Arabic Verbs 3
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
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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 |
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| 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 | |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| yaqif(u) | يَقِفُ | waqaf(a) | وَقَفَ |
| (he) stands up (he) stops |
(he) stood up (he) stopped |
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| 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 |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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:
| 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 |
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| 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
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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 |
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| 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 | |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 | |
| Form | Perfective | Imperfective |
| I | waf?l(a) | yafil(u) |
| yafal(u) rare |
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| yawfal(u) rarer in modern standard Arabic |
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| yawful(u) rarest |
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| 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