🔡 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.

16 verbs in this chapter

Lesson Word

اِتَّحَدَ

To unite

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

Root (جذر)

ت ح د

Word Family

ت ح د

اِتَّحَدَDictionary Form

يَتَّحِدُPresent Form

اِتَّحِدْCommand Form

اِتِّحَادAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِتَّحَدْتُ

You (M)

اِتَّحَدْتَ

You (F)

اِتَّحَدْتِ

اِتَّحَدَ

She

اِتَّحَدَتْ

اِتَّحَدْنَا

You (Plural)

اِتَّحَدْتُمْ

They

اِتَّحَدُوا

Command Form:اِتَّحِدْ

Action Noun:اِتِّحَاد

Lesson Word

اِحْتَلَّ

To occupy / seize

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

Root (جذر)

ح ت ل

Word Family

ح ت ل

اِحْتَلَّDictionary Form

يَحْتَلُّPresent Form

اِحْتَلَّCommand Form

اِحْتِلَالAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِحْتَلَْتُ

You (M)

اِحْتَلَْتَ

You (F)

اِحْتَلَْتِ

اِحْتَلَّ

She

اِحْتَلَّتْ

اِحْتَلَْنَا

You (Plural)

اِحْتَلَْتُمْ

They

اِحْتَلَُوا

Command Form:اِحْتَلَّ

Action Noun:اِحْتِلَال

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ع ي ن — 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

اِسْتَعَانَ

To seek help

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

Root (جذر)

ع ي ن

Word Family

ع ي ن

اِسْتَعَانَDictionary Form

يَسْتَعِينُPresent Form

اِسْتَعِنْCommand Form

اِسْتِعَانَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِسْتَعَانَ

She

اِسْتَعَانَتْ

Command Form:اِسْتَعِنْ

Action Noun:اِسْتِعَانَة

Lesson Word

اِشْتَغَلَ

To be busy / work

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

Root (جذر)

ش غ ل

Word Family

ش غ ل

اِشْتَغَلَDictionary Form

يَشْتَغِلُPresent Form

اِشْتَغِلْCommand Form

اِشْتِغَالAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِشْتَغَلْتُ

You (M)

اِشْتَغَلْتَ

You (F)

اِشْتَغَلْتِ

اِشْتَغَلَ

She

اِشْتَغَلَتْ

اِشْتَغَلْنَا

You (Plural)

اِشْتَغَلْتُمْ

They

اِشْتَغَلُوا

Command Form:اِشْتَغِلْ

Action Noun:اِشْتِغَال

Lesson Word

أَنْقَذَ

To rescue / save

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

Root (جذر)

ن ق ذ

Word Family

ن ق ذ

أَنْقَذَDictionary Form

يُنْقِذُPresent Form

أَنْقِذْCommand Form

إِنْقَاذAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَنْقَذْتُ

You (M)

أَنْقَذْتَ

You (F)

أَنْقَذْتِ

أَنْقَذَ

She

أَنْقَذَتْ

أَنْقَذْنَا

You (Plural)

أَنْقَذْتُمْ

They

أَنْقَذُوا

Command Form:أَنْقِذْ

Action Noun:إِنْقَاذ

Lesson Word

اِخْتَصَرَ

To summarise / abbreviate

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

Root (جذر)

خ ص ر

Word Family

خ ص ر

اِخْتَصَرَDictionary Form

يَخْتَصِرُPresent Form

اِخْتَصِرْCommand Form

اِخْتِصَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِخْتَصَرْتُ

You (M)

اِخْتَصَرْتَ

You (F)

اِخْتَصَرْتِ

اِخْتَصَرَ

She

اِخْتَصَرَتْ

اِخْتَصَرْنَا

You (Plural)

اِخْتَصَرْتُمْ

They

اِخْتَصَرُوا

Command Form:اِخْتَصِرْ

Action Noun:اِخْتِصَار

Lesson Word

شَمِلَ

To encompass / include

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

Root (جذر)

ش م ل

Word Family

ش م ل

شَمِلَDictionary Form

يَشْمُلُPresent Form

اُشْمُلْCommand Form

شُمُول / شَمْلAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

شَمِلْتُ

You (M)

شَمِلْتَ

You (F)

شَمِلْتِ

شَمِلَ

She

شَمِلَتْ

شَمِلْنَا

You (Plural)

شَمِلْتُمْ

They

شَمِلُوا

Command Form:اُشْمُلْ

Action Noun:شُمُول / شَمْل

Lesson Word

نَازَعَ

To dispute / argue

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

Root (جذر)

ا ز ع

Word Family

ا ز ع

نَازَعَDictionary Form

يُنَازِعُPresent Form

نَازِعْCommand Form

مُنَازَعَة / نِزَاعAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

نَازَعْتُ

You (M)

نَازَعْتَ

You (F)

نَازَعْتِ

نَازَعَ

She

نَازَعَتْ

نَازَعْنَا

You (Plural)

نَازَعْتُمْ

They

نَازَعُوا

Command Form:نَازِعْ

Action Noun:مُنَازَعَة / نِزَاع

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ح 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

وَحَّدَ

To unite / make one

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

Root (جذر)

و ح د

Word Family

و ح د

وَحَّدَDictionary Form

يُوَحِّدُPresent Form

وَحِّدْCommand Form

تَوْحِيدAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

وَحَّدَ

She

وَحَّدَتْ

Command Form:وَحِّدْ

Action Noun:تَوْحِيد

Lesson Word

أَنْتَجَ

To produce

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

Root (جذر)

ن ت ج

Word Family

ن ت ج

أَنْتَجَDictionary Form

يُنْتِجُPresent Form

أَنْتِجْCommand Form

إِنْتَاجAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَنْتَجْتُ

You (M)

أَنْتَجْتَ

You (F)

أَنْتَجْتِ

أَنْتَجَ

She

أَنْتَجَتْ

أَنْتَجْنَا

You (Plural)

أَنْتَجْتُمْ

They

أَنْتَجُوا

Command Form:أَنْتِجْ

Action Noun:إِنْتَاج

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Special Root Family

Defective Root

ع ز و — 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

عَزَا

To attack / assault

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

Root (جذر)

ع ز و

Word Family

ع ز و

عَزَاDictionary Form

يَعْزُوPresent Form

اُعْزُCommand Form

عَزْوAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

عَزَا

She

عَزَاتْ

Command Form:اُعْزُ

Action Noun:عَزْو

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ف 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

أَفَادَ

To benefit / serve

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

Root (جذر)

ف ي د

Word Family

ف ي د

أَفَادَDictionary Form

يُفِيدُPresent Form

أَفِدْCommand Form

إِفَادَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَفَادَ

She

أَفَادَتْ

Command Form:أَفِدْ

Action Noun:إِفَادَة

Lesson Word

رَعَى

To tend (animals)

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

Root (جذر)

ر ع ى

Word Family

ر ع ى

رَعَىDictionary Form

يَرْعَىPresent Form

اِرْعَCommand Form

رِعَايَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

رَعَْتُ

You (M)

رَعَْتَ

You (F)

رَعَْتِ

رَعَى

She

رَعَىتْ

رَعَْنَا

You (Plural)

رَعَْتُمْ

They

رَعَُوا

Command Form:اِرْعَ

Action Noun:رِعَايَة

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ص 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

صَادَ

To hunt / shoot

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

Root (جذر)

ص ي د

Word Family

ص ي د

صَادَDictionary Form

يَصِيدُPresent Form

صِدْCommand Form

صَيْدAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

صَادَ

She

صَادَتْ

Command Form:صِدْ

Action Noun:صَيْد

Lesson Word

زَرَعَ

To cultivate / farm

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

Root (جذر)

ز ر ع

Word Family

ز ر ع

زَرَعَDictionary Form

يَزْرَعُPresent Form

اِزْرَعْCommand Form

زِرَاعَة / زَرْعAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

زَرَعْتُ

You (M)

زَرَعْتَ

You (F)

زَرَعْتِ

زَرَعَ

She

زَرَعَتْ

زَرَعْنَا

You (Plural)

زَرَعْتُمْ

They

زَرَعُوا

Command Form:اِزْرَعْ

Action Noun:زِرَاعَة / زَرْع

Lesson Word

اِسْتَشْرَقَ

To orientalise / study the east

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

Root (جذر)

ش ر ق

Root Insight

Core Idea — The east — where the sun rises and light first appears.

·the east, eastern direction
·sunrise, the rising of the sun
·shining, bright light
·choking on something (light flooding)

Related concepts: east, sunrise, light, dawn, orient

Word Family

ش ر ق

اِسْتَشْرَقَDictionary Form

يَسْتَشْرِقُPresent Form

اِسْتَشْرِقْCommand Form

اِسْتِشْرَاقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِسْتَشْرَقْتُ

You (M)

اِسْتَشْرَقْتَ

You (F)

اِسْتَشْرَقْتِ

اِسْتَشْرَقَ

She

اِسْتَشْرَقَتْ

اِسْتَشْرَقْنَا

You (Plural)

اِسْتَشْرَقْتُمْ

They

اِسْتَشْرَقُوا

Command Form:اِسْتَشْرِقْ

Action Noun:اِسْتِشْرَاق

🔄 Practice Conjugation

Test yourself on all conjugated forms