🔡 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.

🌳

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.

18 verbs in this chapter

🌿

Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ل 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

وَلَدَ

To give birth

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

Root (جذر)

و ل د

Word Family

و ل د

وَلَدَDictionary Form

يَلِدُPresent Form

لِدْCommand Form

وِلَادَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

وَلَدَ

She

وَلَدَتْ

Command Form:لِدْ

Action Noun:وِلَادَة

Lesson Word

اِنْتَابَ

To befall / affect

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

Root (جذر)

ت ا ب

Word Family

ت ا ب

اِنْتَابَDictionary Form

يَنْتَابُPresent Form

اِنْتَبْCommand Form

اِنْتِيَابAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِنْتَابْتُ

You (M)

اِنْتَابْتَ

You (F)

اِنْتَابْتِ

اِنْتَابَ

She

اِنْتَابَتْ

اِنْتَابْنَا

You (Plural)

اِنْتَابْتُمْ

They

اِنْتَابُوا

Command Form:اِنْتَبْ

Action Noun:اِنْتِيَاب

🌿

Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

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

Lesson Word

شَاءَ

To will / intend

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

Root (جذر)

ش ا ء

Word Family

ش ا ء

شَاءَDictionary Form

يَشَاءُPresent Form

شَأْCommand Form

مَشِيئَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

شَاءْتُ

You (M)

شَاءْتَ

You (F)

شَاءْتِ

شَاءَ

She

شَاءَتْ

شَاءْنَا

You (Plural)

شَاءْتُمْ

They

شَاءُوا

Command Form:شَأْ

Action Noun:مَشِيئَة

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ج و ر — 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

جَاوَرَ

To be next to

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

Root (جذر)

ج و ر

Word Family

ج و ر

جَاوَرَDictionary Form

يُجَاوِرُPresent Form

جَاوِرْCommand Form

مُجَاوَرَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

جَاوَرَ

She

جَاوَرَتْ

Command Form:جَاوِرْ

Action Noun:مُجَاوَرَة

🌿

Special Root Family

Doubled Root

ل 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

لَفَّ

To wrap up

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

Root (جذر)

ل ف ف

Word Family

ل ف ف

لَفَّDictionary Form

يَلُفُّPresent Form

لُفَّCommand Form

لَفٌّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

لَفَّ

She

لَفَّتْ

Command Form:لُفَّ

Action Noun:لَفٌّ

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ل و ك — 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

لَاكَ

To chew

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

Root (جذر)

ل و ك

Word Family

ل و ك

لَاكَDictionary Form

يَلُوكُPresent Form

لُكْCommand Form

لَوْكAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

لَاكَ

She

لَاكَتْ

Command Form:لُكْ

Action Noun:لَوْك

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ل 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

لَانَ

To soften

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

Root (جذر)

ل ي ن

Word Family

ل ي ن

لَانَDictionary Form

يَلِينُPresent Form

لِنْCommand Form

لِينAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

لَانَ

She

لَانَتْ

Command Form:لِنْ

Action Noun:لِين

Lesson Word

اِمْتَزَجَ

To be mixed

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

Root (جذر)

م ز ج

Word Family

م ز ج

اِمْتَزَجَDictionary Form

يَمْتَزِجُPresent Form

اِمْتَزِجْCommand Form

اِمْتِزَاجAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِمْتَزَجْتُ

You (M)

اِمْتَزَجْتَ

You (F)

اِمْتَزَجْتِ

اِمْتَزَجَ

She

اِمْتَزَجَتْ

اِمْتَزَجْنَا

You (Plural)

اِمْتَزَجْتُمْ

They

اِمْتَزَجُوا

Command Form:اِمْتَزِجْ

Action Noun:اِمْتِزَاج

🌿

Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

ف ج 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

فَجِئَ

To be surprised

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

Root (جذر)

ف ج أ

Word Family

ف ج أ

فَجِئَDictionary Form

يُفْجَأُPresent Form

اِفْجَأْCommand Form

فَجْأَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

فَجِئْتُ

You (M)

فَجِئْتَ

You (F)

فَجِئْتِ

فَجِئَ

She

فَجِئَتْ

فَجِئْنَا

You (Plural)

فَجِئْتُمْ

They

فَجِئُوا

Command Form:اِفْجَأْ

Action Noun:فَجْأَة

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ص ي ح — 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

صَاحَ

To cry / scream / shout

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

Root (جذر)

ص ي ح

Word Family

ص ي ح

صَاحَDictionary Form

يَصِيحُPresent Form

صِحْCommand Form

صِيَاحAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

صَاحَ

She

صَاحَتْ

Command Form:صِحْ

Action Noun:صِيَاح

Lesson Word

صَرَخَ

To cry / scream / shout (2)

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

Root (جذر)

ص ر خ

Word Family

ص ر خ

صَرَخَDictionary Form

يَصْرُخُPresent Form

اُصْرُخْCommand Form

صُرَاخAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

صَرَخْتُ

You (M)

صَرَخْتَ

You (F)

صَرَخْتِ

صَرَخَ

She

صَرَخَتْ

صَرَخْنَا

You (Plural)

صَرَخْتُمْ

They

صَرَخُوا

Command Form:اُصْرُخْ

Action Noun:صُرَاخ

🌿

Special Root Family

Doubled Root

م ص ص — 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

مَصَّ

To suck

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

Root (جذر)

م ص ص

Word Family

م ص ص

مَصَّDictionary Form

يَمُصُّPresent Form

مُصَّCommand Form

مَصٌّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

مَصَّ

She

مَصَّتْ

Command Form:مُصَّ

Action Noun:مَصٌّ

🌿

Special Root Family

Doubled Root

ك 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

كَفَّ

To stop

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

Root (جذر)

ك ف ف

Word Family

ك ف ف

كَفَّDictionary Form

يَكُفُّPresent Form

كُفَّCommand Form

كَفٌّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

كَفَّ

She

كَفَّتْ

Command Form:كُفَّ

Action Noun:كَفٌّ

Lesson Word

رَضَعَ

To suckle

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

Root (جذر)

ر ض ع

Word Family

ر ض ع

رَضَعَDictionary Form

يَرْضَعُPresent Form

اِرْضَعْCommand Form

رَضَاعَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

رَضَعْتُ

You (M)

رَضَعْتَ

You (F)

رَضَعْتِ

رَضَعَ

She

رَضَعَتْ

رَضَعْنَا

You (Plural)

رَضَعْتُمْ

They

رَضَعُوا

Command Form:اِرْضَعْ

Action Noun:رَضَاعَة

Lesson Word

اِنْزَعَجَ

To be disturbed / annoyed / upset

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

Root (جذر)

ز ع ج

Word Family

ز ع ج

اِنْزَعَجَDictionary Form

يَنْزَعِجُPresent Form

اِنْزَعِجْCommand Form

اِنْزِعَاجAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِنْزَعَجْتُ

You (M)

اِنْزَعَجْتَ

You (F)

اِنْزَعَجْتِ

اِنْزَعَجَ

She

اِنْزَعَجَتْ

اِنْزَعَجْنَا

You (Plural)

اِنْزَعَجْتُمْ

They

اِنْزَعَجُوا

Command Form:اِنْزَعِجْ

Action Noun:اِنْزِعَاج

🌿

Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ش و ك — 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

شَاكَ

To prick

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

Root (جذر)

ش و ك

Word Family

ش و ك

شَاكَDictionary Form

يَشُوكُPresent Form

شُكْCommand Form

شَوْكAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

شَاكَ

She

شَاكَتْ

Command Form:شُكْ

Action Noun:شَوْك

🌿

Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

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

Lesson Word

أَمَّتْ

To become a mother

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

Root (جذر)

أ م ت

Word Family

أ م ت

أَمَّتْDictionary Form

يَؤُمُّPresent Form

أُمَّCommand Form

أُمُومَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَمَّتْتُ

You (M)

أَمَّتْتَ

You (F)

أَمَّتْتِ

أَمَّتْ

She

أَمَّتْتْ

أَمَّتْنَا

You (Plural)

أَمَّتْتُمْ

They

أَمَّتُوا

Command Form:أُمَّ

Action Noun:أُمُومَة

🌿

Special Root Family

Doubled Root

خ 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

خَفَّفَ

To lighten / alleviate

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

Root (جذر)

خ ف ف

Word Family

خ ف ف

خَفَّفَDictionary Form

يُخَفِّفُPresent Form

خَفِّفْCommand Form

تَخْفِيفAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

خَفَّفَ

She

خَفَّفَتْ

Command Form:خَفِّفْ

Action Noun:تَخْفِيف

🔄 Practice Conjugation

Test yourself on all conjugated forms