🔡 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

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Special Root Family

Doubled Root

ج ف ف — 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

جَفَّ

To dry out

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

Root (جذر)

ج ف ف

Word Family

ج ف ف

جَفَّDictionary Form

يَجِفُّPresent Form

جِفَّCommand Form

جَفَافAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

جَفَّ

She

جَفَّتْ

Command Form:جِفَّ

Action Noun:جَفَاف

Lesson Word

تَكَاثَرَ

To increase / grow / multiply

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

تَكَاثَرَDictionary Form

يَتَكَاثَرُPresent Form

تَكَاثَرْCommand Form

تَكَاثُرAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَكَاثَرْتُ

You (M)

تَكَاثَرْتَ

You (F)

تَكَاثَرْتِ

تَكَاثَرَ

She

تَكَاثَرَتْ

تَكَاثَرْنَا

You (Plural)

تَكَاثَرْتُمْ

They

تَكَاثَرُوا

Command Form:تَكَاثَرْ

Action Noun:تَكَاثُر

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ف 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

تَفَاوَتَ

To vary / differ

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

Root (جذر)

ف و ت

Word Family

ف و ت

تَفَاوَتَDictionary Form

يَتَفَاوَتُPresent Form

تَفَاوَتْCommand Form

تَفَاوُتAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَفَاوَتَ

She

تَفَاوَتَتْ

Command Form:تَفَاوَتْ

Action Noun:تَفَاوُت

Lesson Word

خَلَّصَ

To free from / save 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 ص

Word Family

خ ل ص

خَلَّصَDictionary Form

يُخَلِّصُPresent Form

خَلِّصْCommand Form

تَخْلِيصAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

خَلَّصْتُ

You (M)

خَلَّصْتَ

You (F)

خَلَّصْتِ

خَلَّصَ

She

خَلَّصَتْ

خَلَّصْنَا

You (Plural)

خَلَّصْتُمْ

They

خَلَّصُوا

Command Form:خَلِّصْ

Action Noun:تَخْلِيص

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

أ ض 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

أَضَرَّ

To harm

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

Root (جذر)

أ ض ر

Word Family

أ ض ر

أَضَرَّDictionary Form

يُضِرُّPresent Form

أَضِرَّCommand Form

إِضْرَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَضَرَْتُ

You (M)

أَضَرَْتَ

You (F)

أَضَرَْتِ

أَضَرَّ

She

أَضَرَّتْ

أَضَرَْنَا

You (Plural)

أَضَرَْتُمْ

They

أَضَرَُوا

Command Form:أَضِرَّ

Action Noun:إِضْرَار

Lesson Word

هَضَمَ

To digest

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

Root (جذر)

ه ض م

Word Family

ه ض م

هَضَمَDictionary Form

يَهْضِمُPresent Form

اِهْضِمْCommand Form

هَضْمAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

هَضَمْتُ

You (M)

هَضَمْتَ

You (F)

هَضَمْتِ

هَضَمَ

She

هَضَمَتْ

هَضَمْنَا

You (Plural)

هَضَمْتُمْ

They

هَضَمُوا

Command Form:اِهْضِمْ

Action Noun:هَضْم

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ذ 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

تَذَوَّقَ

To taste

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

Root (جذر)

ذ و ق

Word Family

ذ و ق

تَذَوَّقَDictionary Form

يَتَذَوَّقُPresent Form

تَذَوَّقْCommand Form

تَذَوُّقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَذَوَّقَ

She

تَذَوَّقَتْ

Command Form:تَذَوَّقْ

Action Noun:تَذَوُّق

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

ي ب س — 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

تَيَبَّسَ

To become dry

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

Root (جذر)

ي ب س

Word Family

ي ب س

تَيَبَّسَDictionary Form

يَتَيَبَّسُPresent Form

تَيَبَّسْCommand Form

تَيَبُّسAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَيَبَّسَ

She

تَيَبَّسَتْ

Command Form:تَيَبَّسْ

Action Noun:تَيَبُّس

Lesson Word

تَلَاصَقَ

To rub against one another

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

Root (جذر)

ل ص ق

Word Family

ل ص ق

تَلَاصَقَDictionary Form

يَتَلَاصَقُPresent Form

تَلَاصَقْCommand Form

تَلَاصُقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَلَاصَقْتُ

You (M)

تَلَاصَقْتَ

You (F)

تَلَاصَقْتِ

تَلَاصَقَ

She

تَلَاصَقَتْ

تَلَاصَقْنَا

You (Plural)

تَلَاصَقْتُمْ

They

تَلَاصَقُوا

Command Form:تَلَاصَقْ

Action Noun:تَلَاصُق

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Special Root Family

Doubled Root

ش م م — 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

شَمَّ

To smell

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

Root (جذر)

ش م م

Word Family

ش م م

شَمَّDictionary Form

يَشُمُّPresent Form

شُمَّCommand Form

شَمٌّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

شَمَّ

She

شَمَّتْ

Command Form:شُمَّ

Action Noun:شَمٌّ

Lesson Word

اِحْتَرَقَ

To burn

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

Root (جذر)

ح ر ق

Word Family

ح ر ق

اِحْتَرَقَDictionary Form

يَحْتَرِقُPresent Form

اِحْتَرِقْCommand Form

اِحْتِرَاقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِحْتَرَقْتُ

You (M)

اِحْتَرَقْتَ

You (F)

اِحْتَرَقْتِ

اِحْتَرَقَ

She

اِحْتَرَقَتْ

اِحْتَرَقْنَا

You (Plural)

اِحْتَرَقْتُمْ

They

اِحْتَرَقُوا

Command Form:اِحْتَرِقْ

Action Noun:اِحْتِرَاق

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ز ن — 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

تَوَازَنَ

To be balanced

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

Root (جذر)

و ز ن

Root Insight

Core Idea — Measuring by balance — weight and equilibrium.

·weighing, measuring weight
·balance, equilibrium
·poetic metre (wazn — the measure of verse)
·a morphological pattern (wazn) in Arabic grammar

Related concepts: weight, balance, metre, pattern, equilibrium

Word Family

و ز ن

تَوَازَنَDictionary Form

يَتَوَازَنُPresent Form

تَوَازَنْCommand Form

تَوَازُنAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَوَازَنَ

She

تَوَازَنَتْ

Command Form:تَوَازَنْ

Action Noun:تَوَازُن

Lesson Word

اِنْهَارَ

To collapse / break down

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

Root (جذر)

ه ا ر

Word Family

ه ا ر

اِنْهَارَDictionary Form

يَنْهَارُPresent Form

اِنْهَرْCommand Form

اِنْهِيَارAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِنْهَارْتُ

You (M)

اِنْهَارْتَ

You (F)

اِنْهَارْتِ

اِنْهَارَ

She

اِنْهَارَتْ

اِنْهَارْنَا

You (Plural)

اِنْهَارْتُمْ

They

اِنْهَارُوا

Command Form:اِنْهَرْ

Action Noun:اِنْهِيَار

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ج و ز — 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

تَجَاوَزَ

To surpass

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

Root (جذر)

ج و ز

Root Insight

Core Idea — Passing through — what is permissible crosses the boundary.

·permission, permissibility
·crossing, passing through
·the middle or centre
·licence to act

Related concepts: permission, crossing, middle, permissible

Word Family

ج و ز

تَجَاوَزَDictionary Form

يَتَجَاوَزُPresent Form

تَجَاوَزْCommand Form

تَجَاوُزAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَجَاوَزَ

She

تَجَاوَزَتْ

Command Form:تَجَاوَزْ

Action Noun:تَجَاوُز

Lesson Word

زَفَرَ

To breathe out / sigh / exhale

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

Root (جذر)

ز ف ر

Word Family

ز ف ر

زَفَرَDictionary Form

يَزْفِرُPresent Form

اِزْفِرْCommand Form

زَفِيرAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

زَفَرْتُ

You (M)

زَفَرْتَ

You (F)

زَفَرْتِ

زَفَرَ

She

زَفَرَتْ

زَفَرْنَا

You (Plural)

زَفَرْتُمْ

They

زَفَرُوا

Command Form:اِزْفِرْ

Action Noun:زَفِير

Lesson Word

اِعْتَادَ

To get used to / become accustomed to

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

Root (جذر)

ع ا د

Word Family

ع ا د

اِعْتَادَDictionary Form

يَعْتَادُPresent Form

اِعْتَدْCommand Form

اِعْتِيَادAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِعْتَادْتُ

You (M)

اِعْتَادْتَ

You (F)

اِعْتَادْتِ

اِعْتَادَ

She

اِعْتَادَتْ

اِعْتَادْنَا

You (Plural)

اِعْتَادْتُمْ

They

اِعْتَادُوا

Command Form:اِعْتَدْ

Action Noun:اِعْتِيَاد

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

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

Lesson Word

ظَمِئَ

To be thirsty

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

Root (جذر)

ظ م أ

Word Family

ظ م أ

ظَمِئَDictionary Form

يَظْمَأُPresent Form

اِظْمَأْCommand Form

ظَمَأAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

ظَمِئْتُ

You (M)

ظَمِئْتَ

You (F)

ظَمِئْتِ

ظَمِئَ

She

ظَمِئَتْ

ظَمِئْنَا

You (Plural)

ظَمِئْتُمْ

They

ظَمِئُوا

Command Form:اِظْمَأْ

Action Noun:ظَمَأ

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