Arabic root patterns

Pour a root

Same three letters. Different moulds. That is the whole science.

• I

  كَتَبَ

  he wrote

• II

  كَتَّبَ

  he made write

• III

  كَاتَبَ

  he corresponded

• X

  اسْتَكْتَبَ

  he asked to be written

• فاعل

  كَاتِب

  writer

• مفعول

  مَكْتُوب

  written

• مفعل

  مَكْتَب

  desk

• فِعَال

  كِتَاب

  book

Ten verb forms

The Quran uses these ten. Form I is the family home. II–X add a job: make, seek, split, share.

• Form I

  فَعَلَ / يَفْعَلُ

  The simple action. Often needs an object: he wrote a book.

  • كَتَبَك ت بHe has ordained2:187
  • خَلَقَخ ل قHe created96:2
  • قَالَق و لHe said2:30

• Form II

  فَعَّلَ / يُفَعِّلُ

  Intensive, or causative — to make another do it. عَلِمَ he knew → عَلَّمَ he taught.

  • عَلَّمَع ل مHe taught96:4
  • نَزَّلَن ز لHe sent down3:3
  • سَبِّحِس ب حGlorify87:1

• Form III

  فَاعَلَ / يُفَاعِلُ

  The action is aimed at someone: struggle with, correspond with, fight.

  • قَاتِلُواق ت لFight2:244
  • جَاهِدُواج ه دStrive9:41
  • نَادَىٰن د وHe called19:3

• Form IV

  أَفْعَلَ / يُفْعِلُ

  Causative — to bring the root about, or enter a state. سَلِمَ he was safe → أَسْلَمَ he submitted.

  • أَسْلَمَس ل مHe submitted2:131
  • أَنزَلْنَان ز لWe sent down2:23
  • أَرَادَر و دHe intended12:25

• Form V

  تَفَعَّلَ / يَتَفَعَّلُ

  Reflexive of II: the object of form II becomes the subject. He made himself remember.

  • يَتَذَكَّرُذ ك رHe takes heed2:269
  • تَوَكَّلْو ك لPut your trust3:159
  • تَزَكَّىٰز ك وHe purified himself87:14

• Form VI

  تَفَاعَلَ / يَتَفَاعَلُ

  Reciprocal of III — they do it to one another. Cannot be a single actor.

  • تَظَاهَرُونَظ ه رYou support one another2:85
  • تَعَاوَنُواع و نHelp one another5:2
  • تَسَاءَلُونَس أ لYou ask one another4:1

• Form VII

  انْفَعَلَ / يَنْفَعِلُ

  The action happens; often involuntary. The sky splits — it does not split itself by will.

  • مُنفَطِرٌف ط رSplitting apart73:18
  • انشَقَّش ق قIt split54:1
  • يَنقَلِبُق ل بHe turns back3:144

• Form VIII

  افْتَعَلَ / يَفْتَعِلُ

  For oneself, or a stronger form I. He took something as his own.

  • اتَّخَذْتُمُأ خ ذYou took2:51
  • اقْتَرَبَق ر بIt has drawn near21:1
  • اخْتَلَفُواخ ل فThey differed2:213

• Form IX

  افْعَلَّ / يَفْعَلُّ

  Colours and bodily states. Rare in the Quran — almost always faces turning.

  • تَسْوَدُّس و دFaces become black3:106
  • تَبْيَضُّب ي ضFaces become white3:107

• Form X

  اسْتَفْعَلَ / يَسْتَفْعِلُ

  To seek the root, or to consider it so. غَفَرَ he forgave → اسْتَغْفَرَ he asked forgiveness.

  • اسْتَغْفِرْغ ف رAsk forgiveness47:19
  • اسْتَكْبَرَك ب رHe was arrogant2:34
  • اسْتَوَىٰس و يHe rose over20:5

Noun patterns you will keep meeting

• فَاعِل

  Doer of the root (ism fail).

  مَالِك

  owner

• مَفْعُول

  The one acted upon (ism maful).

  مَغْضُوب

  those angered upon

• فَعِيل

  A lasting quality (sifa mushabbaha).

  رَحِيم

  constantly merciful

• فَعُول

  Intensive — does this again and again.

  غَفُور

  oft-forgiving

• فَعْلَان

  The quality in fullness.

  رَحْمَٰن

  All-Merciful

• مَفْعَل

  Place or time of the root (ism makan / zaman).

  مَسْجِد

  place of sujud

• فِعَال / فِعَالَة

  Verbal noun — the act itself.

  عِبَادَة

  worship

• تَفْعِيل

  Verbal noun of form II.

  تَنزِيل

  sending down

Roots the Book leans on

• ر ح م

  mercy

  • الرَّحْمَٰن

    the All-Merciful

    فَعْلَان

  • الرَّحِيم

    the Especially Merciful

    فَعِيل

  • رَحْمَة

    mercy

    فَعْلَة

• ع ل م

  knowing

  • عَلِمَ

    he knew

    فَعِلَ · I

  • عَلَّمَ

    he taught

    فَعَّلَ · II

  • عَالَم

    world / all that is known

    فَاعَل

• ع ب د

  worship / service

  • نَعْبُدُ

    we worship

    فَعَلَ · I

  • عِبَاد

    servants

    فِعَال

  • عِبَادَة

    worship

    فِعَالَة

• ق و م

  stand / establish

  • مُسْتَقِيم

    straight

    مُسْتَفْعِل · X

  • أَقِيمُوا

    establish

    أَفْعَلَ · IV

  • قِيَامَة

    the Rising

    فِعَالَة

• غ ف ر

  cover / forgive

  • غَفُور

    oft-forgiving

    فَعُول

  • اسْتَغْفِرْ

    ask forgiveness

    اسْتَفْعَلَ · X

  • مَغْفِرَة

    forgiveness

    مَفْعِلَة

• أ م ن

  safety / faith

  • آمَنَ

    he believed

    أَفْعَلَ · IV

  • مُؤْمِن

    a believer

    مُفْعِل

  • إِيمَان

    faith

    إِفْعَال

• و ح د

  oneness

  • وَاحِد

    one

    فَاعِل

  • أَحَد

    one (unique)

    فَعَل

  • تَوْحِيد

    declaring oneness

    تَفْعِيل · II

• س ج د

  bow to the ground

  • اسْجُدُوا

    prostrate

    فَعَلَ · I

  • مَسْجِد

    place of sujud

    مَفْعِل

  • سُجُود

    prostration

    فُعُول