🔡 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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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

أَجْبَرَ

To compel

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

Root (جذر)

ج ب ر

Word Family

ج ب ر

أَجْبَرَDictionary Form

يُجْبِرُPresent Form

أَجْبِرْCommand Form

إِجْبَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَجْبَرْتُ

You (M)

أَجْبَرْتَ

You (F)

أَجْبَرْتِ

أَجْبَرَ

She

أَجْبَرَتْ

أَجْبَرْنَا

You (Plural)

أَجْبَرْتُمْ

They

أَجْبَرُوا

Command Form:أَجْبِرْ

Action Noun:إِجْبَار

Lesson Word

أَلْزَمَ

To obligate

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

Root (جذر)

ل ز م

Word Family

ل ز م

أَلْزَمَDictionary Form

يُلْزِمُPresent Form

أَلْزِمْCommand Form

إِلْزَامAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَلْزَمْتُ

You (M)

أَلْزَمْتَ

You (F)

أَلْزَمْتِ

أَلْزَمَ

She

أَلْزَمَتْ

أَلْزَمْنَا

You (Plural)

أَلْزَمْتُمْ

They

أَلْزَمُوا

Command Form:أَلْزِمْ

Action Noun:إِلْزَام

Lesson Word

أَرْهَقَ

To overburden

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

Root (جذر)

ر ه ق

Word Family

ر ه ق

أَرْهَقَDictionary Form

يُرْهِقُPresent Form

أَرْهِقْCommand Form

إِرْهَاقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَرْهَقْتُ

You (M)

أَرْهَقْتَ

You (F)

أَرْهَقْتِ

أَرْهَقَ

She

أَرْهَقَتْ

أَرْهَقْنَا

You (Plural)

أَرْهَقْتُمْ

They

أَرْهَقُوا

Command Form:أَرْهِقْ

Action Noun:إِرْهَاق

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

أ ج 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

اِسْتَأْجَرَ

To rent

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

Root (جذر)

أ ج ر

Root Insight

Core Idea — Compensation flowing from effort or service.

·wage, salary, pay
·reward for good deeds
·hiring someone for a task
·the return one receives for work done

Related concepts: reward, wages, hire, remuneration

Word Family

أ ج ر

اِسْتَأْجَرَDictionary Form

يَسْتَأْجِرُPresent Form

اِسْتَأْجِرْCommand Form

اِسْتِئْجَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِسْتَأْجَرْتُ

You (M)

اِسْتَأْجَرْتَ

You (F)

اِسْتَأْجَرْتِ

اِسْتَأْجَرَ

She

اِسْتَأْجَرَتْ

اِسْتَأْجَرْنَا

You (Plural)

اِسْتَأْجَرْتُمْ

They

اِسْتَأْجَرُوا

Command Form:اِسْتَأْجِرْ

Action Noun:اِسْتِئْجَار

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ص ي ب — 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

أَصَابَ

To hit the mark / be correct

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

Root (جذر)

ص ي ب

Word Family

ص ي ب

أَصَابَDictionary Form

يُصِيبُPresent Form

أَصِبْCommand Form

إِصَابَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَصَابَ

She

أَصَابَتْ

Command Form:أَصِبْ

Action Noun:إِصَابَة

Lesson Word

أَطْعَمَ

To feed

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

Root (جذر)

ط ع م

Word Family

ط ع م

أَطْعَمَDictionary Form

يُطْعِمُPresent Form

أَطْعِمْCommand Form

إِطْعَامAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَطْعَمْتُ

You (M)

أَطْعَمْتَ

You (F)

أَطْعَمْتِ

أَطْعَمَ

She

أَطْعَمَتْ

أَطْعَمْنَا

You (Plural)

أَطْعَمْتُمْ

They

أَطْعَمُوا

Command Form:أَطْعِمْ

Action Noun:إِطْعَام

Lesson Word

حَمَّلَ

To load with

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

Root (جذر)

ح م ل

Word Family

ح م ل

حَمَّلَDictionary Form

يُحَمِّلُPresent Form

حَمِّلْCommand Form

تَحْمِيلAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

حَمَّلْتُ

You (M)

حَمَّلْتَ

You (F)

حَمَّلْتِ

حَمَّلَ

She

حَمَّلَتْ

حَمَّلْنَا

You (Plural)

حَمَّلْتُمْ

They

حَمَّلُوا

Command Form:حَمِّلْ

Action Noun:تَحْمِيل

🌿

Special Root Family

Doubled Root

ح ن ن — 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

حَنَّ

To cry out producing yearning sound

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

Root (جذر)

ح ن ن

Word Family

ح ن ن

حَنَّDictionary Form

يَحِنُّPresent Form

حِنَّCommand Form

حَنِين / حَنَانAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

حَنَّ

She

حَنَّتْ

Command Form:حِنَّ

Action Noun:حَنِين / حَنَان

Lesson Word

ذَرَفَ

To shed (tears)

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

Root (جذر)

ذ ر ف

Word Family

ذ ر ف

ذَرَفَDictionary Form

يَذْرِفُPresent Form

اِذْرِفْCommand Form

ذُرُوفAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

ذَرَفْتُ

You (M)

ذَرَفْتَ

You (F)

ذَرَفْتِ

ذَرَفَ

She

ذَرَفَتْ

ذَرَفْنَا

You (Plural)

ذَرَفْتُمْ

They

ذَرَفُوا

Command Form:اِذْرِفْ

Action Noun:ذُرُوف

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

س و ق — 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

سَاقَ

To move / transport / drive

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

Root (جذر)

س و ق

Root Insight

Core Idea — Driving forward — pushing toward a destination.

·driving animals or vehicles
·a marketplace (sūq) — where things are driven to be sold
·the shin (the driving limb)
·impelling, compelling

Related concepts: driving, marketplace, market, push, shin

Word Family

س و ق

سَاقَDictionary Form

يَسُوقُPresent Form

سُقْCommand Form

سَوْقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

سَاقَ

She

سَاقَتْ

Command Form:سُقْ

Action Noun:سَوْق

Lesson Word

سَخَّرَ

To make subservient

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

Root (جذر)

س خ ر

Word Family

س خ ر

سَخَّرَDictionary Form

يُسَخِّرُPresent Form

سَخِّرْCommand Form

تَسْخِيرAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

سَخَّرْتُ

You (M)

سَخَّرْتَ

You (F)

سَخَّرْتِ

سَخَّرَ

She

سَخَّرَتْ

سَخَّرْنَا

You (Plural)

سَخَّرْتُمْ

They

سَخَّرُوا

Command Form:سَخِّرْ

Action Noun:تَسْخِير

Lesson Word

عَطِشَ

To feel thirsty

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

Root (جذر)

ع ط ش

Word Family

ع ط ش

عَطِشَDictionary Form

يَعْطَشُPresent Form

اِعْطَشْCommand Form

عَطَشAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

عَطِشْتُ

You (M)

عَطِشْتَ

You (F)

عَطِشْتِ

عَطِشَ

She

عَطِشَتْ

عَطِشْنَا

You (Plural)

عَطِشْتُمْ

They

عَطِشُوا

Command Form:اِعْطَشْ

Action Noun:عَطَش

Lesson Word

غَفَرَ

To forgive

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

Root (جذر)

غ ف ر

Word Family

غ ف ر

غَفَرَDictionary Form

يَغْفِرُPresent Form

اِغْفِرْCommand Form

مَغْفِرَة / غُفْرَانAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

غَفَرْتُ

You (M)

غَفَرْتَ

You (F)

غَفَرْتِ

غَفَرَ

She

غَفَرَتْ

غَفَرْنَا

You (Plural)

غَفَرْتُمْ

They

غَفَرُوا

Command Form:اِغْفِرْ

Action Noun:مَغْفِرَة / غُفْرَان

Lesson Word

لَعَنَ

To curse

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

Root (جذر)

ل ع ن

Word Family

ل ع ن

لَعَنَDictionary Form

يَلْعَنُPresent Form

اِلْعَنْCommand Form

لَعْنَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

لَعَنْتُ

You (M)

لَعَنْتَ

You (F)

لَعَنْتِ

لَعَنَ

She

لَعَنَتْ

لَعَنْنَا

You (Plural)

لَعَنْتُمْ

They

لَعَنُوا

Command Form:اِلْعَنْ

Action Noun:لَعْنَة

Lesson Word

لَهَثَ

To breathe hard

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

Root (جذر)

ل ه ث

Word Family

ل ه ث

لَهَثَDictionary Form

يَلْهَثُPresent Form

اِلْهَثْCommand Form

لَهْثAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

لَهَثْتُ

You (M)

لَهَثْتَ

You (F)

لَهَثْتِ

لَهَثَ

She

لَهَثَتْ

لَهَثْنَا

You (Plural)

لَهَثْتُمْ

They

لَهَثُوا

Command Form:اِلْهَثْ

Action Noun:لَهْث

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و س م — 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

وَسَمَ

To brand

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

Root (جذر)

و س م

Word Family

و س م

وَسَمَDictionary Form

يَسِمُPresent Form

سِمْCommand Form

وَسْمAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

وَسَمَ

She

وَسَمَتْ

Command Form:سِمْ

Action Noun:وَسْم

Lesson Word

عَبَثَ

To play with

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

Root (جذر)

ع ب ث

Word Family

ع ب ث

عَبَثَDictionary Form

يَعْبَثُPresent Form

اِعْبَثْCommand Form

عَبَثAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

عَبَثْتُ

You (M)

عَبَثْتَ

You (F)

عَبَثْتِ

عَبَثَ

She

عَبَثَتْ

عَبَثْنَا

You (Plural)

عَبَثْتُمْ

They

عَبَثُوا

Command Form:اِعْبَثْ

Action Noun:عَبَث

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