All Arabic verbs have a root of 3 or 4 letters. To make different verbs, suffixes and prefixes are added or certain letters are dropped.ย 

The verb โ€˜ูุนู„โ€™ (to do)ย  is commonly a template to demonstrate how verbs change so not all the forms demonstrated have a meaning. Using the same verb across the different verb forms makes it easy to understand what has been added to the root, or what is missing from the root.

 

 

 

 

ู…ูุฌุฑู‘ุฏ ุซูู„ุงุซููŠู‘
Tripartite Bare [Verb]

No extra letter has been added to the 3 root letters
ู ุน ู„

Form I

ููŽุนูŽู„ูŽุŒ ูŠูู’ุนูู„ู
ููŽุนูŽู„ูŽุŒ ูŠูู’ุนูู„ู
ููŽุนูŽู„ูŽุŒ ูŠูู’ุนูŽู„ู
ููŽุนูู„ูŽุŒ ูŠูู’ุนูู„ู
ููŽุนูู„ูŽุŒ ูŠูู’ุนูŽู„ู
ููŽุนูู„ูŽุŒ ูŠูู’ุนูู„ู

 

ู…ุฒูŠุฏ ุซูู„ุงุซููŠู‘
Tripartite Affixed [Verb]

A letter or letters have been added to the 3 root letters
ู ุน ู„

Forms II-XI

 

ู…ูุฌุฑู‘ุฏ ุฑูุจุงุนูŠู‘
Quadripartite Bare [Verb]

No extra letter has been added to the 4 root letters.
ู ุน ู„ ู„

ู…ุฒูŠุฏ ุฑูุจุงุนููŠู‘
Quadripartite Affixed [Verb]

A letter or letters have been added to the 3 root letters
ู ุน ู„ ู„

Forms II-IX