🔡 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.

18 verbs in this chapter

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ط 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

طَابَ

To be good / pleasant

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

Root (جذر)

ط ي ب

Word Family

ط ي ب

طَابَDictionary Form

يَطِيبُPresent Form

طِبْCommand Form

طِيبAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

طَابَ

She

طَابَتْ

Command Form:طِبْ

Action Noun:طِيب

Lesson Word

أَرْشَدَ

To guide

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

Root (جذر)

ر ش د

Word Family

ر ش د

أَرْشَدَDictionary Form

يُرْشِدُPresent Form

أَرْشِدْCommand Form

إِرْشَادAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَرْشَدْتُ

You (M)

أَرْشَدْتَ

You (F)

أَرْشَدْتِ

أَرْشَدَ

She

أَرْشَدَتْ

أَرْشَدْنَا

You (Plural)

أَرْشَدْتُمْ

They

أَرْشَدُوا

Command Form:أَرْشِدْ

Action Noun:إِرْشَاد

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Special Root Family

Hamzated Root

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

Lesson Word

أَرِقَ

To suffer insomnia

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

Root (جذر)

أ ر ق

Word Family

أ ر ق

أَرِقَDictionary Form

يَأْرَقُPresent Form

أَرِقْCommand Form

أَرَقAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَرِقْتُ

You (M)

أَرِقْتَ

You (F)

أَرِقْتِ

أَرِقَ

She

أَرِقَتْ

أَرِقْنَا

You (Plural)

أَرِقْتُمْ

They

أَرِقُوا

Command Form:أَرِقْ

Action Noun:أَرَق

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Special Root Family

Defective Root

ر خ 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

اِسْتَرْخَى

To relax / loosen

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

Root (جذر)

ر خ ي

Word Family

ر خ ي

اِسْتَرْخَىDictionary Form

يَسْتَرْخِيPresent Form

اِسْتَرْخِCommand Form

اِسْتِرْخَاءAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِسْتَرْخَى

She

اِسْتَرْخَىتْ

Command Form:اِسْتَرْخِ

Action Noun:اِسْتِرْخَاء

Lesson Word

نَامَ

To sleep

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

Root (جذر)

ن ا م

Word Family

ن ا م

نَامَDictionary Form

يَنَامُPresent Form

نَمْCommand Form

نَوْمAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

نَامْتُ

You (M)

نَامْتَ

You (F)

نَامْتِ

نَامَ

She

نَامَتْ

نَامْنَا

You (Plural)

نَامْتُمْ

They

نَامُوا

Command Form:نَمْ

Action Noun:نَوْم

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Special Root Family

Defective Root

ن ف 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

نَفَى

To negate

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

Root (جذر)

ن ف ي

Word Family

ن ف ي

نَفَىDictionary Form

يَنْفِيPresent Form

اِنْفِCommand Form

نَفْيAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

نَفَى

She

نَفَىتْ

Command Form:اِنْفِ

Action Noun:نَفْي

Lesson Word

أَنْتَجَ

To produce

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

Root (جذر)

ن ت ج

Word Family

ن ت ج

أَنْتَجَDictionary Form

يُنْتِجُPresent Form

أَنْتِجْCommand Form

إِنْتَاجAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

أَنْتَجْتُ

You (M)

أَنْتَجْتَ

You (F)

أَنْتَجْتِ

أَنْتَجَ

She

أَنْتَجَتْ

أَنْتَجْنَا

You (Plural)

أَنْتَجْتُمْ

They

أَنْتَجُوا

Command Form:أَنْتِجْ

Action Noun:إِنْتَاج

Lesson Word

اِنْفَعَلَ

To be irritable

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

Root (جذر)

ف ع ل

Root Insight

Core Idea — The basic act of doing — action itself.

·doing, acting
·a deed or act
·a verb (fiʿl) in Arabic grammar
·the effect produced by an action

Related concepts: action, deed, verb, doing, effect

Word Family

ف ع ل

اِنْفَعَلَDictionary Form

يَنْفَعِلُPresent Form

اِنْفَعِلْCommand Form

اِنْفِعَالAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِنْفَعَلْتُ

You (M)

اِنْفَعَلْتَ

You (F)

اِنْفَعَلْتِ

اِنْفَعَلَ

She

اِنْفَعَلَتْ

اِنْفَعَلْنَا

You (Plural)

اِنْفَعَلْتُمْ

They

اِنْفَعَلُوا

Command Form:اِنْفَعِلْ

Action Noun:اِنْفِعَال

Lesson Word

كَسِلَ

To be lazy

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

Root (جذر)

ك س ل

Word Family

ك س ل

كَسِلَDictionary Form

يَكْسَلُPresent Form

اِكْسَلْCommand Form

كَسَلAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

كَسِلْتُ

You (M)

كَسِلْتَ

You (F)

كَسِلْتِ

كَسِلَ

She

كَسِلَتْ

كَسِلْنَا

You (Plural)

كَسِلْتُمْ

They

كَسِلُوا

Command Form:اِكْسَلْ

Action Noun:كَسَل

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Special Root Family

Assimilated Root

و ت ر — 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

تَوَتَّرَ

To be tense

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

Root (جذر)

و ت ر

Word Family

و ت ر

تَوَتَّرَDictionary Form

يَتَوَتَّرُPresent Form

تَوَتَّرْCommand Form

تَوَتُّرAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَوَتَّرَ

She

تَوَتَّرَتْ

Command Form:تَوَتَّرْ

Action Noun:تَوَتُّر

Lesson Word

تَحَكَّمَ

To control / dominate

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

Root (جذر)

ح ك م

Word Family

ح ك م

تَحَكَّمَDictionary Form

يَتَحَكَّمُPresent Form

تَحَكَّمْCommand Form

تَحَكُّمAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَحَكَّمْتُ

You (M)

تَحَكَّمْتَ

You (F)

تَحَكَّمْتِ

تَحَكَّمَ

She

تَحَكَّمَتْ

تَحَكَّمْنَا

You (Plural)

تَحَكَّمْتُمْ

They

تَحَكَّمُوا

Command Form:تَحَكَّمْ

Action Noun:تَحَكُّم

Lesson Word

نَعَسَ

To be sleepy / drowsy

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

Root (جذر)

ن ع س

Word Family

ن ع س

نَعَسَDictionary Form

يَنْعَسُPresent Form

اِنْعَسْCommand Form

نُعَاسAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

نَعَسْتُ

You (M)

نَعَسْتَ

You (F)

نَعَسْتِ

نَعَسَ

She

نَعَسَتْ

نَعَسْنَا

You (Plural)

نَعَسْتُمْ

They

نَعَسُوا

Command Form:اِنْعَسْ

Action Noun:نُعَاس

Lesson Word

اِلْتَفَّ

To curl up

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

Root (جذر)

ل ت ف

Word Family

ل ت ف

اِلْتَفَّDictionary Form

يَلْتَفُّPresent Form

اِلْتَفَّCommand Form

اِلْتِفَافAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

اِلْتَفَْتُ

You (M)

اِلْتَفَْتَ

You (F)

اِلْتَفَْتِ

اِلْتَفَّ

She

اِلْتَفَّتْ

اِلْتَفَْنَا

You (Plural)

اِلْتَفَْتُمْ

They

اِلْتَفَُوا

Command Form:اِلْتَفَّ

Action Noun:اِلْتِفَاف

Lesson Word

بَكَّرَ

To do early

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

Root (جذر)

ب ك ر

Root Insight

Core Idea — Being first — the earliness that precedes others.

·early morning
·the firstborn child
·doing something ahead of its time
·a young camel (early in life)

Related concepts: early, first, morning, firstborn, precedence

Word Family

ب ك ر

بَكَّرَDictionary Form

يُبَكِّرُPresent Form

بَكِّرْCommand Form

تَبْكِيرAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

بَكَّرْتُ

You (M)

بَكَّرْتَ

You (F)

بَكَّرْتِ

بَكَّرَ

She

بَكَّرَتْ

بَكَّرْنَا

You (Plural)

بَكَّرْتُمْ

They

بَكَّرُوا

Command Form:بَكِّرْ

Action Noun:تَبْكِير

Lesson Word

تَمَنَّى

To wish for something

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

Root (جذر)

م ن ى

Word Family

م ن ى

تَمَنَّىDictionary Form

يَتَمَنَّىPresent Form

تَمَنَّCommand Form

تَمَنٍّAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَمَنَّْتُ

You (M)

تَمَنَّْتَ

You (F)

تَمَنَّْتِ

تَمَنَّى

She

تَمَنَّىتْ

تَمَنَّْنَا

You (Plural)

تَمَنَّْتُمْ

They

تَمَنَُّوا

Command Form:تَمَنَّ

Action Noun:تَمَنٍّ

Lesson Word

تَنَفَّسَ

To breathe

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

Root (جذر)

ن ف س

Word Family

ن ف س

تَنَفَّسَDictionary Form

يَتَنَفَّسُPresent Form

تَنَفَّسْCommand Form

تَنَفُّسAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

تَنَفَّسْتُ

You (M)

تَنَفَّسْتَ

You (F)

تَنَفَّسْتِ

تَنَفَّسَ

She

تَنَفَّسَتْ

تَنَفَّسْنَا

You (Plural)

تَنَفَّسْتُمْ

They

تَنَفَّسُوا

Command Form:تَنَفَّسْ

Action Noun:تَنَفُّس

Lesson Word

حَرَّمَ

To forbid / declare unlawful

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

Root (جذر)

ح ر م

Word Family

ح ر م

حَرَّمَDictionary Form

يُحَرِّمُPresent Form

حَرِّمْCommand Form

تَحْرِيمAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

حَرَّمْتُ

You (M)

حَرَّمْتَ

You (F)

حَرَّمْتِ

حَرَّمَ

She

حَرَّمَتْ

حَرَّمْنَا

You (Plural)

حَرَّمْتُمْ

They

حَرَّمُوا

Command Form:حَرِّمْ

Action Noun:تَحْرِيم

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Special Root Family

Hollow Root

ق ي ل — 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

قَالَ

To take a midday nap

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

Root (جذر)

ق ي ل

Word Family

ق ي ل

قَالَDictionary Form

يَقِيلُPresent Form

قِلْCommand Form

قَيْلُولَةAction Noun

Grammar Details — All Conjugated Forms

قَالَ

She

قَالَتْ

Command Form:قِلْ

Action Noun:قَيْلُولَة

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