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Arabic Verbs 3

4) Defective Verbs

Defective verbs are verbs whose last original letter is a weak letter.

Defective imperfective verbs can end with ى or with apparent ي y or و w. They cannot end with ا as there is no imperfective verb with less than four letters.

Imperfective defective verbs are similar to the perfective ones in that the vowel preceding the final weak letter will determine its form. The general rule is similar to that of the imperfective hollow verbs:

  • If the final original weak letter (the w or y) is preceded by an u , the ending of the verb will be –uw (the corresponding long vowel).

  • If the final original weak letter is preceded by an i , the ending of the verb will be –iy.

  • If the final original weak letter is preceded by an a, it will be changed to a weak A, and the ending of the verb will be –aa.

 

 

Because form I defective verbs can have u, i or a before the final weak letter, they can end with –uw,iy or –aa, respectively. The rest of the forms can be classified as follows:

 

  • Yui Verbs (forms II, III, IV, & QI): always have i, so always end with iy.

  • Yaa Verbs (forms V, VI & QII): always have a, so always end with aa.

  • Yai Verbs (the rest of the forms): always have i, so always end with iy.

 

 

I. Verbs Ending With iy / uw

 

►Form I

Example, perfective:

نَمَاْ

namaa

(He) grew (intr.)

The root is: ن م وN M W I

By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form I, we get:

(He) grows

yanmuw(u)

يَنْمُوُ

Since the green vowel is u, the ending of the verb will be –uw .

The final -u (the mood-sign) will be deleted because a long vowel cannot be followed by any vowel:

(He) grows

yanmuw

يَنْمُوْ

 

The mood-sign is said to be “estimated” مُقَدَّرَةٌ in this case, which means it is “imagined” to be there but it is not apparent.

For the rest of the conjugations, the only irregularity is that the final long vowel will be deleted in the 2nd person feminine singular and the masculine plural conjugations.

 

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

نَمَاْ : فَـعَـلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) grow

‘anmuw

أَنْمُوْ

(You masc.) grow

tanmuw

تَنْمُوْ

(You fem.) grow

tanmeen(a)

تَنْمِيْنَ

(He) grows

yanmuw

يَنْمُوْ

(She) grows

tanmuw

تَنْمُوْ

D

U

A

L

(You) grow

tanmuwaan(i)

تَنْمُوَاْنِ

(They masc.) grow

yanmuwaan(i)

يَنْمُوَاْنِ

(They fem.) grow

tanmuwaan(i)

تَنْمُوَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) grow

nanmuw

نَنْمُوْ

(You masc.) grow

tanmoon(a)

تَنْمُوْنَ

(You fem.) grow

tanmuwn(a)

تَنْمُوْنَ

(They masc.) grow

yanmoon(a)

يَنْمُوْنَ

(They fem.) grow

yanmuwn(a)

يَنْمُوْنَ

 

 

Another example:

بَكَىْ

bakaa

(He) cried

The root is: بك يB K Y I

By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form I, we get:

(He) cries

yabkiy(u)

يَبْكِيُ

Since the green vowel is i, the ending of the verb will be –iy.

The final -u will be deleted because a long vowel cannot be followed by any vowel:

(He) cries

yabkiy

يَبْكِيْ

 

The case-sign is said to be “estimated” مُقَدَّرَةٌ in this case, which means it is imagined to be there but not apparent.

 

For the rest of the conjugations, the only irregularity is that the final long vowel will be deleted in the 2nd person feminine singular and the masculine plural conjugations.

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

بَكَىْ : فَـعَـلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) cry

‘abkiy

أَبْكِيْ

(You masc.) cry

tabkiy

تَبْكِيْ

(You fem.) cry

tabkeen(a)

تَبْكِيْنَ

(He) cries

yabkiy

يَبْكِيْ

(She) cries

tabkiy

تَنْمُوْ

D

U

A

L

(You) cry

tabkiyaan(i)

تَبْكِيَاْنِ

(They masc.) cry

yabkiyaan(i)

يَبْكِيَاْنِ

(They fem.) cry

tabkiyaan(i)

تَبْكِيَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) cry

nabkiy

نَبْكِيْ

(You masc.) cry

tabkoon(a)

تَبْكُوْنَ

(You fem.) cry

tabkiyn(a)

تَبْكِيْنَ

(They masc.) cry

yabkoon(a)

يَبْكُوْنَ

(They fem.) cry

yabkiyn(a)

يَبْكِيْنَ

 

 

Try conjugating the following u verb:

 

سَمَاْ

samaa

(He) rose solemnly

 

 

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

سَمَاْ : فَعَلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) rise

‘asmuw

أَسْمُوْ

(You masc.) rise

tasmuw

تَسْمُوْ

(You fem.) rise

tasmeen(a)

تَسْمِيْنَ

(He) rises

yasmuw

يَسْمُوْ

(She) rises

tasmuw

تَسْمُوْ

D

U

A

L

(You) rise

tasmuwaan(i)

تَسْمُوَاْنِ

(They masc.) rise

yasmuwaan(i)

يَسْمُوَاْنِ

(They fem.) rise

tasmuwaan(i)

تَسْمُوَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) rise

nasmuw

نَسْمُوْ

(You masc.) rise

tasmoon(a)

تَسْمُوْنَ

(You fem.) rise

tasmuwn(a)

تَسْمُوْنَ

(They masc.) rise

yasmoon(a)

يَسْمُوْنَ

(They fem.) rise

yasmuwn(a)

يَسْمُوْنَ

 

 

Form I perfective verbs ending with aa that is transformed from aw(ـَاْ) often end with uw in the imperfective, and sometimes aa (ـَىْ ). Verbs whose endings in the perfective are aa that are transformed from ay(ـَىْ) often end with iyin the imperfective, and sometimes aa(ـَىْ ). Note that in words with more than three letters, a final weak A will be always transcribed as (ـَىْ ).

 

 

 

►Forms Other Than Form I

 

Imperfective defective verbs of forms other than form I will all end with –iy except forms V, VI & QII which will end withaa. There are no forms that can end with –uwother than form I.

 

Example, form VIII perfective:

اِنْتَهَىْ

‘intahaa

(He) ended, finished

The root is: ن هـ يN H Y I

By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form VIII, we get:

(He) finishes

yantahiy(u)

يَنْتَهِيُ

The final -u is deleted because a long vowel cannot be followed by any vowel:

(He) finishes

yantahiy

يَنْتَهِيْ

 

For the rest of the conjugations, the only irregularity is that the final long vowel will be deleted in the 2nd person feminine singular and the masculine plural conjugations.

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

اِنْتَهَىْ : اِفْتَعَلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) finish

‘antahiy

أَنْتَهِيْ

(You masc.) finish

tantahiy

تَنْتَهِيْ

(You fem.) finish

tantaheen(a)

تَنْتَهِِيْنَ

(He) finishes

yantahiy

يَنْتَهِيْ

(She) finishes

tantahiy

تَنْتَهِيْ

D

U

A

L

(You) finish

tantahiyaan(i)

تَنْتَهِيَاْنِ

(They masc.) finish

yantahiyaan(i)

يَنْتَهِيَاْنِ

(They fem.) finish

tantahiyaan(i)

تَنْتَهِيَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) finish

nantahiy

نَنْتَهِيْ

(You masc.) finish

tantahoon(a)

تَنْتَهُوْنَ

(You fem.) finish

tantahiyn(a)

تَنْتَهِيْنَ

(They masc.) finish

yantahoon(a)

يَنْتَهُوْنَ

(They fem.) finish

yantahiyn(a)

يَنْتَهِيْنَ

The conjugation process of form VIII defective verbs is the same for all the verb forms except forms V, VI & QII which end withaa.

 

II. Verbs Ending With -aa

Those can only be forms V, VI or QII, in addition to form I verbs that havea after the second root-letter. They end only with ى but not ا as there is no imperfective verb with less than four letters. In the dual and feminine plural conjugations, the ى will be always transformed to y regardless of its true origin.

 

►Form I

 

Example:

نَسِيَ

nasiy(a)

 

(He) forgot

The root is : ن س يN S Y I

By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form I, we get:

(He) forgets

yansay(u)

يَنْسَيُ

Since the green vowel is a, the weak letter y will become a weak A, and the final -u will be deleted because a long vowel cannot be followed by any vowel:

(He) forgets

yansaa

يَنْسَىْ

 

For the 2nd person feminine singular conjugation, the final weak A will be deleted, but the short a before the deleted weak A will be preserved, thus making the resultant suffix -ayn(a)rather than -iyn(a).

(He) forgets

yansaa

يَنْسَىْ

(Thou fem.) forgets

tansaaiyn(a)

تَنْسَىِيْنَ

(Thou fem.) forgets

tansayn(a)

تَنْسَيْنَ

 

For the masculine plural conjugations, the final weak A will be deleted, but the short a before it will not, thus making the resultant suffix -awn(a)rather than -uwn(a).

(He) forgets

yansaa

يَنْسَىْ

(They masc.) forget

yansaauwn(a)

يَنْسَاُوْنَ

(They masc.) forget

yansawn(a)

يَنْسَوْنَ

 

For the dual and feminine plural conjugations, the final weak A will be transformed to y when adding the suffixes.

(He) forgets

yansaa

يَنْسَىْ

(They two) forget

yansaaaan(i)

يَنْسَاَاْنِ

(They two) forget

yansayaan(i)

يَنْسَيَاْنِ

 

(He) forgets

yansaa

يَنْسَىْ

(They fem.) forget

yansaan(a)

يَنْسَاْنَ

(They fem.) forget

yansayn(a)

يَنْسَيْنَ

 

The full conjugation:

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

نَسِيَ : فَعِلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) forget

‘ansaa

أَنْسَىْ

(You masc.) forget

tansaa

تَنْسَىْ

(You fem.) forget

tansayn(a)

تنْسَيْنَ

(He) forgets

yansaa

يَنْسَىْ

(She) forgets

tansaa

تَنْسَىْ

D

U

A

L

(You) forget

tansayaan(i)

تَنْسَيَاْنِ

(They masc.) forget

yansayaan(i)

يَنْسَيَاْنِ

(They fem.) forget

tansayaan(i)

تَنْسَيَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) forget

nansaa

نَنْسَىْ

(You masc.) forget

tansawn(a)

تَنْسَوْنَ

(You fem.) forget

tansayn(a)

تَنْسَيْنَ

(They masc.) forget

yansawn(a)

يَنْسَوْنَ

(They fem.) forget

yansayn(a)

يَنْسَيْنَ

 

 

Form I perfective verbs ending with iy(a)often end with aa(ـَىْ ) in the imperfective. Verbs whose endings are uw(a) in the perfective are very rare and end with uwin the imperfective.

 

 

 

►Forms Other Than Form I

 

Example, form V perfective:

تَمَنَّىْ

tamannaa

 

(He) wished

The root is : م ن يM N Y I

By applying the root to the imperfective formula of form V, we get:

(He) wishes

yatamannay(u)

يَتَمَنَّيُ

 

Since the green vowel is a, the weak letter y will become a weak A, and the final -u will be deleted because a long vowel cannot be followed by any vowel:

 

(He) wishes

yatamannaa

يَتَمَنَّىْ

 

The rest of conjugations are like those explained above for form I ending with -aa.

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

تَمَنَّىْ : تَفَعَّلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) wish

‘atamannaa

أَتَمَنَّىْ

(You masc.) wish

tatamannaa

تََتَمَنَّىْ

(You fem.) wish

tatamannayn(a)

تَتَمَنَّيْنَ

(He) wishes

yatamannaa

يَتَمَنَّىْ

(She) wishes

tatamannaa

تََتَمَنَّىْ

D

U

A

L

(You) wish

tatamannayaan(i)

تََتَمَنَّيَاْنِ

(They masc.) wish

yatamannayaan(i)

يَتَمَنَّيَاْنِ

(They fem.) wish

tatamannayaan(i)

تََتَمَنَّيَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) wish

natamannaa

نََتَمَنَّىْ

(You masc.) wish

tatamannawn(a)

تََتَمَنَّوْنَ

(You fem.) wish

tatamannayn(a)

تََتَمَنَّيْنَ

(They masc.) wish

yatamannawn(a)

يَتَمَنَّوْنَ

(They fem.) wish

yatamannayn(a)

يَتَمَنَّيْنَ

 

Endings of Imperfective Defective Verbs

(3rd Person Masculine Singular)

Form I

iw(u)

-iy

ـِيْ

iy(u)

uw(u)

-uw

ـُوْ

uy(u)

aw(u)

-aa

ـَىْ

ay(u)

Forms V, VI & QII

-aa

ـَىْ

Remaining Forms

-iy

ـِيْ

 

Conjugation of Imperfective Defective Verbs

3rd person masculine singular

Dual and feminine plural

2nd person feminine singular

Masculine plural

iy(u)

-iy-suffix

-iyn(a)

-uwn(a)

uw(u)

-uw-suffix

-iyn(a)

-uwn(a)

aa

-ay-suffix

-ayn(a)

-awn(a)

 

Faaa yaf”uw

شَكَاْ

بَدَاْ

دَنَاْ

تَلا

نَمَاْ

عَدَاْ

رَجَاْ

صَفَاْ

عَلا

رَنَاْ

   

غَلا

طَفَاْ

سَلا

 

Faaa yaf”iy

بَكَىْ

سَقَىْ

مَضَىْ

رَمَىْ

مَشَىْ

عَنَىْ

مَرَىْ

فَلَىْ

حَمَىْ

غَلَىْ

هَوَىْ

لَوَىْ

كَوَىْ

عَوَىْ

رَوَىْ

 

Faaa yaf”aa

نَحَاْ

رَأَىْ

طَغَىْ

رَعَىْ

سَعَىْ

 

 

IV. Enfolding Verbs

Enfolding verbs are two types:

  • Verbs that have a middle and final weak original letters C-CC

  • 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:

أَوَىْ

awaa

(He) took refuge (in), stayed (at)

The root is :‘ W Y Iأ و ي

This is an i verb.

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

أَوَىْ : فَعَلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) take refuge

‘a‘<wiy ‘aawiy

آوِيْ*

(You masc.) take refuge

ta‘<wiy

تََأْوِيْ

(You fem.) take refuge

ta‘<wiyn(a)

تََأْوِيْنَ

(He) takes refugees

ya‘<wiy

يَأْوِيْ

(She) takes refugees

ta‘<wiy

تََأْوِيْ

D

U

A

L

(You) take refuge

ta‘<wiyaan(i)

تََأْوِيَاْنِ

(They masc.) take refuge

ya‘<wiyaan(i)

يَأْوِيَاْنِ

(They fem.) take refuge

ta‘<wiyaan(i)

تََأْوِيَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) take refuge

na‘<wiy

نَأْوِيْ

(You masc.) take refuge

ta‘<wuwn(a)

تَأْوُوْنَ

(You fem.) take refuge

ta‘<wiyn(a)

تََأْوِيْنَ

(They masc.) take refuge

ya‘<wuwn(a)

يَأْوُوْنَ

(They fem.) take refuge

ya‘<wiyn(a)

يَأْوِيْنَ

 

*The transition ‘a‘< ‘aa is a general rule of Arabic and not related to the verb being an irregular verb. This transition was mentioned on this page.

 

Enfolding verbs of the first type that end with aa in the perfective will end with iy in the imperfective; the ones that end with iy(a) in the perfective will end with aa in the imperfective.

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.

Example:

وَعَىْ

waaa

(He) understood, comprehended

The root is : و ع يW ” Y I

This is an i verb.

 

المُضَاْرِعُ الْمَرْفُوْعُ Indicative Imperfective

(Active Voice)

أَوَىْ : فَعَلَ

S

I

N

G

U

L

A

R

(I) understand

‘aiy

أَعِي

(You masc.) understand

taiy

تََعِيْ

(You fem.) understand

taiyn(a)

تََعِيْنَ

(He) understands

yaiy

يَعِيْ

(She) understands

taiy

تََعِيْ

D

U

A

L

(You) understand

taiyaan(i)

تَعِيَاْنِ

(They masc.) understand

yaiyaan(i)

يَعِيَاْنِ

(They fem.) understand

taiyaan(i)

تََعِيَاْنِ

P

L

U

R

A

L

(We dual/plu.) understand

naiy

نَعِيْ

(You masc.) understand

tauwn(a)

تَعُوْنَ

(You fem.) understand

taiyn(a)

تََعِيْنَ

(They masc.) understand

yauwn(a)

يَعُوْنَ

(They fem.) understand

yaiyn(a)

يَعِيْنَ

 

 

Enfolding Verbs

Root: C-CC

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) extended (tr.)

مَدَّ

(He) extended (intr.)

اِمْتَدَّ

(He) continued

اِسْتَمَرَّ

(He) despaired

(a verb)

يَئِسَ

(He) stood, stopped

(i verb)

وَقَفَ

(He) fell

(a verb)

وَقَعَ

(He) woke up (tr.)

أَيْقَظَ

(He) won

(u verb)

فَاْزَ

(He) walked, strolled

(i verb)

سَاْرَ

(He) slept

(a verb)

نَاْمَ

(He) chose

اِخْتَاْرَ

(He) resigned, left a job/duty

اِسْتَقَاْلَ

(He) remained, stayed

(a verb)

بَقِيَ

(He) ascended

(u verb)

عَلا

(He) bought

اِشْتَرَىْ

(He) transgressed

تَعَدَّىْ

(He) fell

(i verb)

هَوَىْ

(He) protected

(i verb)

وَقَىْ

 

Based on these verbs, can you translate the following to Arabic?

(you need not to translate the pronouns in parenthesis)

 

(You masc. sing.) extend (tr.)

(They fem. plu.) extend (tr.)

(You fem. sing.) extend (intr.)

(You fem. plu.) extend (intr.)

(We) continue

(They fem. plu.) continue

(I) despair

(I) stand

(she) falls

(You dual) wake up (tr.)

(She) wins

(You fem. sing.) walk

(You masc. sing.) sleep

(They masc. plu.) choose

(They fem. plu.) choose

(They fem. plu.) resign

(They masc. plu.) resign

(I) remain

(You fem. sing) remain

(You fem. plu) remain

(We) ascend

(You fem. sing.) ascend

(They fem. dual) ascend

(You masc. sing.) buy

(They masc. plu.) buy

(You dual) buy

(She) transgresses

(They fem. plu) transgress

(They masc. plu.) transgress

(You fem. sing.) fall

(They fem. plu.) fall

(I) protect

(They masc. dual) protect

(They masc. plu.) protect

(They fem. plu.) protect

 

Answers

 

(You masc. sing.) extend (tr.)

تَمُدُّ

(They fem. plu.) extend (tr.)

يَمْدُدْنَ

(You fem. sing.) extend (intr.)

تَمْتَدِّيْنَ

(You fem. plu.) extend (intr.)

تَمْتَدِدْنَ

(We) continue

نَسْتَمِرُّ

(They fem. plu.) continue

يَسْتَمْرِرْنَ

(I) despair

أَيْأَسُ

(I) stand

أَقِفُ

(she) falls

تَقَعُ

(You dual) wake up (tr.)

تُوْقِظَاْنِ

(She) wins

تَفُوْزُ

(You fem. sing.) walk

تَسِيْرِيْنَ

(You masc. sing.) sleep

تَنَاْمُ

(They masc. plu.) choose

يَخْتَاْرُوْنَ

(They fem. plu.) choose

يَخْتَرْنَ

(They fem. plu.) resign

يَسْتَقِلْنَ

(They masc. plu.) resign

يَسْتَقِيْلُوْنَ

(I) remain

أَبْقَىْ

(You fem. sing) remain

تَبْقَيْنَ

(You fem. plu) remain

تَبْقَيْنَ

(We) ascend

نَعْلُوْ

(You fem. sing.) ascend

تَعْلِيْنَ

(They fem. dual) ascend

تَعْلُوَاْنِ

(You masc. sing.) buy

تَشْتَرِيْ

(They masc. plu.) buy

يَشْتَرُوْنَ

(You dual) buy

تَشْتَرِيَاْنِ

(She) transgresses

تَتَعَدَّىْ

(They fem. plu) transgress

يَتَعَدَّيْنَ

(They masc. plu.) transgress

يَتَعَدَّوْنَ

(You fem. sing.) fall

تَهْوِيْنَ

(They fem. plu.) fall

يَهْوِيْنَ

(I) protect

أَقِيْ

(They masc. dual) protect

يَقِيَاْنِ

(They masc. plu.) protect

يَقُوْنَ

(They fem. plu.) protect

يَقِيْنَ

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