Verbs
Imperfective Structures
Conjugation of Irregular Verbs (continued)
For description of irregular verb types, you may go here
3) Hollow Verbs
Hollow verbs are verbs whose second original letter is a weak letter.
Unlike the perfective hollow verbs, imperfective hollow verbs will not always transform the middle weak letter (the w or y) into a weak ‘alif. As was explained before, this transformation happens only when the short vowel preceding the weak letter is a short A. Whereas this is always the case in the perfective, in the imperfective this vowel is changeable and thus the weak letter will not be always transformed into a weak A.
►Form I
Form I hollow verbs have a displaced-back short vowel in the imperfective. This vowel is the changeable green short of the imperfective verbs. Thus, these verbs will have a changeable middle long vowel depending on the green vowel of the verb.
Example:
قَاْلَ
qaal(a)
(He) said
The root is : ق و لQ W L
By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form I, we get:
| (He) says | yaqwul(u) | يَقْوُلُ |
As we said when we defined the hollow verbs in this page, the combination -CCvC becomes -CvCC in the hollow and doubled verbs. So form I imperfective verbs belong to the second type of those verbs, in which the short vowel following the weak letter will be displaced back rather than omitted. This is different from the perfective form I hollow and doubled verbs which are ones with an omitted short vowel.
So the verb will become:
| (He) says | yaquwl(u) = yaqool(u) | يَقُوْلُ |
The verb has a long U vowel in the middle, corresponding to the green vowel u.
The full conjugation:
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) قَاْلَ : فَـعَـلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) say | ‘aquwl(u) | أَقُوْلُ |
| (You masc.) say | taquwl(u) | تَقُوْلُ | |
| (You fem.) say | taquwleen(a) | تَقُوْلِيْنَ | |
| (He) says | yaquwl(u) | يَقُوْلُ | |
| (She) says | taquwl(u) | تَقُوْلُ | |
| D U A L | (You) say | taquwlaan(i) | تَقُوْلانِ |
| (They masc.) say | yaquwlaan(i) | يَقُوْلانِ | |
| (They fem.) say | taquwlaan(i) | تَقُوْلانِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) say | naquwl(u) | نَقُوْلُ |
| (You masc.) say | taquwloon(a) | تَقُوْلُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) say | taquln(a) | تَقُلْنَ | |
| (They masc.) say | yaquwloon(a) | يَقُوْلُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) say | yaquln(a) | يَقُلْنَ | |
Notice that the middle long vowel (uw = oo) becomes the corresponding short vowel (u) in the feminine plural conjugations. This will happen with all the imperfective hollow verbs when are in these conjugations.
Another example:
بَاْعَ
baa“(a)
(He) sold
The root is: B Y “ بي ع
By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form I, we get:
| (He) sells | yabyi“(u) | يَبْيِعُ |
By displacing the i backward, we get:
| (He) sells | yabiy“(u) = yabee“(u) | يَبِيْعُ |
The verb has a long I vowel in the middle, corresponding to the green vowel i.
Full conjugation:
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) بَاْعَ : فَـعَـلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) sell | ‘abiy“(u) | أَبِيْعُ |
| (You masc.) sell | tabiy“(u) | تَبِيْعُ | |
| (You fem.) sell | tabiy“een(a) | تَبِيْعِيْنَ | |
| (He) sells | yabiy“(u) | يَبِيْعُ | |
| (She) sells | tabiy“(u) | تَبِيْعُ | |
| D U A L | (You) sell | tabiy“aan(i) | تَبِيْعَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) sell | yabiy“aan(i) | يَبِيْعَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) sell | tabiy“aan(i) | تَبِيْعَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) sell | nabiy“(u) | نَبِيْعُ |
| (You masc.) sell | tabiy“oon(a) | تَبِيْعُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) sell | tabi“n(a) | تَبِعْنَ | |
| (They masc.) sell | yabiy“oon(a) | يَبِيْعُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) sell | yabi“n(a) | يَبِعْنَ | |
The middle long vowel (iy = ee) becomes the corresponding short vowel (i) in the feminine plural conjugations.
Now we will take an a verb:
خَاْفَ
khaaf(a)
(He) feared
The root is: KH W F خ و ف
By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form I, we get:
| (He) fears | yakhwaf(u) | يَخْوَفُ |
By displacing the a backward, we get:
| (He) fears | yakhawf(u) | يَخَوْفُ |
We mentioned before the rule of aw→ aa , ay→ aa. By applying this rule here, we get:
| (He) fears | yakhaaf(u) | يَخَاْفُ |
So whether the original weak letter is w or y, we will always get a long A (aa) in the middle of an a imperfective hollow verb.
The full conjugation:
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) خَاْفَ : فَـعَـلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) fear | ‘akhaaf(u) | أَخَاْفُ |
| (You masc.) fear | takhaaf(u) | تَخَاْفُ | |
| (You fem.) fear | takhaafeen(a) | تَخَاْفِيْنَ | |
| (He) fears | yakhaaf(u) | يَخَاْفُ | |
| (She) fears | takhaaf(u) | تَخَاْفُ | |
| D U A L | (You) fear | takhaafaan(i) | تَخَاْفَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) fear | yakhaafaan(i) | يَخَاْفَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) fear | takhaafaan(i) | تَخَاْفَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) fear | nakhaaf(u) | نَخَاْفُ |
| (You masc.) fear | takhaafoon(a) | تَخَاْفُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) fear | takhafn(a) | تَخَفْنَ | |
| (They masc.) fear | yakhaafoon(a) | يَخَاْفُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) fear | yakhafn(a) | يَخَفْنَ | |
The middle long vowel (aa) becomes the corresponding short vowel (a) in the feminine plural conjugations.
Imperfective hollow verbs whose middle weak letter is w are always verbs u or a verbs, but not i verbs. Imperfective hollow verbs whose middle weak letter is y are always verbs i or a verbs, but not u verbs.
| Hollow Verb Conjugation (Form I) | |
| Original Form | Actual Form |
| yafwul(u) | yafuwl(u) |
| yafyul(u) does not exist | |
| yafyil(u) | yafiyl(u) |
| yafwil(u) does not exist | |
| yafwal(u) | yafaal(u) |
| yafyal(u) | |
| Fawal(a)→ yafuwl(u) | |||||
| دَاْخَ | خَاْنَ | جَاْلَ | ثَاْرَ | تَاْقَ | تَاْبَ |
| رَاْحَ | ذَاْقَ | ذَاْبَ | دَاْمَ | دَاْسَ | دَاْرَ |
| سَاْقَ | سَاْدَ | سَاْءَ | زَاْلَ | زَاْرَ | رَاْمَ |
| غَاْرَ | عَاْدَ | طَاْلَ | طَاْفَ | صَاْنَ | صَاْمَ |
| قَاْدَ | فَاْقَ | فَاْزَ | فَاْرَ | فَاْتَ | غَاْصَ |
| مَاْتَ | لامَ | لاذَ | لاحَ | قَاْمَ | قَاْلَ |
| هَاْنَ | نَاْحَ | نَاْبَ | |||
| Fayal(a)→ yafiyl(u) | ||||
| زَاْنَ | ذَاْعَ | جَاْءَ | تَاْهَ | بَاْتَ |
| شَاْخَ | شَاْبَ | سَاْلَ | سَاْرَ | سَاْحَ |
| ضَاْعَ | صَاْرَ | صَاْدَ | صَاْحَ | شَاْعَ |
| عَاْشَ | عَاْبَ | طَاْرَ | طَاْبَ | ضَاْقَ |
| هَاْجَ | مَاْلَ | مَاْعَ | غَاْبَ | |
| Fa“il(a)→ yafaal(u) | |||
| yanaam(u) | يَنَاْمُ | naam(a) | نَاْمَ |
| (he) sleeps | (he) slept | ||
| yakhaaf(u) | يَخَاْفُ | khaaf(a) | خَاْفَ |
| (he) fears | (he) feared | ||
| yashaa‘(u) | يَشَاْءُ | naal(a) | شَاْءَ |
| (he) wants | (he) wanted | ||
| yanaal(u) | يَنْاَلُ | naal(a) | نَاْلَ |
| (he) gets | (he) got | ||
| yahaab(u) | يَهَاْبُ | haab(a) | هَاْبَ |
| (he) becomes awed | (he) was/became awed | ||
| yaraar(u) | يَغَاْرُ | raar(a) | غَاْرَ |
| (he) becomes jealous | (he) was/became jealous | ||
| yakhaal(u) | يَخْاَلُ | khaal(a) | خَاْلَ |
| (he) thinks (object) to be takes two object | (he) thought (object) to be takes two object | ||
| yakaad(u) | يَكَاْدُ | kaad(a) | كَاْدَ |
| (he) is about to (do) verb of approach | (he) almost (did) verb of approach | ||
Now let us conjugate the rest of the verb forms. The verb forms other than form I that can be hollow verbs are forms IV, VII, VIII & X. To conjugate those, one will need to keep in mind the differentiation between the forms with an omitted short vowel (-CvCvC → -CvCC) and the forms with a displaced-back short vowel (-CCvC → -CvCC).
| Conjugation of Hollow Verbs | |||
| Perfective | Imperfective | ||
| Forms I, VII, VIII | omitted short vowel | Forms VII, VIII | omitted short vowel |
| Forms IV, X | displaced-back short vowel | Forms I, IV, X | displaced-back short vowel |
►Forms VII & VIII
Example,
اِنْقَاْدَ
‘inqaad(a)
(he) was/became led
The root is: Q W D ق و د
By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form VII, we get:
| (He) becomes led | yanqawid(u) | يَنْقَوِدُ |
By omitting the i, we get:
| (He) becomes led | yanqawd(u) | يَنْقَوْدُ |
By applying the rule of aw→ aa, we get the final form:
| (He) becomes led | yanqaad(u) | يَنْقَاْدُ |
The same would be true for ay→ aa. Thus, these verbs will always have a middle long A instead of the weak letter and the green vowel following it. The same process will be applied to form VIII hollow verbs.
The full conjugation:
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) اِنْقَاْدَ : اِنْفَعَلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) become led | ‘anqaad(u) | أَنْقَاْدُ |
| (You masc.) become led | tanqaad(u) | تَنْقَاْدُ | |
| (You fem.) become led | tanqaadeen(a) | تَنْقَاْدِيْنَ | |
| (He) becomes led | yanqaad(u) | يَنْقَاْدُ | |
| (She) becomes led | tanqaad(u) | تَنْقَاْدُ | |
| D U A L | (You masc.) become led | tanqaadaan(i) | تَنْقَاْدَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) become led | yanqaadaan(i) | يَنْقَاْدَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) become led | tanqaadaan(i) | تَنْقَاْدَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) become led | nanqaad(u) | نَنْقَاْدُ |
| (You masc.) become led | tanqaadoon(a) | تَنْقَاْدُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) become led | tanqadn(a) | تَنْقَدْنَ | |
| (They masc.) become led | yanqaadoon(a) | يَنْقَاْدُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) become led | yanqadn(a) | يَنْقَدْنَ | |
As it is always, the middle long vowel (aa) becomes the corresponding short vowel (a) in the feminine plural conjugations.
►Forms IV & X
Example,
أَرَاْدَ
‘araad(a)
(he) wanted
The root is : ر و دR W DI
By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form IV, we get:
| (He) wants | yurwid(u) | يُرْوِدُ |
By displacing the a backward, we get:
| (He) wants | yuriwd(u) | يُرِوْدُ |
Knowing that iw becomes iy in hollow verbs, we get the final from:
| (He) wants | yuriyd(u) | يُرِيْدُ |
Thus, these verbs will always have a middle long I in their middles. The same is true for form X hollow verbs.
The full conjugation:
| المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective (Active Voice) أَرَاْدَ : أَفْعَلَ | |||
| S I N G U L A R | (I) want | ‘uriyd(u) | أُرِيْدُ |
| (You masc.) want | turiyd(u) | تُرِيْدُ | |
| (You fem.) want | turiydeen(a) | تُرِيْدِيْنَ | |
| (He) wants | yuriyd(u) | يُرِيْدُ | |
| (She) wants | turiyd(u) | تُرِيْدُ | |
| D U A L | (You) want | turiydaan(i) | تُرِيْدَاْنِ |
| (They masc.) want | yariydaan(i) | يُرِيْدَاْنِ | |
| (They fem.) want | turiydaan(i) | تُرِيْدَاْنِ | |
| P L U R A L | (We dual/plu.) want | nuriyd(u) | نُرِيْدُ |
| (You masc.) want | turiydoon(a) | تُرِيْدُوْنَ | |
| (You fem.) want | turidn(a) | تُرِدْنَ | |
| (They masc.) want | yuriydoon(a) | يُرِيْدُوْنَ | |
| (They fem.) want | yuridn(a) | يُرِدْنَ | |
| Conjugation of Hollow Verbs | |
| All conjugations except the plural feminine | Plural feminine conjugations |
| Middle long vowel | Middle short vowel |
| -fool- | -ful- |
| -feel- | -fil- |
| -faal- | -fal- |
| Conjugation of Hollow Verbs | ||
| Form I | -f“ul– | -fool- |
| -f“il– | -feel- | |
| -f“al– | -faal- | |
| Form VII | -faal- | |
| Form VIII | ||
| Form IV | -feel- | |
| Form X | ||
Extra Note: Modern vs. Classical Arabic
“Classical Arabic” refers to the dialects of Arabic that were spoken from about the 6th to the 9th century. Modern formal or standard Arabic is a modernized form of Arabic that is primarily derived from classical western Arabian Arabic; it began during the Arab renaissance era in the 19th century and was called then اللُّغَةُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ الْفُصْحَىْ = “the most eloquent Arabic language.”
Classical Arabic is much more diverse and rich in vocabulary than modern Arabic. One example of this appears in verb conjugation.
For the example, the verb:
مَاْتَ
maat(a)
(He) died
Root: M W T م و ت
This is an u verb in Modern Arabic. The imperfective is:
يَمُوْتُ
yamuwt(u)
(He) dies
However, in Classical Arabic, this same verb could also be an i or a verb, so it had three variant forms:
| “(He) dies” | |
| Classical Arabic | Modern Standard Arabic |
| yamuwt(u) | yamuwt(u) |
| yamiyt(u) | |
| yamaat(u) | |
4) Defective Verbs