The stem of Arabic verbs


An important concept in the Arabic verb system is the 'stem' or the 'root' of a verb.

All Arabic words use a root which usually contains three (seldom four) radicals.
We have been talking about the concepts of the root and the radicals of an Arabic word in the first chapters. If you do not remember, please use the link to jump back.

The space between the radicals is filled in different manners.
Those fillings derive the (changing) meaning of the word.
And that is how we conjugate verbs in Arabic.
For someone who just starts out to learn Arabic, this concept is key – as it helps to develop a general understanding for that word.

Examples for Arabic verb stems
combinations of radicals Arabic word transliteration English translation
R1-a-R2-a-R3-a فَتَحَ fataḥa to open
جَلَسَ ğalasa to sit
نَصَرَ naṣara to help, to assist
R1-a-R2-i-R3-a شَهِدَ šahida to witness, to see
سَمِعَ sami'a to hear
شَرِبَ šariba to drink
R1-a-R2-u-R3-a كَبُرَ kabura to grow
ضَعُفَ ḍa'ufa to become weak
كَرُمَ karuma to be generous


 

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