🔡 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.

17 verbs in this chapter

Lesson Word

رَحَلَ

To leave / depart

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

Root (جذر)

ر ح ل

Word Family

ر ح ل

رَحَلَDictionary Form

يَرْحَلُPresent Form

اِرْحَلْCommand Form

رَحِيل / رِحْلَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

رَحَلْتُ

You (M)

رَحَلْتَ

You (F)

رَحَلْتِ

رَحَلَ

She

رَحَلَتْ

رَحَلْنَا

You (Plural)

رَحَلْتُمْ

They

رَحَلُوا

Command Form:اِرْحَلْ

Action Noun:رَحِيل / رِحْلَة

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

م و ت — 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

مَاتَ

To die

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

Root (جذر)

م و ت

Word Family

م و ت

مَاتَDictionary Form

يَمُوتُPresent Form

مُتْCommand Form

مَوْتAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

مَاتَ

She

مَاتَتْ

Command Form:مُتْ

Action Noun:مَوْت

Lesson Word

خَافَ

To fear

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

Root (جذر)

خ ا ف

Word Family

خ ا ف

خَافَDictionary Form

يَخَافُPresent Form

خَفْCommand Form

خَوْفAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

خَافْتُ

You (M)

خَافْتَ

You (F)

خَافْتِ

خَافَ

She

خَافَتْ

خَافْنَا

You (Plural)

خَافْتُمْ

They

خَافُوا

Command Form:خَفْ

Action Noun:خَوْف

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ج ه — 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

وَاجَهَ

To face / encounter

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

Root (جذر)

و ج ه

Word Family

و ج ه

وَاجَهَDictionary Form

يُوَاجِهُPresent Form

وَاجِهْCommand Form

مُوَاجَهَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

وَاجَهَ

She

وَاجَهَتْ

Command Form:وَاجِهْ

Action Noun:مُوَاجَهَة

Lesson Word

اِزْدَادَ

To grow / increase

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

Root (جذر)

ز ا د

Word Family

ز ا د

اِزْدَادَDictionary Form

يَزْدَادُPresent Form

اِزْدَدْCommand Form

اِزْدِيَادAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِزْدَادْتُ

You (M)

اِزْدَادْتَ

You (F)

اِزْدَادْتِ

اِزْدَادَ

She

اِزْدَادَتْ

اِزْدَادْنَا

You (Plural)

اِزْدَادْتُمْ

They

اِزْدَادُوا

Command Form:اِزْدَدْ

Action Noun:اِزْدِيَاد

Lesson Word

هَاجَرَ

To migrate

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

Root (جذر)

ه ج ر

Word Family

ه ج ر

هَاجَرَDictionary Form

يُهَاجِرُPresent Form

هَاجِرْCommand Form

مُهَاجَرَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

هَاجَرْتُ

You (M)

هَاجَرْتَ

You (F)

هَاجَرْتِ

هَاجَرَ

She

هَاجَرَتْ

هَاجَرْنَا

You (Plural)

هَاجَرْتُمْ

They

هَاجَرُوا

Command Form:هَاجِرْ

Action Noun:مُهَاجَرَة

Lesson Word

أَدْرَكَ

To understand / grasp

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

Root (جذر)

د ر ك

Word Family

د ر ك

أَدْرَكَDictionary Form

يُدْرِكُPresent Form

أَدْرِكْCommand Form

إِدْرَاكAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَدْرَكْتُ

You (M)

أَدْرَكْتَ

You (F)

أَدْرَكْتِ

أَدْرَكَ

She

أَدْرَكَتْ

أَدْرَكْنَا

You (Plural)

أَدْرَكْتُمْ

They

أَدْرَكُوا

Command Form:أَدْرِكْ

Action Noun:إِدْرَاك

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Special Root Family

Defective Root

ب ن 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

بَنَى

To build

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

Root (جذر)

ب ن ي

Root Insight

Core Idea — Raising structure — building up from foundations.

·construction, building
·the son/daughter (one built upon the family)
·forming and establishing
·grammatical structure (bināʾ in Arabic grammar)

Related concepts: building, construction, son, structure, foundation

Word Family

ب ن ي

بَنَىDictionary Form

يَبْنِيPresent Form

اِبْنِCommand Form

بِنَاءAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

بَنَى

She

بَنَىتْ

Command Form:اِبْنِ

Action Noun:بِنَاء

Lesson Word

رَجَعَ

To return

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

Root (جذر)

ر ج ع

Word Family

ر ج ع

رَجَعَDictionary Form

يَرْجِعُPresent Form

اِرْجِعْCommand Form

رُجُوعAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

رَجَعْتُ

You (M)

رَجَعْتَ

You (F)

رَجَعْتِ

رَجَعَ

She

رَجَعَتْ

رَجَعْنَا

You (Plural)

رَجَعْتُمْ

They

رَجَعُوا

Command Form:اِرْجِعْ

Action Noun:رُجُوع

Lesson Word

بَلَغَ

To reach

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

Root (جذر)

ب ل غ

Word Family

ب ل غ

بَلَغَDictionary Form

يَبْلُغُPresent Form

اُبْلُغْCommand Form

بُلُوغAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

بَلَغْتُ

You (M)

بَلَغْتَ

You (F)

بَلَغْتِ

بَلَغَ

She

بَلَغَتْ

بَلَغْنَا

You (Plural)

بَلَغْتُمْ

They

بَلَغُوا

Command Form:اُبْلُغْ

Action Noun:بُلُوغ

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ق ع — 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

وَقَعَ

To be located

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

Root (جذر)

و ق ع

Word Family

و ق ع

وَقَعَDictionary Form

يَقَعُPresent Form

قَعْCommand Form

وُقُوعAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

وَقَعَ

She

وَقَعَتْ

Command Form:قَعْ

Action Noun:وُقُوع

Lesson Word

اِتَّجَهَ

To head towards

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

Root (جذر)

ت ج ه

Word Family

ت ج ه

اِتَّجَهَDictionary Form

يَتَّجِهُPresent Form

اِتَّجِهْCommand Form

اِتِّجَاهAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِتَّجَهْتُ

You (M)

اِتَّجَهْتَ

You (F)

اِتَّجَهْتِ

اِتَّجَهَ

She

اِتَّجَهَتْ

اِتَّجَهْنَا

You (Plural)

اِتَّجَهْتُمْ

They

اِتَّجَهُوا

Command Form:اِتَّجِهْ

Action Noun:اِتِّجَاه

Lesson Word

اِنْعَطَفَ

To turn

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

Root (جذر)

ع ط ف

Word Family

ع ط ف

اِنْعَطَفَDictionary Form

يَنْعَطِفُPresent Form

اِنْعَطِفْCommand Form

اِنْعِطَافAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِنْعَطَفْتُ

You (M)

اِنْعَطَفْتَ

You (F)

اِنْعَطَفْتِ

اِنْعَطَفَ

She

اِنْعَطَفَتْ

اِنْعَطَفْنَا

You (Plural)

اِنْعَطَفْتُمْ

They

اِنْعَطَفُوا

Command Form:اِنْعَطِفْ

Action Noun:اِنْعِطَاف

Lesson Word

اِسْتَمَرَّ

To continue

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

Root (جذر)

س م ر

Word Family

س م ر

اِسْتَمَرَّDictionary Form

يَسْتَمِرُّPresent Form

اِسْتَمِرَّCommand Form

اِسْتِمْرَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِسْتَمَرَْتُ

You (M)

اِسْتَمَرَْتَ

You (F)

اِسْتَمَرَْتِ

اِسْتَمَرَّ

She

اِسْتَمَرَّتْ

اِسْتَمَرَْنَا

You (Plural)

اِسْتَمَرَْتُمْ

They

اِسْتَمَرَُوا

Command Form:اِسْتَمِرَّ

Action Noun:اِسْتِمْرَار

Lesson Word

كَثُرَ

To be numerous

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

Root (جذر)

ك ث ر

Root Insight

Core Idea — Abundance — multiplying to become many.

·abundance, plenty
·increasing in number
·majority (akthār — most)

Related concepts: abundance, many, majority, multiplying, plenty

Word Family

ك ث ر

كَثُرَDictionary Form

يَكْثُرُPresent Form

اُكْثُرْCommand Form

كَثْرَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

كَثُرْتُ

You (M)

كَثُرْتَ

You (F)

كَثُرْتِ

كَثُرَ

She

كَثُرَتْ

كَثُرْنَا

You (Plural)

كَثُرْتُمْ

They

كَثُرُوا

Command Form:اُكْثُرْ

Action Noun:كَثْرَة

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

ن ش 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

أَنْشَأَ

To establish

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

Root (جذر)

ن ش ئ

Word Family

ن ش ئ

أَنْشَأَDictionary Form

يُنْشِئُPresent Form

أَنْشِئْCommand Form

إِنْشَاءAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَنْشَأْتُ

You (M)

أَنْشَأْتَ

You (F)

أَنْشَأْتِ

أَنْشَأَ

She

أَنْشَأَتْ

أَنْشَأْنَا

You (Plural)

أَنْشَأْتُمْ

They

أَنْشَأُوا

Command Form:أَنْشِئْ

Action Noun:إِنْشَاء

Lesson Word

اِشْتَهَرَ

To be famous

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

Root (جذر)

ش ه ر

Word Family

ش ه ر

اِشْتَهَرَDictionary Form

يَشْتَهِرُPresent Form

اِشْتَهِرْCommand Form

اِشْتِهَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِشْتَهَرْتُ

You (M)

اِشْتَهَرْتَ

You (F)

اِشْتَهَرْتِ

اِشْتَهَرَ

She

اِشْتَهَرَتْ

اِشْتَهَرْنَا

You (Plural)

اِشْتَهَرْتُمْ

They

اِشْتَهَرُوا

Command Form:اِشْتَهِرْ

Action Noun:اِشْتِهَار

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