🔡 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.

12 verbs in this chapter

Lesson Word

تَحَدَّى

To challenge

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

Root (جذر)

ح د ى

Word Family

ح د ى

تَحَدَّىDictionary Form

يَتَحَدَّىPresent Form

تَحَدَّCommand Form

تَحَدٍّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَحَدَّْتُ

You (M)

تَحَدَّْتَ

You (F)

تَحَدَّْتِ

تَحَدَّى

She

تَحَدَّىتْ

تَحَدَّْنَا

You (Plural)

تَحَدَّْتُمْ

They

تَحَدَُّوا

Command Form:تَحَدَّ

Action Noun:تَحَدٍّ

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ف ى — 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

تَوَفَّى

To cause to die

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

Root (جذر)

و ف ى

Word Family

و ف ى

تَوَفَّىDictionary Form

يَتَوَفَّىPresent Form

تَوَفَّCommand Form

تَوَفٍّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَوَفَّى

She

تَوَفَّىتْ

Command Form:تَوَفَّ

Action Noun:تَوَفٍّ

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Special Root Family

Doubled Root

د ل ل — 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

دَلَّ

To prove / demonstrate

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

Root (جذر)

د ل ل

Word Family

د ل ل

دَلَّDictionary Form

يَدُلُّPresent Form

دُلَّCommand Form

دَلٌّ / دَلَالَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

دَلَّ

She

دَلَّتْ

Command Form:دُلَّ

Action Noun:دَلٌّ / دَلَالَة

Lesson Word

كَادَ

To be about to

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

Root (جذر)

ك ا د

Word Family

ك ا د

كَادَDictionary Form

يَكَادُPresent Form

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

كَادْتُ

You (M)

كَادْتَ

You (F)

كَادْتِ

كَادَ

She

كَادَتْ

كَادْنَا

You (Plural)

كَادْتُمْ

They

كَادُوا

Lesson Word

اِرْتَدَّ

To apostate

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

Root (جذر)

ر ت د

Word Family

ر ت د

اِرْتَدَّDictionary Form

يَرْتَدُّPresent Form

اِرْتَدِدْCommand Form

اِرْتِدَادAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِرْتَدَْتُ

You (M)

اِرْتَدَْتَ

You (F)

اِرْتَدَْتِ

اِرْتَدَّ

She

اِرْتَدَّتْ

اِرْتَدَْنَا

You (Plural)

اِرْتَدَْتُمْ

They

اِرْتَدَُوا

Command Form:اِرْتَدِدْ

Action Noun:اِرْتِدَاد

Lesson Word

ثَبَّتَ

To reinforce / make firm

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

Root (جذر)

ث ب ت

Word Family

ث ب ت

ثَبَّتَDictionary Form

يُثَبِّتُPresent Form

ثَبِّتْCommand Form

تَثْبِيتAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

ثَبَّتْتُ

You (M)

ثَبَّتْتَ

You (F)

ثَبَّتْتِ

ثَبَّتَ

She

ثَبَّتَتْ

ثَبَّتْنَا

You (Plural)

ثَبَّتْتُمْ

They

ثَبَّتُوا

Command Form:ثَبِّتْ

Action Noun:تَثْبِيت

Lesson Word

رَتَّلَ

To recite

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

Root (جذر)

ر ت ل

Word Family

ر ت ل

رَتَّلَDictionary Form

يُرَتِّلُPresent Form

رَتِّلْCommand Form

تَرْتِيلAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

رَتَّلْتُ

You (M)

رَتَّلْتَ

You (F)

رَتَّلْتِ

رَتَّلَ

She

رَتَّلَتْ

رَتَّلْنَا

You (Plural)

رَتَّلْتُمْ

They

رَتَّلُوا

Command Form:رَتِّلْ

Action Noun:تَرْتِيل

Lesson Word

اِنْشَقَّ

To split apart

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

Root (جذر)

ن ش ق

Word Family

ن ش ق

اِنْشَقَّDictionary Form

يَنْشَقُّPresent Form

اِنْشَقِقْCommand Form

اِنْشِقَاقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِنْشَقَْتُ

You (M)

اِنْشَقَْتَ

You (F)

اِنْشَقَْتِ

اِنْشَقَّ

She

اِنْشَقَّتْ

اِنْشَقَْنَا

You (Plural)

اِنْشَقَْتُمْ

They

اِنْشَقَُوا

Command Form:اِنْشَقِقْ

Action Noun:اِنْشِقَاق

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

د و 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

دَوَّنَ

To write down

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

Root (جذر)

د و ن

Word Family

د و ن

دَوَّنَDictionary Form

يُدَوِّنُPresent Form

دَوِّنْCommand Form

تَدْوِينAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

دَوَّنَ

She

دَوَّنَتْ

Command Form:دَوِّنْ

Action Noun:تَدْوِين

Lesson Word

تَسَرَّبَ

To creep into / leak

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

Root (جذر)

س ر ب

Word Family

س ر ب

تَسَرَّبَDictionary Form

يَتَسَرَّبُPresent Form

تَسَرَّبْCommand Form

تَسَرُّبAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَسَرَّبْتُ

You (M)

تَسَرَّبْتَ

You (F)

تَسَرَّبْتِ

تَسَرَّبَ

She

تَسَرَّبَتْ

تَسَرَّبْنَا

You (Plural)

تَسَرَّبْتُمْ

They

تَسَرَّبُوا

Command Form:تَسَرَّبْ

Action Noun:تَسَرُّب

Lesson Word

أَنْزَلَ

To reveal

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

Root (جذر)

ن ز ل

Word Family

ن ز ل

أَنْزَلَDictionary Form

يُنْزِلُPresent Form

أَنْزِلْCommand Form

إِنْزَالAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَنْزَلْتُ

You (M)

أَنْزَلْتَ

You (F)

أَنْزَلْتِ

أَنْزَلَ

She

أَنْزَلَتْ

أَنْزَلْنَا

You (Plural)

أَنْزَلْتُمْ

They

أَنْزَلُوا

Command Form:أَنْزِلْ

Action Noun:إِنْزَال

Lesson Word

اِشْتَمَلَ

To 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

اِشْتَمَلَDictionary Form

يَشْتَمِلُPresent Form

اِشْتَمِلْCommand Form

شُمُولAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِشْتَمَلْتُ

You (M)

اِشْتَمَلْتَ

You (F)

اِشْتَمَلْتِ

اِشْتَمَلَ

She

اِشْتَمَلَتْ

اِشْتَمَلْنَا

You (Plural)

اِشْتَمَلْتُمْ

They

اِشْتَمَلُوا

Command Form:اِشْتَمِلْ

Action Noun:شُمُول

🔄 Practice Conjugation

Test yourself on all conjugated forms