🔡 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.

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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.

14 verbs in this chapter

Lesson Word

اِحْتَرَمَ

To respect

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ح ر م

Word Family

ح ر م

اِحْتَرَمَDictionary Form

يَحْتَرِمُPresent Form

اِحْتَرِمْCommand Form

اِحْتِرَامAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِحْتَرَمْتُ

You (M)

اِحْتَرَمْتَ

You (F)

اِحْتَرَمْتِ

اِحْتَرَمَ

She

اِحْتَرَمَتْ

اِحْتَرَمْنَا

You (Plural)

اِحْتَرَمْتُمْ

They

اِحْتَرَمُوا

Command Form:اِحْتَرِمْ

Action Noun:اِحْتِرَام

Lesson Word

أَخْبَرَ

To inform

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

خ ب ر

Word Family

خ ب ر

أَخْبَرَDictionary Form

يُخْبِرُPresent Form

أَخْبِرْCommand Form

إِخْبَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَخْبَرْتُ

You (M)

أَخْبَرْتَ

You (F)

أَخْبَرْتِ

أَخْبَرَ

She

أَخْبَرَتْ

أَخْبَرْنَا

You (Plural)

أَخْبَرْتُمْ

They

أَخْبَرُوا

Command Form:أَخْبِرْ

Action Noun:إِخْبَار

Lesson Word

خَالَفَ

To be contrary to / differ from

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

خ ل ف

Word Family

خ ل ف

خَالَفَDictionary Form

يُخَالِفُPresent Form

خَالِفْCommand Form

مُخَالَفَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

خَالَفْتُ

You (M)

خَالَفْتَ

You (F)

خَالَفْتِ

خَالَفَ

She

خَالَفَتْ

خَالَفْنَا

You (Plural)

خَالَفْتُمْ

They

خَالَفُوا

Command Form:خَالِفْ

Action Noun:مُخَالَفَة

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

خ ط ئ — This root contains a hamza (ء). Hamza spelling follows standard Arabic orthography rules and does not change the meaning or pronunciation significantly.

Lesson Word

أَخْطَأَ

To be mistaken / wrong

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

خ ط ئ

Word Family

خ ط ئ

أَخْطَأَDictionary Form

يُخْطِئُPresent Form

أَخْطِئْCommand Form

إِخْطَاءAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَخْطَأْتُ

You (M)

أَخْطَأْتَ

You (F)

أَخْطَأْتِ

أَخْطَأَ

She

أَخْطَأَتْ

أَخْطَأْنَا

You (Plural)

أَخْطَأْتُمْ

They

أَخْطَأُوا

Command Form:أَخْطِئْ

Action Noun:إِخْطَاء

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Special Root Family

Doubled Root

ب ث ث — 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

بَثَّ

To spread / propagate

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ب ث ث

Word Family

ب ث ث

بَثَّDictionary Form

يَبُثُّPresent Form

بُثَّCommand Form

بَثّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

بَثَّ

She

بَثَّتْ

Command Form:بُثَّ

Action Noun:بَثّ

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

أ ت م — This root contains a hamza (ء). Hamza spelling follows standard Arabic orthography rules and does not change the meaning or pronunciation significantly.

Lesson Word

أَتَمَّ

To complete / finish

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

أ ت م

Word Family

أ ت م

أَتَمَّDictionary Form

يُتِمُّPresent Form

أَتِمَّCommand Form

إِتْمَامAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَتَمَْتُ

You (M)

أَتَمَْتَ

You (F)

أَتَمَْتِ

أَتَمَّ

She

أَتَمَّتْ

أَتَمَْنَا

You (Plural)

أَتَمَْتُمْ

They

أَتَمَُوا

Command Form:أَتِمَّ

Action Noun:إِتْمَام

Lesson Word

مَزَّقَ

To tear up / rip apart

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

م ز ق

Word Family

م ز ق

مَزَّقَDictionary Form

يُمَزِّقُPresent Form

مَزِّقْCommand Form

تَمْزِيقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

مَزَّقْتُ

You (M)

مَزَّقْتَ

You (F)

مَزَّقْتِ

مَزَّقَ

She

مَزَّقَتْ

مَزَّقْنَا

You (Plural)

مَزَّقْتُمْ

They

مَزَّقُوا

Command Form:مَزِّقْ

Action Noun:تَمْزِيق

Lesson Word

تَنَاقَضَ

To contradict

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ن ق ض

Word Family

ن ق ض

تَنَاقَضَDictionary Form

يَتَنَاقَضُPresent Form

تَنَاقَضْCommand Form

تَنَاقُضAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَنَاقَضْتُ

You (M)

تَنَاقَضْتَ

You (F)

تَنَاقَضْتِ

تَنَاقَضَ

She

تَنَاقَضَتْ

تَنَاقَضْنَا

You (Plural)

تَنَاقَضْتُمْ

They

تَنَاقَضُوا

Command Form:تَنَاقَضْ

Action Noun:تَنَاقُض

Lesson Word

عَامَلَ

To deal with / treat

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ع م ل

Root Insight

Core Idea — Intentional action — work that produces an effect.

·work, labour
·a deed, an act
·a profession, craft
·a governor or agent (ʿāmil — one who acts on behalf)

Related concepts: work, action, deed, profession, labour, agent

Word Family

ع م ل

عَامَلَDictionary Form

يُعَامِلُPresent Form

عَامِلْCommand Form

مُعَامَلَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

عَامَلْتُ

You (M)

عَامَلْتَ

You (F)

عَامَلْتِ

عَامَلَ

She

عَامَلَتْ

عَامَلْنَا

You (Plural)

عَامَلْتُمْ

They

عَامَلُوا

Command Form:عَامِلْ

Action Noun:مُعَامَلَة

Lesson Word

قَلَّدَ

To imitate / copy

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ق ل د

Word Family

ق ل د

قَلَّدَDictionary Form

يُقَلِّدُPresent Form

قَلِّدْCommand Form

تَقْلِيدAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

قَلَّدْتُ

You (M)

قَلَّدْتَ

You (F)

قَلَّدْتِ

قَلَّدَ

She

قَلَّدَتْ

قَلَّدْنَا

You (Plural)

قَلَّدْتُمْ

They

قَلَّدُوا

Command Form:قَلِّدْ

Action Noun:تَقْلِيد

Lesson Word

كَلَّفَ

To require / ask someone to do

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ك ل ف

Word Family

ك ل ف

كَلَّفَDictionary Form

يُكَلِّفُPresent Form

كَلِّفْCommand Form

تَكْلِيفAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

كَلَّفْتُ

You (M)

كَلَّفْتَ

You (F)

كَلَّفْتِ

كَلَّفَ

She

كَلَّفَتْ

كَلَّفْنَا

You (Plural)

كَلَّفْتُمْ

They

كَلَّفُوا

Command Form:كَلِّفْ

Action Noun:تَكْلِيف

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Special Root Family

Defective Root

و ل 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

وَلَّى

To empower / appoint as ruler

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

و ل ي

Word Family

و ل ي

وَلَّىDictionary Form

يُوَلِّيPresent Form

وَلِّCommand Form

تَوْلِيَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

وَلَّى

She

وَلَّىتْ

Command Form:وَلِّ

Action Noun:تَوْلِيَة

Lesson Word

نَفَعَ

To benefit

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ن ف ع

Word Family

ن ف ع

نَفَعَDictionary Form

يَنْفَعُPresent Form

اِنْفَعْCommand Form

نَفْعAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

نَفَعْتُ

You (M)

نَفَعْتَ

You (F)

نَفَعْتِ

نَفَعَ

She

نَفَعَتْ

نَفَعْنَا

You (Plural)

نَفَعْتُمْ

They

نَفَعُوا

Command Form:اِنْفَعْ

Action Noun:نَفْع

Lesson Word

نَسِيَ

To forget

Dictionary Form — the base form used in Arabic dictionaries. All other forms of this verb are built from this base.

Root (جذر)

ن س ى

Word Family

ن س ى

نَسِيَDictionary Form

يَنْسَىPresent Form

اِنْسَCommand Form

نِسْيَانAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

نَسِيْتُ

You (M)

نَسِيْتَ

You (F)

نَسِيْتِ

نَسِيَ

She

نَسِيَتْ

نَسِيْنَا

You (Plural)

نَسِيْتُمْ

They

نَسِيُوا

Command Form:اِنْسَ

Action Noun:نِسْيَان

🔄 Practice Conjugation

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