What are the ten measures of the triliteral verb in Arabic?

The ten measures are categorized according to the consonantal pattern of the triliteral verb and its placement of the three letters within the pattern.

What is the most common measure of the triliteral verb in Arabic?

The most common measure is the measure II or the Form II verb, which is known as the "skeleton" verb, and is derived from the first form of the verb.

How are the measures of the triliteral verb formed?

Each measure has a specific set of rules for deriving the verb from the triliteral root. These rules include vowel changes and the addition of specific letters.

What is the difference between the meaning of a verb in one measure and the same verb in another measure?

Each measure carries a specific nuance of meaning that differentiates it from the others. For example, the Form III verb often denotes causation or intensification of the action expressed by the root.

Can a verb have more than one measure in Arabic?

Yes, some triliteral verbs can have more than one measure, and their meanings can vary depending on the measure used.

What is the importance of studying the measures of the triliteral verb in Arabic?

Understanding the measures of the triliteral verb is crucial for building a strong vocabulary and effectively communicating in the Arabic language.

How do Arabic speakers use the different measures of the triliteral verb in everyday conversation?

Arabic speakers use the different measures of the triliteral verb to convey different shades of meaning and nuance, depending on the context and situation.

What is an example of a triliteral verb in each of the ten measures?

Measure I: kataba (he wrote), Measure II: daraba (he hit), Measure III: qarraṣa (he read repeatedly), Measure IV: ṭalaba (he asked for), Measure V: rajaʿa (he returned), Measure VI: baṭana (he constructed), Measure VII: samiʿa (he heard), Measure VIII: ʿarifa (he knew), Measure IX: ḍahaba (he went), Measure X: ʿanada (he complained).

Is it possible to form a verb from a triliteral root that does not conform to any of the ten measures?

Yes, it is possible, and such verbs are known as "weak" or "defective" verbs. They are formed through irregular conjugation patterns that do not follow the rules of the ten measures.

What is the best way to memorize the ten measures of the triliteral verb in Arabic?

One way to memorize the measures is to understand the rules of derivation for each measure and practice using the verbs in context. Reading and listening to Arabic texts, as well as having conversations with native speakers, can also help reinforce the usage and meaning of each measure.

Mastering Augmented Forms in Arabic: A Comprehensive Guide for Language Learners

Besides basic verbs, we can find derived forms of a root verb by adding one, two, or three letters. These are known as “augmented forms” in Arabic (الأَوْزان المَزيدة).

There are fourteen derived verb forms (stems) that have been traditionally labeled in Western Arabist literature by Roman numerals, beginning with the initial form I and proceeding to II, III, IV, and so on. Of these numerous stems, Forms I to X are far and away the most often encountered; only they will be discussed here.

We can discern nuances of meaning generally derived from the main verb form for each derivative. However many verbs do not properly fit into these classifications. Thus, it may be rather precarious to venture a guess as to what a particular derived verb truly means simply by its form alone.

The power of this table is that for each verb form, a specific noun form is also assigned. This makes it possible to establish direct connections between verbs and nouns. In other words, it suffices to know only one verbal or nominal pattern to deduce all the others on the same row. This table represents a real key to understanding the Arabic language as it allows us to draw connections between different patterns based on the same root.

أَسْماء Nouns			أَفْعال Verbs		الوَزْن Form	المَعْنى Meaning
المَصْدَر Verbal noun	اِسْمُ المَفْعُول Passive Participle (recipient)	اِسْمُ الفاعِل Active Participle (agent)	المُضارِع Imperfect (present)	الماضي Perfect (past)	الوَزْن Form	المَعْنى Meaning
N/A	مَفْعُولٌ	فاعِلٌ	يَفْعَلُ	فَعَلَ	I	Regular
تَفْعِيلٌ / تَفْعِلة	مُفَعَّلٌ	مُفَعِّلٌ	يُفَعِّلُ	فَعَّلَ	II	Causative, intensive
مُفاعَلةٌ / فِعَالٌ	مُفاعَلٌ	مُفاعِلٌ	يُفاعِلُ	فاعَلَ	III	Reciprocal
إِفْعالٌ	مُفْعَلٌ	مُفْعِلٌ	يُفْعِلُ	أَفْعَلَ	IV	Causative
تَفَعُّلٌ	مُتَفَعَّلٌ	مُتَفَعِّلٌ	يَتَفَعَّلَ	تَفَعَّلَ	V	Reflexive of II
تَفاعُلٌ	مُتَفاعَلُ	مُتَفاعِلُ	يَتَفاعَلُ	تَفاعَلَ	VI	Reflexive of III
اِنْفِعالٌ	مُنْفَعَلٌ	مُنْفَعِلٌ	يَنْفَعِلُ	اِنْفَعَلَ	VII	Passive of I
اِفْتِعالٌ	مُفْتَعَلٌ	مُفْتَعِلٌ	يَفْتَعِلُ	اِفْتَعَلَ	VIII	Reflexive of I
اِفْعِلالٌ	N/A	مُفْعِلُّ	يَفْعَلُّ	اِفْعَلَّ	IV	Colors
اِسْتِفْعالٌ	مُسْتَفْعَلٌ	مُسْتَفْعِلٌ	يَسْتَفْعِلُ	اِسْتَفْعَلَ	X	Causative, reflexive

Note: There is no verb that is used in all ten forms; normally each root will produce in use only certain derived forms, and sometimes one can even find derived forms without there being a simple verb of the same root.

Note 2: As mentioned previously, there is no infinitive in Arabic in the same sense as in English. Memorizing the root, which is mostly identical to its basic verb form (I) without vowels and the derived verb forms listed under it in a dictionary is vitally important. Without this knowledge, it will be almost impossible to find any word in dictionaries.

Note 3: For every derived form, the active and passive participles are only differentiated thanks to the vowel on the middle root letter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Noun forms

Active participle / اِسْم الفاعِل

Active participles – whether they’re adjectives or nouns – are used to point out the doer performing an action. In many cases, these active participles denote an ongoing activity or state that is close in feeling and meaning to a verb expressed in the imperfect tense; this may be comparable to English present partitives, progressive presents, and futures such as “will” and “going.”

He will lose	هُوَ فاشِل
A helper	مُساعِد

Passive participle / اِسْمُ المَفْعُول

The passive participle is a type of adjective or noun that implies the result of an action. It shares similarities with the past participle in English grammar. When dealing with triliteral verbs (form I), it follows a specific pattern known as mafʿūl (مَفْعُول), for example:

written	مَكْتُوب
victorious	مَنْصُور

Verbal noun / المَصْدَر

The term المَصْدَر, or ‘the source’ in English, is a noun that originates from the verb and signifies the action, quality, or condition described by it. The Arabic verbal noun, corresponds to gerunds ending with “-ing” and to other action words like:

a killing	قَتْل
education	تَعْلِيم

Note: There’s too many different verbal noun forms for Form I to consider them as a specific pattern that could be displayed on the table. You can refer to our dedicated section on verbal nouns to have an overview of the different patterns.

The ten forms meanings

Form I: فَعَلَ

Although the vowelling of the derived verb forms remains the same for all verbs the vowelling of the middle consonant (radical) of the basic verb form (I) can vary.

to study	دَرَسَ يَدْرُسُ
to know	عَلِمَ يَعْلَمُ

Form II: فَعَّلَ

Formed by a doubling of the 2nd letter of the root. It can indicate:

Intensity also repetition of the action

قَطَّعَ
to cut in several pieces

← الوَزْن الثاني
Form II

← قَطَعَ
to cut

Factive sense

عَلَّمَ
to teach

← الوَزْن الثاني
Form II

← عَلِمَ
to know

Pronouncing a formula (often religious)

to say Allah Akbar	كَبَّرَ يُكَبِّرُ
to thank Allah (say al-hamdulilah)	حَمَّدَ يُحَمِّدُ

Form III (فَاعَلَ)

Form III is generated by adding an ا after the first root-letter. It often depicts someone striving towards something or another person, sometimes with a touch of rivalry or hostility.

to address a discourse (to someone or several people)	خاطَبَ
to fight	قاتَلَ

Form IV (أَفْعَلَ)

It is formed by adding a stable hamza on top of the alif ا before the 1st root-letter (which disappears at مُضارِع). It very often has a factive or causative meaning.

أَسْكَتَ to reduce to silence	← الوَزْن الرابِع Form IV	← سَكَتَ to be silent
أَسْقَطَ bring down/to overthrow	← الوَزْن الرابِع Form IV	← سَقَطَ to fall

Form V (تَفَعَّلَ)

It is formed by prefixing a تَـ to form II. It can indicate a reflective-passive sense of Form II:

تَعَلَّمَ to learn	← الوَزْن الخامِس Form V	← عَلَّمَ to teach
تَقَطَّعَ to cut itself	← الوَزْن الخامِس Form V	← قَطَّعَ to cut in several pieces

Form VI (تَفَاعَلَ)

It is formed by prefixing a تَـ to Form III. It notes a reflective-passive sense of Form III with a nuance of reciprocal action performed by two parties.

تَحادَثَ to have a conversation with one another	← الوَزْن السادِس Form VI	← حادَثَ to speak to someone
تَقاتَلَ to fight/engage in battle with one another	← الوَزْن السادِس Form VI	← قاتَلَ to fight

Form VII (اِنْفَعَلَ)

It is formed by adding an ا and نـ before the very first letter of any root word. Form VII of Arabic grammar reflects the reflexive-passive form of Form I, heavily emphasizing its passive aspect. As such, it doesn’t have a passive voice form.

اِنْسَحَبَ to withdraw (oneself)	← الوَزْن السابِع Form VII	← سَحَبَ to withdraw
اِنْكَسَرَ to break (oneself)	← الوَزْن السابِع Form VII	← كَسَرَ to break

We do not find verbs in form VII whose root begins with:

Form VIII (اِفْتَعَلَ)

It is formed by adding an ا before the very first letter of any root word and a and تـ after it. Form VIII can also reflect the reflexive-passive form of Form I.

Note: To make pronunciation easier and smoother, the following modifications are done to certain derived verbs of form VIII.

If the first consonant of the basic verb form is تَ / ثَ / ط / ظ / د / ذ the تَ of Form VIII is assimilated by this letter which will be doubled (with a shadda).

(not اِدْتَعى ) اِدَّعى to claim	← الوَزْن الثامِن Form VIII	← دعا to call/invite
(not اِتْتَبَعَ ) اِتَّبَعَ to go after/ to follow in the steps of	← الوَزْن الثامِن Form VIII	← تَبَعَ to follow

If the first consonant of the root letters is ز as in زَهَرَ (to shine) the ـتـ of form VIII is changed into د

(not اِزْتَهَرَ ) اِزْدَهَرَ
to flourish/ to prosper

← الوَزْن الثامِن
Form VIII

← زَهَرَ
to shine

If the first consonant of the root letters is one of the following four emphatic letters: ص/ض/ط/ظ the ـتـ of form VIII as in the pattern verb اِفْتَعَلَ is changed into ـطـ

(not اِضْتَربَ) اِضْطَرَبَ
to be troubled

← الوَزْن الثامِن
Form VIII

← ضَرَبَ
to hit

Form IX (اِفْعَلَّ)

It is formed by adding an alif ا before the 1st root letter and doubling of the 3rd letter of the root. It is unusual in the passive and is only used from the adjectives of color or deformity.

اِحْمَرَّ to blush	← الوَزْن التاسِع Form IX	← أَحْمَر red
َاِسْوَدّ to blacken		← أَسْوَد black
اِعْوَجَّ to become twisted		← أَعْوَج twisted

Form X (اِسْتَفْعَلَ)

It is formed by adding اِسْتَـ before the 1st letter of the root letter. Form X expresses:

The idea of asking, seeking

اِسْتَشارَ

To consult

The idea of “deeming as”

اِسْتَحْسَنَ

To deem a positive

The reflexive-passive form IV

اِسْتَخْبَرَ
To enquire

← الوَزْن العاشِر
Form X

← أَخْبَرَ
to inform

✨ Try out the automatic verb conjugator here

📄 Get the table for the ten forms of triliteral verbs + conjugation for each augmented form to have a complete overview right here 👇

Table & conjugation of augmented formsDownload

The ten measures of the triliteral verb

Learn about the ten measures of the triliteral verb in Arabic with our comprehensive guide. Perfect for beginners and advanced learners alike.

Course Provider: Organization

Course Provider Name: ArabiKey

Course Provider URL: https://arabikey.com

Editor's Rating:
5

The ten measures of the triliteral verb / أَوْزان الفِعْل الثُلاثِيّ