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Forms

Arabic Verb Forms | أوزان الأفعال

In Arabic, verbs are derived from roots, typically three consonants. For example, ك ت ب (k-t-b). From a single root, multiple patterns (awzān) generate different verbs.

There are mainly ten forms. Each form has distinct features and helps build nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, not just verbs.

Forms Summary

FormMasdarPatternFeaturesExampleMeaning
1فِعْلٌفَعَلَ - يَفْعَلُBasic, general actionكَتَبَHe wrote
2تَفْعِيلٌفَعَّلَ - يُفَعِّلُIntensity or repetitionكَتَّبَHe made (someone) write repeatedly
3مُفَاعَلَةٌفَاعَلَ - يُفَاعِلُReciprocal actionكَاتَبَHe corresponded
4إِفْعَالٌأَفْعَلَ - يُفْعِلُCausative, make/doأَكْرَمَHe honored
5تَفَعُّلٌتَفَعَّلَ - يَتَفَعَّلُReflexive or gradualتَعَلَّمَHe learned
6تَفَاعُلٌتَفَاعَلَ - يَتَفَاعَلُMutual/joint actionتَكَاتَبَاThey wrote to each other
7اِنْفِعَالٌاِنْفَعَلَ - يَنْفَعِلُUndergo/affectedاِنْكَسَرَIt broke
8اِفْتِعَالٌاِفْتَعَلَ - يَفْتَعِلُAttempt/acquireاِشْتَرَىHe bought
9اِفْعِلَالٌاِفْعَلَّ - يَفْعَلُّColor/state changeاِحْمَرَّIt became red
10اِسْتِفْعَالٌاِسْتَفْعَلَ - يَسْتَفْعِلُTo seek/requestاِسْتَغْفَرَHe sought forgiveness

Form 1 - فَعَلَ

Form I
Masdar: فِعْلٌ | Pattern: فَعَلَ - يَفْعَلُ

Features

  • Most basic and common Arabic verb form
  • Composed of three root consonants (ف ع ل)
  • No extra prefixes or suffixes
  • Expresses general actions/events

Examples

كَتَبَ - يَكْتُبُwrote - writes
قَرَأَ - يَقْرَأُread - reads
ذَهَبَ - يَذْهَبُwent - goes

Form 2 - فَعَّلَ

Form II
Masdar: تَفْعِيلٌ | Pattern: فَعَّلَ - يُفَعِّلُ

Features

  • Gemination on the second radical (ّ)
  • Indicates intensity/repetition/emphasis
  • Often denotes teaching/causative sense

Examples

عَلَّمَ - يُعَلِّمُtaught - teaches
كَسَّرَ - يُكَسِّرُbroke to pieces - breaks to pieces
فَهَّمَ - يُفَهِّمُmade understand - makes understand

Form 3 - فَاعَلَ

Form III
Masdar: مُفَاعَلَةٌ | Pattern: فَاعَلَ - يُفَاعِلُ

Features

  • Alif inserted between first and second radicals (ا)
  • Action done with/for someone
  • Expresses reciprocity or engagement

Examples

كَاتَبَ - يُكَاتِبُcorresponded - corresponds
قَاتَلَ - يُقَاتِلُfought - fights
سَافَرَ - يُسَافِرُtraveled - travels

Form 4 - أَفْعَلَ

Form IV
Masdar: إِفْعَالٌ | Pattern: أَفْعَلَ - يُفْعِلُ

Features

  • Hamzah (أ) prefixed
  • Causative meaning—make/bring about an action
  • Activate or cause a state

Examples

أَكْرَمَ - يُكْرِمُhonored - honors
أَعْطَى - يُعْطِيgave - gives
أَرْسَلَ - يُرْسِلُsent - sends

Form 5 - تَفَعَّلَ

Form V
Masdar: تَفَعُّلٌ | Pattern: تَفَعَّلَ - يَتَفَعَّلُ

Features

  • Prefixed ta (ت) with gemination on second radical
  • Reflexive counterpart of Form II
  • Self-involvement or gradual acquisition

Examples

تَعَلَّمَ - يَتَعَلَّمُlearned - learns
تَكَلَّمَ - يَتَكَلَّمُspoke - speaks
تَصَدَّقَ - يَتَصَدَّقُgave charity - gives charity

Form 6 - فَاعَلَ

Form VI
Masdar: تَفَاعُلٌ | Pattern: تَفَاعَلَ - يَتَفَاعَلُ

Features

  • Prefixed ta (ت) with alif between first and second
  • Reflexive counterpart of Form III
  • Mutual or collective action

Examples

تَكَاتَبَ - يَتَكَاتَبُwrote mutually - write mutually
تَعَاوَنَ - يَتَعَاوَنُcooperated - cooperate
تَشَاوَرَ - يَتَشَاوَرُconsulted - consult

Form 7 - اِنْفَعَلَ

Form VII
Masdar: اِنْفِعَالٌ | Pattern: اِنْفَعَلَ - يَنْفَعِلُ

Features

  • Prefixed in- (اِن)
  • Indicates being affected/passive-like
  • Functions akin to passive voice

Examples

اِنْكَسَرَ - يَنْكَسِرُwas broken - is broken
اِنْقَطَعَ - يَنْقَطِعُwas cut off - is cut off
اِنْفَتَحَ - يَنْفَتِحُwas opened - is opened

Form 8 - اِفْتَعَلَ

Form VIII
Masdar: اِفْتِعَالٌ | Pattern: اِفْتَعَلَ - يَفْتَعِلُ

Features

  • Interfix ta (ت) between first and second radicals
  • Doing/attempting for oneself
  • Reflexive or assimilative nuance

Examples

اِشْتَرَى - يَشْتَرِيbought - buys
اِجْتَمَعَ - يَجْتَمِعُgathered - gathers
اِقْتَرَبَ - يَقْتَرِبُapproached - approaches

Form 9 - اِفْعَلَّ

Form IX
Masdar: اِفْعِلَالٌ | Pattern: اِفْعَلَّ - يَفْعَلُّ

Features

  • Gemination on the third radical
  • Used mainly for colors and physical defects
  • Denotes entering into a state
  • Relatively less frequent

Examples

اِحْمَرَّ - يَحْمَرُّturned red - turns red
اِسْوَدَّ - يَسْوَدُّturned black - turns black
اِصْفَرَّ - يَصْفَرُّturned yellow - turns yellow

Form 10 - اِسْتَفْعَلَ

Form X
Masdar: اِسْتِفْعَالٌ | Pattern: اِسْتَفْعَلَ - يَسْتَفْعِلُ

Features

  • Prefixed ist- (است)
  • To seek/request or look for
  • To seek an attribute/quality

Examples

اِسْتَغْفَرَ - يَسْتَغْفِرُsought forgiveness - seeks forgiveness
اِسْتَخْرَجَ - يَسْتَخْرِجُextracted - extracts
اِسْتَفْهَمَ - يَسْتَفْهِمُinquired - inquires

Important Note

  • Not every root yields all forms
  • Each form has its own masdar pattern
  • Meanings vary by context
  • Except Form I, other forms have fixed present patterns