.) become afraid |
yawjalaan(i) |
يَوْجَلانِ |
|
|
(They fem.) become afraid |
tawjalaan(i) |
تَوْجَلانِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) become afraid |
nawjal(u) |
نَوْجَلُ |
|
(You masc.) become afraid |
tawjaloon(a) |
تَوْجَلُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) become afraid |
tawjaln(a) |
تَوْجَلْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) become afraid |
yawjaloon(a) |
يَوْجَلُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) become afraid |
yawjaln(a) |
يَوْجَلْنَ |
|
A basic verb of formal Arabic is the verb “to put:”
وَضَعَ
wada“(a)
(he) put
|
(He) put |
wada“(a) |
وَضَعَ |
|
(He) puts |
yawda“(u) |
يَوْضَعُ |
|
(He) puts |
yada“(u) |
يَضَعُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) وَضَعَ : فَعَلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) put |
‘ada“(u) |
أَضَعُ |
|
(You masc.) put |
tada“(u) |
تَضَعُ |
|
|
(You fem.) put |
tada“een(a) |
تَضَعِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) puts |
yada“(u) |
يَضَعُ |
|
|
(She) puts |
tada“(u) |
تَضَعُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) put |
tada“aan(i) |
تَضَعَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) put |
yada“aan(i) |
يَضَعَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) put |
tada“aan(i) |
تَضَعَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) put |
nada“(u) |
نَضَعُ |
|
(You masc.) put |
tada“oon(a) |
تَضَعُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) put |
tada“n(a) |
تَضَعْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) put |
yada“oon(a) |
يَضَعُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) put |
yada“n(a) |
يَضَعْنَ |
|
|
Imperfective |
Perfective |
||
|
yaqa“(u) |
يَقَعَ |
waqa“(a) |
وَقَعَ |
|
(he) falls |
(he) fell |
||
|
yata‘(u) |
يَطَأُ |
wati‘(a) |
وَطِئَ |
|
(he) treads |
(he) treaded |
||
|
yahab(u) |
يَهَبَ |
wahab(a) |
وَهَبَ |
|
(he) bestows |
(he) bestowed |
||
|
yawja“(u) |
يَوْجَعُ |
waji“(a) |
وَجِعَ |
|
(he) hurts |
(he) hurt, caused pain |
||
|
yawhal(u) |
يَوْحَلُ |
wahil(a) |
وَحِلَ |
|
(he) becomes muddy |
(he) became muddy |
||
The a verbs that will lose the w are the following:
| Yaw“al(u)→ ya“al(u) | ||||
| وَطِئَ | وَضَعَ | وَسِعَ | وَذَرَ | وَدَعَ |
| وَلَغَ | وَزَعَ | وَلَعَ | وَهَبَ | وَقَعَ |
III. u Verbs
These are rare verbs.
وَشُكَ
washuk(a)
(he) was/became about to
|
(He) was about to |
washuk(a) |
وَشُكَ |
|
(He) is about to |
yawshuk(u) |
يَوْشُكُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) وَشُكَ : فَعُلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) am about to |
‘awshuk(u) |
أَوْشُكُ |
|
(You masc.) are about to |
tawshuk(u) |
تَوْشُكُ |
|
|
(You fem.) are about to |
tawshukeen(a) |
تَوْشُكِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) is about to |
yawshuk(u) |
يَوْشُكُ |
|
|
(She) is about to |
tawshuk(u) |
تَوْشُكُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) are about to |
tawshukaan(i) |
تَوْشُكَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) are about to |
yawshukaan(i) |
يَوْشُكَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) are about to |
tawshukaan(i) |
تَوْشُكَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) are about to |
nawshuk(u) |
نَوْشُكُ |
|
(You masc.) are about to |
tawshukoon(a) |
تَوْشُكُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) are about to |
tawshukn(a) |
تَوْشُكْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) are about to |
yawshukoon(a) |
يَوْشُكُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) are about to |
yawshukn(a) |
يَوْشُكْنَ |
|
►Form IV Mithaal Verbs
-
W Mithaal Verbs
Form IV Mithaalverbs whose first original is w conjugate regularly.
Example:
أَوَشَكَ
‘awshak(a)
(he) was/became about to
|
(He) was about to |
‘awshak(a) |
أَوْشَكَ |
|
(He) is about to |
yuwshik(u) = yooshik(u) |
يُوْشِكُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) أَوْشَكَ : أَفْعَلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) am about to |
‘uwshik(u) |
أُوْشِكُ |
|
(You masc.) are about to |
tuwshik(u) |
تُوْشِكُ |
|
|
(You fem.) are about to |
tuwshikeen(a) |
تُوْشِكِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) is about to |
yuwshik(u) |
يُوْشِكُ |
|
|
(She) is about to |
tuwshik(u) |
تُوْشِكُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) are about to |
tuwshikaan(i) |
تُوْشِكَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) are about to |
yuwshikaan(i) |
يُوْشِكَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) are about to |
tuwshikaan(i) |
تُوْشِكَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) are about to |
nuwshik(u) |
نُوْشِكُ |
|
(You masc.) are about to |
tuwshikoon(a) |
تُوْشِكُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) are about to |
tuwshikn(a) |
تُوْشِكْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) are about to |
yuwshikoon(a) |
يُوْشِكُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) are about to |
yuwshikn(a) |
يُوْشِكْنَ |
|
-
Y Mithaal Verbs
The y of form IV Mithaalverbs will become w in the imperfective due to a phonological reason.
Example:
أَيْقَنَ
‘ayqan(a)
(he) was/became certain
|
(He) became certain |
‘ayqan(a) |
أَيْقَنَ |
|
(He) becomes certain |
yuyqin(u) |
يُيْقِنُ |
|
(He) becomes certain |
yuwqin(u) = yooqin(u) |
يُوْقِنُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) أَيْقَنَ : أَفْـعَـلَ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) become certain |
‘uwqin(u) |
أُوْقِنُ |
|
(You masc.) become certain |
tuwqin(u) |
تُوْقِنُ |
|
|
(You fem.) become certain |
tuwqineen(a) |
تُوْقِنِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) becomes certain |
yuwqin(u) |
يُوْقِنُ |
|
|
(She) becomes certain |
tuwqin(u) |
تُوْقِنُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You masc.) become certain |
tuwqinaan(i) |
تُوْقِنَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) become certain |
yuwqinaan(i) |
يُوْقِنَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) become certain |
tuwqinaan(i) |
تُوْقِنَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) become certain |
nuwqin(u) |
نُوْقِنُ |
|
(You masc.) become certain |
tuwqinoon(a) |
تُوْقِنُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) become certain |
tuwqinn(a) |
تُوْقِنَّ |
|
|
(They masc.) become certain |
yuwqinoon(a) |
يُوْقِنُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) become certain |
yuwqinn(a) |
يُوْقِنَّ |
|
|
Imperfective |
Perfective |
||
|
yuwqiz(u) |
يُوْقِظُ |
‘ayqaz(a) |
أَيْقَظَ |
|
(he) wakes up (tr.) |
(he) woke up (tr.) |
||
|
yuwni“(u) |
يُوْنِعُ |
‘ayna“(a) |
أَيْنَعَ |
|
(he) ripens (intr.) |
(he) ripened (intr.) |
||
|
yuw‘is(u) |
يُوْئِسُ |
‘ay‘as(a) |
أَيْأَسَ |
|
(he) makes desperate |
(he) made desperate |
||
►Form VIII Mithaal Verbs
Whether w or y, the first original letter of a form VIII Mithaalverb will become a t in all the verbs and verbids derived from the root, including perfective and imperfective verbs, participles, verbal nouns, etc. This transition was explained in this page.
Example:
اِتَّسَعَ
‘ittasa“(a)
(He) had room
(He) became roomy(er)
The root is : و س عW S “o
|
(He) had room |
‘ittasa“(a) |
اِتَّسَعَ |
|
(He) has room |
yattasi“(u) |
يَتَّسِعُ |
|
المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِتَّسَعَ :اِفْتَعَلََ |
|||
|
S I N G U L A R |
(I) have room |
‘attasi“(u) |
أَتَّسِعُ |
|
(You masc.) have room |
tattasi“(u) |
تَتَّسِعُ |
|
|
(You fem.) have room |
tattasi“een(a) |
تَتَّسِعِيْنَ |
|
|
(He) has rooms |
yattasi“(u) |
يَتَّسِعُ |
|
|
(She) has rooms |
tattasi“(u) |
تَتَّسِعُ |
|
|
D U A L |
(You) have room |
tattasi“aan(i) |
تَتَّسِعَاْنِ |
|
(They masc.) have room |
yattasi“aan(i) |
يَتَّسِعَاْنِ |
|
|
(They fem.) have room |
tattasi“aan(i) |
تَتَّسِعَاْنِ |
|
|
P L U R A L |
(We dual/plu.) have room |
nattasi“(u) |
نَتَّسِعُ |
|
(You masc.) have room |
tattasi“oon(a) |
تَتَّسِعُوْنَ |
|
|
(You fem.) have room |
tattasi“n(a) |
تَتَّسِعْنَ |
|
|
(They masc.) have room |
yattasi“oon(a) |
يَتَّسِعُوْنَ |
|
|
(They fem.) have room |
yattasi“n(a) |
يَتَّسِعْنَ |
|
|
Mithaal Verb Conjugation |
||
|
Form |
Perfective |
Imperfective |
| I |
waf?l(a) |
yafil(u) |
|
yafal(u) rare |
||
|
yawfal(u) rarer in modern standard Arabic |
||
|
yawful(u) rarest |
||
|
yaf?l(a) |
yayf?l(u) | |
| IV |
‘awfal(a) |
yuwfil(u) |
|
‘ayfal(a) |
||
| VIII |
‘iwta“al(a) → ‘itta“al(a) |
yatta“ill(u) |
|
‘iyta“al(a) → ‘itta“al(a) |
||
Verbs
Imperfective Structures
Conjugation of Irregular Verbs (continued)