🔡 Word Families — Sarf
Arabic words belong to families derived from a common root (جذر). Each root has a core idea that connects all words in its family.
Learn roots, not rules
When you see a new word, ask: what root does it come from, and what idea does that root carry? Tap + related words to see the full root family.
27 verbs in this chapter
Lesson Word
To treat / cure
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Defective Rootش ك ي — This root ends with a weak letter (و or ي). The final letter may appear differently in some forms — this follows a well-known Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To complain / suffer
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Hamzated Rootأ م ر — This root contains a hamza (ء). Hamza spelling follows standard Arabic orthography rules and does not change the meaning or pronunciation significantly.
Lesson Word
To command
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Defective Rootس ق ي — This root ends with a weak letter (و or ي). The final letter may appear differently in some forms — this follows a well-known Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To give to drink
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To think
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To resemble
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To differ
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Hollow Rootز ي د — This root has a weak middle letter (و or ي). Arabic naturally softens or shortens this letter in some forms — this is a regular Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To increase
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Addition — more coming to join what was already there.
- ·increase, addition, more
- ·growing, multiplying
- ·surpassing a limit
Related concepts: increase, addition, growth, excess, more
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Hollow Rootح و ل — This root has a weak middle letter (و or ي). Arabic naturally softens or shortens this letter in some forms — this is a regular Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To try
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To succeed
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To practice / exercise
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Anchoring firmly — toughness and durability.
- ·mooring a ship, anchoring
- ·toughness, durability
- ·a skilled, experienced person
Related concepts: anchoring, mooring, toughness, skill, durability
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To decrease
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Deficiency — something less than it should be.
- ·deficiency, lack
- ·decreasing, diminishing
- ·a shortcoming or flaw
Related concepts: deficiency, lack, decrease, shortcoming, reduction
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Hamzated Rootأ خ ذ — This root contains a hamza (ء). Hamza spelling follows standard Arabic orthography rules and does not change the meaning or pronunciation significantly.
Lesson Word
To take / start
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Hollow Rootن و ل — This root has a weak middle letter (و or ي). Arabic naturally softens or shortens this letter in some forms — this is a regular Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To consume
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Conferring and bestowing — bringing something within reach.
- ·giving, bestowing
- ·a loom (nawl — what extends the thread)
- ·what one receives or deserves
Related concepts: giving, bestowing, reaching, loom, conferring
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To happen
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To believe
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To follow
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Defective Rootك ف ي — This root ends with a weak letter (و or ي). The final letter may appear differently in some forms — this follows a well-known Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To suffice / be enough
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To do excellently
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Assimilated Rootو ج د — This root begins with a weak letter (و or ي). The first letter sometimes blends with the prefix in present-tense forms — this is a recognised Arabic pattern.
Lesson Word
To find
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Discovery — and the intense feeling that finding something brings.
- ·finding, discovering
- ·intense emotion, grief (wajd)
- ·wealth (wijdān — what one finds)
- ·existence itself
Related concepts: finding, discovery, emotion, grief, existence
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To advance / improve
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Moving forward — precedence and the advancing foot.
- ·advancing, going forward
- ·the foot (qadam)
- ·presenting, offering
- ·ancient, old (qadīm — what came before)
Related concepts: advance, foot, presenting, ancient, precedence
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To appear / become clear
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Root Insight
Core Idea — Coming into view — appearing on the surface.
- ·appearing, becoming visible
- ·the back (ẓahr) — the visible outer surface
- ·overcoming, prevailing
- ·noon prayer (ẓuhr — midday, when the sun appears at peak)
Related concepts: appearance, back, surface, noon, prevailing
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To pressurise / stress
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To warn against
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To forbid / prohibit
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Lesson Word
To waste
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Special Root Family
Doubled Rootض ر ر — This root has two identical letters at the end. Arabic sometimes writes them together with a shadda (ّ), and the two letters may separate in certain forms.
Lesson Word
To harm
Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.
Root (جذر)
Word Family
Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms
Test yourself on all conjugated forms