Lesson 152: Hamzated Verbs

In lesson 107 you met the eight classes of the verb. Three of them are named after the hamza: فِعْلٌ فَاؤُهُ مَهْمُوزَةٌ a verb whose first radical is hamza, such as أَكَلَ and أَخَذَ; فِعْلٌ عَيْنُهُ مَهْمُوزَةٌ whose second radical is hamza, such as سَأَلَ; and فِعْلٌ لَامُهُ مَهْمُوزَةٌ whose third radical is hamza, such as قَرَأَ and بَدَأَ. Unlike و and ي, the hamza never turns into a long vowel inside the paradigm and never drops out, so قَرَأْتُ I read is built exactly like كَتَبْتُ, and يَسْأَلُ exactly like يَفْتَحُ. What you must learn is how to write the hamza in each position, and three small irregularities that spelling and pronunciation have produced over the centuries. The full conjugations stand in Tables 41–70 of the paradigm appendix; the tables in this lesson give you everything you need to read and use them.

Rule 1: 1. The hamza is a strong radical

Conjugate a hamzated verb as if the hamza were any other consonant. أَكَلَ is فَعَلَ, so its perfect runs أَكَلَ، أَكَلَتْ، أَكَلْتَ، أَكَلْتُ like كَتَبَ; its imperfect is يَأْكُلُ with the vowel u, and its jussive يَأْكُلْ. سَأَلَ and قَرَأَ have a guttural, the hamza itself, as second or third radical, and therefore take fatḥa in the imperfect: يَسْأَلُ، يَقْرَأُ, like يَفْتَحُ. The active participle is فَاعِلٌ: سَائِلٌ, قَارِئٌ; the passive participle مَفْعُولٌ: مَسْؤُولٌ, مَقْرُوءٌ; the passive perfect فُعِلَ: سُئِلَ, قُرِئَ. Look at these examples and notice that only the shape of the hamza changes from word to word.

أَكَلَ الضُّيُوفُ الطَّعَامَ وَشَرِبُوا الْعَصِيرَ.
akala ḍ-ḍuyūfu ṭ-ṭaʿāma wa-sharibu l-ʿaṣīra
The guests ate the food and drank the juice.
أَكَلَ is conjugated like كَتَبَ.
سَأَلْتُ الطَّبَّاخَ عَنِ الْمِلْحِ فَأَجَابَ.
saʾaltu ṭ-ṭabbākha ʿani l-milḥi fa-ajāba
I asked the cook about the salt and he answered.
سَأَلْتُ like فَتَحْتُ: the hamza keeps its place and takes sukūn.
قَرَأَتِ الْبِنْتُ قَائِمَةَ الطَّعَامِ ثُمَّ بَدَأَتْ تَأْكُلُ.
qaraʾati l-bintu qāʾimata ṭ-ṭaʿāmi thumma badaʾat taʾkulu
The girl read the menu and then began to eat.
قَرَأَتْ، بَدَأَتْ: third-radical hamza with the feminine ending.
سُئِلَ الرَّجُلُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْ، فَقُرِئَ السُّؤَالُ مَرَّةً ثَانِيَةً.
suʾila r-rajulu fa-lam yujib, fa-quriʾa s-suʾālu marratan thāniyatan
The man was asked and did not answer, so the question was read a second time.
Passive فُعِلَ: سُئِلَ، قُرِئَ. The hamza sits on ي because of the kasra.
اَلْكَأْسُ مَمْلُوءَةٌ وَالْمَائِدَةُ مَمْدُودَةٌ.
al-kaʾsu mamlūʾatun wa-l-māʾidatu mamdūdatun
The glass is full and the table is laid.
Passive participle مَمْلُوءٌ: the hamza after the long ū is written on the line.

Rule 2: 2. The seat of the hamza

The hamza is written on a seat, كُرْسِيٌّ, which is one of the letters alif, و or ي without their own sound, or on no seat at all, on the line. At the beginning of a word the seat is always alif: أَكَلَ، أُكِلَ، إِيمَانٌ. In the middle of a word, compare the hamza's own vowel with the vowel before it and choose the seat of the stronger vowel, in the order kasra (ي) > ḍamma (و) > fatḥa (alif) > sukūn (nothing): سُئِلَ (i beats u), يُؤْمِنُ (u beats sukūn), يَأْكُلُ (a beats sukūn), سَأَلَ (a and a: alif), مَسْؤُولٌ (u beats sukūn), رَئِيسٌ (i beats a). After a long ā a hamza with fatḥa sits on the line, قِرَاءَةٌ، سَاءَلَ, but with kasra it still takes ي, سَائِلٌ، مَائِدَةٌ. At the end of a word the hamza looks only at the vowel before it: fatḥa gives alif, قَرَأَ، يَبْدَأُ; kasra gives ي, قُرِئَ، قَارِئٌ; ḍamma gives و, يَجْرُؤُ; sukūn or a long vowel gives no seat, جُزْءٌ، شَيْءٌ، مَاءٌ، مَمْلُوءٌ. When a suffix follows a final hamza, the hamza has become medial and follows the medial rule: قَرَأْتُ، قَرَؤُوا، تَقْرَئِينَ.

يَأْكُلُ الْوَلَدُ وَيَسْأَلُ وَيَقْرَأُ فِي وَقْتٍ وَاحِدٍ.
yaʾkulu l-waladu wa-yasʾalu wa-yaqraʾu fī waqtin wāḥidin
The boy eats, asks and reads all at the same time.
Three hamzas, all on alif: sukūn + a, sukūn + a, final after fatḥa.
اَلْمُؤْمِنُ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهِ.
al-muʾminu yuʾminu bi-llāhi wa-rusulihi
The believer believes in God and His messengers.
Ḍamma before a vowelless hamza: seat و.
سُئِلَ الرَّئِيسُ عَنْ مَسَائِلَ كَثِيرَةٍ.
suʾila r-raʾīsu ʿan masāʾila kathīratin
The president was asked about many questions.
Kasra wins every time: سُئِلَ، رَئِيسٌ، مَسَائِلُ.
قَرَؤُوا الرِّسَالَةَ وَلَمْ تَقْرَئِيهَا أَنْتِ.
qaraʾu r-risālata wa-lam taqraʾīhā anti
They read the letter, but you (f.) did not read it.
قَرَؤُوا: a + u gives و (also written قَرَءُوا); تَقْرَئِي: a + i gives ي.
فِي الْكَأْسِ مَاءٌ وَفِي الْبِئْرِ مَاءٌ كَثِيرٌ.
fi l-kaʾsi māʾun wa-fi l-biʾri māʾun kathīrun
In the glass there is water, and in the well a great deal of water.
كَأْس: a + sukūn, alif. بِئْر: i + sukūn, ي. مَاء: after ā, on the line.

The seat of the hamza

Kasra is the strongest vowel and takes ي; ḍamma takes و; fatḥa takes alif; sukūn has no seat of its own. A final hamza looks only at the vowel before it.
Position	Vowels	Seat	Examples
Initial	any vowel	alif	أَكَلَ، أُكِلَ، إِيمَانٌakala, ukila, īmānun
Medial	a kasra before or on the hamza	ي	سُئِلَ، رَئِيسٌ، بِئْرٌ، أَسْئِلَةٌsuʾila, raʾīsun, biʾrun, asʾilatun
Medial	a ḍamma before or on the hamza, no kasra	و	يُؤْمِنُ، مُؤَلِّفٌ، مَسْؤُولٌ، تَسَاؤُلٌyuʾminu, muʾallifun, masʾūlun, tasāʾulun
Medial	only fatḥa and sukūn	alif	سَأَلَ، يَأْكُلُ، رَأْسٌ، قَرَأْتُsaʾala, yaʾkulu, raʾsun, qaraʾtu
Medial	fatḥa on the hamza after long ā	on the line	قِرَاءَةٌ، سَاءَلَ، تَسَاءَلَqirāʾatun, sāʾala, tasāʾala
Medial	a + ā (two alifs)	madda آ	آكُلُ، آمَنَ، قَرَآ، مَآدِبُākulu, āmana, qaraʾā, maʾādibu
Final	after fatḥa	alif	قَرَأَ، بَدَأَ، يَمْلَأُ، مُبْتَدَأٌqaraʾa, badaʾa, yamlaʾu, mubtadaʾun
Final	after kasra	ي	قُرِئَ، قَارِئٌ، شَاطِئٌquriʾa, qāriʾun, shāṭiʾun
Final	after ḍamma	و	يَجْرُؤُ، تَبَاطُؤٌ، لُؤْلُؤٌyajruʾu, tabāṭuʾun, luʾluʾun
Final	after sukūn or a long vowel	on the line	جُزْءٌ، شَيْءٌ، مَاءٌ، مَمْلُوءٌ، بَرِيءٌjuzʾun, shayʾun, māʾun, mamlūʾun, barīʾun

Rule 3: 3. First-radical hamza: أَأْ becomes آ, and the imperative

Two rules concern verbs like أَكَلَ. (a) Wherever the paradigm would produce a hamza with fatḥa followed by a vowelless hamza, أَأْ, the two fuse into the long آ. This happens in the first person singular of the imperfect, آكُلُ I eat for أَأْكُلُ, آخُذُ, آمُرُ, in the active participle, آكِلٌ for أَاكِلٌ, in the perfect of Form IV, آمَنَ he believed for أَأْمَنَ, and in the dual of a third-radical hamza, قَرَآ they two read. In the imperfect of Form IV, يُؤْمِنُ, and the passive, أُومِنَ, the hamza simply follows the vowel before it. (b) The regular imperative would begin with hamzat al-waṣl followed by a vowelless hamza; the second hamza is softened into a long vowel of the same colour as the first: إِيذَنْ permit! for اِئْذَنْ, أُومُلْ hope!. Three very common verbs go further and drop the first radical altogether: كُلْ eat! from أَكَلَ, خُذْ take! from أَخَذَ, مُرْ order! from أَمَرَ. After وَ or فَ the full form of مُرْ is often preferred: وَأْمُرْ.

آكُلُ الْفُطُورَ فِي السَّابِعَةِ وَآخُذُ مَعِي كَأْسَ عَصِيرٍ.
ākulu l-fuṭūra fi s-sābiʿati wa-ākhudhu maʿī kaʾsa ʿaṣīrin
I eat breakfast at seven and take a glass of juice with me.
آكُلُ، آخُذُ for أَأْكُلُ، أَأْخُذُ.
آمَنَ الرَّجُلُ وَصَارَ مُؤْمِنًا صَادِقَ الْإِيمَانِ.
āmana r-rajulu wa-ṣāra muʾminan ṣādiqa l-īmāni
The man believed and became a believer of sincere faith.
Form IV: آمَنَ، يُؤْمِنُ، مُؤْمِنٌ، إِيمَانٌ. In the verbal noun إِأْمَان became إِيمَان.
كُلْ يَا بُنَيَّ وَخُذْ هٰذِهِ التُّفَّاحَةَ أَيْضًا.
kul yā bunayya wa-khudh hādhihi t-tuffāḥata ayḍan
Eat, my son, and take this apple too.
Shortened imperatives كُلْ، خُذْ.
مُرِ الْخَادِمَ أَنْ يَمْلَأَ الْكُؤُوسَ.
muri l-khādima an yamlaʾa l-kuʾūsa
Order the servant to fill the glasses.
مُرْ takes a kasra before the article, like any vowelless ending.
إِيذَنْ لِي بِالْخُرُوجِ يَا أَبِي.
īdhan lī bi-l-khurūji yā abī
Give me leave to go out, father.
Imperative of أَذِنَ، يَأْذَنُ: the second hamza became ī.
لَا تَأْكُلُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَغْسِلُوا أَيْدِيَكُمْ.
lā taʾkulū qabla an taghsilū aydiyakum
Do not eat before you wash your hands.
The prohibition is regular: لَا + jussive.

The shortened imperatives

Five persons of each. After وَ or فَ one may say وَأْمُرْ for وَمُرْ; كُلْ and خُذْ keep their short shape everywhere.
Person	أَمَرَ to order	أَكَلَ to eat	أَخَذَ to take
you (m.)	مُرْmur	كُلْkul	خُذْkhudh
you (f.)	مُرِيmurī	كُلِيkulī	خُذِيkhudhī
you two	مُرَاmurā	كُلَاkulā	خُذَاkhudhā
you (m. pl.)	مُرُواmurū	كُلُواkulū	خُذُواkhudhū
you (f. pl.)	مُرْنَmurna	كُلْنَkulna	خُذْنَkhudhna

Rule 4: 4. Second-radical hamza: سَأَلَ

A hamza in the middle of the root gives the fewest surprises. سَأَلَ، يَسْأَلُ to ask is the model: perfect سَأَلْتُ, jussive يَسْأَلْ, imperative اِسْأَلْ, with the by-form سَلْ that drops the hamza (سَلِي، سَلُوا); passive سُئِلَ، يُسْأَلُ; participles سَائِلٌ asker, beggar and مَسْؤُولٌ asked; responsible; verbal noun سُؤَالٌ, plural أَسْئِلَةٌ. Other verbs of the class are رَأَسَ to preside, to head, زَأَرَ to roar, بَؤُسَ to be brave. The derived forms are regular: Form III سَاءَلَ to question, Form VI تَسَاءَلَ to ask oneself, wonder, verbal noun تَسَاؤُلٌ; Form V تَرَأَّسَ to preside over. Note the seats: سَاءَلَ on the line after ā, تَسَاؤُلٌ on و because of the ḍamma, أَسْئِلَةٌ on ي because of the kasra.

سَأَلَ الضَّيْفُ عَنْ مَوْعِدِ الْعَشَاءِ.
saʾala ḍ-ḍayfu ʿan mawʿidi l-ʿashāʾi
The guest asked about the time of dinner.
اِسْأَلْ أُمَّكَ، أَوْ سَلْ أَبَاكَ.
isʾal ummaka, aw sal abāka
Ask your mother, or ask your father.
Both imperatives are correct; سَلْ is the lighter form.
سُئِلْتُ أَسْئِلَةً كَثِيرَةً فَأَجَبْتُ عَنْ بَعْضِهَا.
suʾiltu asʾilatan kathīratan fa-ajabtu ʿan baʿḍihā
I was asked many questions and answered some of them.
مَنِ الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنِ الْمَطْبَخِ فِي هٰذَا الْفُنْدُقِ؟
mani l-masʾūlu ʿani l-maṭbakhi fī hādha l-funduqi
Who is responsible for the kitchen in this hotel?
مَسْؤُولٌ, the passive participle, has become the ordinary word for 'official, person in charge'.
تَسَاءَلَ الطَّبَّاخُ: لِمَاذَا لَمْ يَأْكُلُوا شَيْئًا؟
tasāʾala ṭ-ṭabbākhu: li-mādhā lam yaʾkulū shayʾan
The cook wondered: why did they not eat anything?
Form VI تَسَاءَلَ، يَتَسَاءَلُ، تَسَاؤُلٌ.

Rule 5: 5. Third-radical hamza: قَرَأَ، بَدَأَ، مَلَأَ

With the hamza at the end of the root, every ending changes the seat, so the conjugation is a running exercise in rule 2. Perfect: قَرَأَ، قَرَأَتْ، قَرَأْتَ، قَرَأْتُ، قَرَآ، قَرَأْنَا، قَرَؤُوا، قَرَأْنَ. Imperfect: يَقْرَأُ، تَقْرَئِينَ، يَقْرَآنِ، يَقْرَؤُونَ، يَقْرَأْنَ, jussive يَقْرَأْ, imperative اِقْرَأْ، اِقْرَئِي، اِقْرَؤُوا. Passive قُرِئَ، يُقْرَأُ; participles قَارِئٌ and مَقْرُوءٌ; verbal noun قِرَاءَةٌ. بَدَأَ to begin and مَلَأَ to fill go the same way. Verbs of the type فَعِلَ and فَعُلَ exist too: خَطِئَ، يَخْطَأُ to err, جَرُؤَ، يَجْرُؤُ to dare. In the derived forms the hamza stays and takes its seat from the vowel before it: هَنَّأَ، يُهَنِّئُ to congratulate, فَاجَأَ، يُفَاجِئُ to surprise, أَنْشَأَ، يُنْشِئُ to found, establish, اِبْتَدَأَ، يَبْتَدِئُ to begin, اِمْتَلَأَ، يَمْتَلِئُ to become full, اِسْتَهْزَأَ، يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِـ to mock.

قَرَأْتُ قَائِمَةَ الطَّعَامِ وَقَرَأَتْهَا زَوْجَتِي أَيْضًا.
qaraʾtu qāʾimata ṭ-ṭaʿāmi wa-qaraʾathā zawjatī ayḍan
I read the menu and my wife read it too.
اَلضُّيُوفُ يَقْرَؤُونَ وَأَنْتِ تَقْرَئِينَ وَهُمَا يَقْرَآنِ.
aḍ-ḍuyūfu yaqraʾūna wa-anti taqraʾīna wa-humā yaqraʾāni
The guests read, you (f.) read, and the two of them read.
Three seats in one sentence: و after a before ū, ي before ī, madda in the dual.
اِمْلَأْ كَأْسِي مِنْ فَضْلِكَ، فَأَنَا ظَمْآنُ.
imlaʾ kaʾsī min faḍlika, fa-anā ẓamʾānu
Fill my glass, please, for I am thirsty.
Imperative اِمْلَأْ; ظَمْآنُ is a diptote adjective.
بَدَأَتِ الْمَأْدُبَةُ وَامْتَلَأَتِ الْقَاعَةُ بِالضُّيُوفِ.
badaʾati l-maʾdubatu wa-mtalaʾati l-qāʿatu bi-ḍ-ḍuyūfi
The banquet began and the hall filled with guests.
Form VIII اِمْتَلَأَ، يَمْتَلِئُ، اِمْتِلَاءٌ.
هَنَّأْنَا الطَّبَّاخَ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ الشَّهِيِّ.
hannaʾna ṭ-ṭabbākha ʿala ṭ-ṭaʿāmi sh-shahiyyi
We congratulated the cook on the delicious food.
Form II هَنَّأَ، يُهَنِّئُ.
أَنْشَأَتِ الْبَلَدِيَّةُ مَطْعَمًا لِلْفُقَرَاءِ.
anshaʾati l-baladiyyatu maṭʿaman li-l-fuqarāʾi
The municipality established a restaurant for the poor.
Form IV أَنْشَأَ، يُنْشِئُ، إِنْشَاءٌ: the verbal noun ends in -āʾ like إِلْقَاءٌ.

Principal parts of the common hamzated verbs

Perfect, imperfect, imperative, verbal noun, active and passive participle. Compare each shape with the seat rules of rule 2.
Verb	Perfect	Imperfect	Imperative	Verbal noun	Act. participle	Pass. participle
to eat	أَكَلَ	يَأْكُلُ	كُلْ	أَكْلٌ	آكِلٌ	مَأْكُولٌ
to take	أَخَذَ	يَأْخُذُ	خُذْ	أَخْذٌ	آخِذٌ	مَأْخُوذٌ
to order	أَمَرَ	يَأْمُرُ	مُرْ	أَمْرٌ	آمِرٌ	مَأْمُورٌ
to permit	أَذِنَ	يَأْذَنُ	إِيذَنْ	إِذْنٌ	آذِنٌ	مَأْذُونٌ
to ask	سَأَلَ	يَسْأَلُ	اِسْأَلْ / سَلْ	سُؤَالٌ	سَائِلٌ	مَسْؤُولٌ
to preside	رَأَسَ	يَرْأَسُ	اِرْأَسْ	رِئَاسَةٌ	رَائِسٌ	مَرْؤُوسٌ
to read	قَرَأَ	يَقْرَأُ	اِقْرَأْ	قِرَاءَةٌ	قَارِئٌ	مَقْرُوءٌ
to begin	بَدَأَ	يَبْدَأُ	اِبْدَأْ	بَدْءٌ	بَادِئٌ	مَبْدُوءٌ
to fill	مَلَأَ	يَمْلَأُ	اِمْلَأْ	مَلْءٌ	مَالِئٌ	مَمْلُوءٌ
to err	خَطِئَ	يَخْطَأُ	اِخْطَأْ	خَطَأٌ	خَاطِئٌ	مَخْطُوءٌ (rare)
to dare	جَرُؤَ	يَجْرُؤُ	اُجْرُؤْ	جُرْأَةٌ	جَرِيءٌ	مَجْرُوءٌ عَلَيْهِ (rare)

Rule 6: 6. Derived forms: اِتَّخَذَ، اِسْتَأْذَنَ, and the verbal noun تَفْعِلَة

Form VIII of أَخَذَ. Just as وَصَلَ gives اِتَّصَلَ, the hamza of أَخَذَ is assimilated to the ت of Form VIII: اِتَّخَذَ، يَتَّخِذُ، اِتَّخِذْ، اِتِّخَاذٌ، مُتَّخِذٌ to take for oneself, adopt (a friend, a decision, a seat). Other first-hamza verbs keep the hamza in Form VIII, اِئْتَمَرَ، يَأْتَمِرُ to take counsel, but اِتَّخَذَ is by far the most frequent. Form X is regular: اِسْتَأْذَنَ، يَسْتَأْذِنُ، اِسْتَأْذِنْ، اِسْتِئْذَانٌ to ask permission, with the hamza on alif after fatḥa and on ي after kasra. The verbal noun of Form II. When the third radical is a hamza, Form II takes the verbal noun تَفْعِلَةٌ instead of تَفْعِيلٌ, exactly as the defective verbs do (تَسْمِيَةٌ, lesson 144): هَنَّأَ gives تَهْنِئَةٌ congratulation, جَزَّأَ gives تَجْزِئَةٌ division into parts, دَفَّأَ gives تَدْفِئَةٌ heating. The hamza stands on ي because of the kasra before it.

اِتَّخَذَ أَخِي الطَّبَّاخَ صَدِيقًا لَهُ.
ittakhadha akhi ṭ-ṭabbākha ṣadīqan lahu
My brother took the cook as a friend.
اِتَّخَذَ takes two objects, like جَعَلَ.
تَتَّخِذُ الْحُكُومَةُ قَرَارًا جَدِيدًا كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ.
tattakhidhu l-ḥukūmatu qarāran jadīdan kulla usbūʿin
The government takes a new decision every week.
اِسْتَأْذَنَ الضَّيْفُ فِي الِانْصِرَافِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ صَاحِبُ الْبَيْتِ.
istaʾdhana ḍ-ḍayfu fi l-inṣirāfi fa-adhina lahu ṣāḥibu l-bayti
The guest asked leave to depart, and the host gave him leave.
اِسْتَأْذَنَ فِي; أَذِنَ لِـ ... بِـ.
أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ تَهْنِئَةً بِمُنَاسَبَةِ الْعِيدِ.
arsalnā ilayhim tahniʾatan bi-munāsabati l-ʿīdi
We sent them congratulations on the occasion of the feast.
تَهْنِئَةٌ, not تَهْنِيءٌ.
تَدْفِئَةُ الْبَيْتِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ غَالِيَةٌ.
tadfiʾatu l-bayti fi sh-shitāʾi ghāliyatun
Heating the house in winter is expensive.

Derived forms with a hamza

Perfect, imperfect, imperative, verbal noun, active participle. Each hamza follows rule 2; where two hamzas would meet they fuse into آ.
Form	Perfect	Imperfect	Imperative	Verbal noun	Participle	Meaning
IV, first radical	آمَنَ	يُؤْمِنُ	آمِنْ	إِيمَانٌ	مُؤْمِنٌ	to believe (بِـ)
VIII, first radical	اِتَّخَذَ	يَتَّخِذُ	اِتَّخِذْ	اِتِّخَاذٌ	مُتَّخِذٌ	to take for oneself, adopt
X, first radical	اِسْتَأْذَنَ	يَسْتَأْذِنُ	اِسْتَأْذِنْ	اِسْتِئْذَانٌ	مُسْتَأْذِنٌ	to ask permission
III, second radical	سَاءَلَ	يُسَائِلُ	سَائِلْ	مُسَاءَلَةٌ	مُسَائِلٌ	to question, call to account
VI, second radical	تَسَاءَلَ	يَتَسَاءَلُ	تَسَاءَلْ	تَسَاؤُلٌ	مُتَسَائِلٌ	to wonder, ask oneself
II, third radical	هَنَّأَ	يُهَنِّئُ	هَنِّئْ	تَهْنِئَةٌ	مُهَنِّئٌ	to congratulate
III, third radical	فَاجَأَ	يُفَاجِئُ	فَاجِئْ	مُفَاجَأَةٌ	مُفَاجِئٌ	to surprise
IV, third radical	أَنْشَأَ	يُنْشِئُ	أَنْشِئْ	إِنْشَاءٌ	مُنْشِئٌ	to found, establish
V, third radical	تَوَضَّأَ	يَتَوَضَّأُ	تَوَضَّأْ	تَوَضُّؤٌ	مُتَوَضِّئٌ	to perform ablution
VIII, third radical	اِبْتَدَأَ	يَبْتَدِئُ	اِبْتَدِئْ	اِبْتِدَاءٌ	مُبْتَدِئٌ	to begin
VIII, third radical	اِمْتَلَأَ	يَمْتَلِئُ	اِمْتَلِئْ	اِمْتِلَاءٌ	مُمْتَلِئٌ	to become full
X, third radical	اِسْتَهْزَأَ	يَسْتَهْزِئُ	اِسْتَهْزِئْ	اِسْتِهْزَاءٌ	مُسْتَهْزِئٌ	to mock (بِـ)

Person	Singular			Plural
	Arabic	Transliteration	English	Arabic	Transliteration	English
he (perfect)	أَكَلَ	akala	he ate	أَكَلُوا	akalū	they (m.) ate
she (perfect)	أَكَلَتْ	akalat	she ate	أَكَلْنَ	akalna	they (f.) ate
you m. (perfect)	أَكَلْتَ	akalta	you (m.) ate	أَكَلْتُمْ	akaltum	you (m. pl.) ate
you f. (perfect)	أَكَلْتِ	akalti	you (f.) ate	أَكَلْتُنَّ	akaltunna	you (f. pl.) ate
I (perfect)	أَكَلْتُ	akaltu	I ate	أَكَلْنَا	akalnā	we ate
he (imperfect)	يَأْكُلُ	yaʾkulu	he eats	يَأْكُلُونَ	yaʾkulūna	they (m.) eat
she (imperfect)	تَأْكُلُ	taʾkulu	she eats	يَأْكُلْنَ	yaʾkulna	they (f.) eat
you m. (imperfect)	تَأْكُلُ	taʾkulu	you (m.) eat	تَأْكُلُونَ	taʾkulūna	you (m. pl.) eat
you f. (imperfect)	تَأْكُلِينَ	taʾkulīna	you (f.) eat	تَأْكُلْنَ	taʾkulna	you (f. pl.) eat
I (imperfect)	آكُلُ	ākulu	I eat	نَأْكُلُ	naʾkulu	we eat
he (perfect)	سَأَلَ	saʾala	he asked	سَأَلُوا	saʾalū	they (m.) asked
she (perfect)	سَأَلَتْ	saʾalat	she asked	سَأَلْنَ	saʾalna	they (f.) asked
you m. (perfect)	سَأَلْتَ	saʾalta	you (m.) asked	سَأَلْتُمْ	saʾaltum	you (m. pl.) asked
you f. (perfect)	سَأَلْتِ	saʾalti	you (f.) asked	سَأَلْتُنَّ	saʾaltunna	you (f. pl.) asked
I (perfect)	سَأَلْتُ	saʾaltu	I asked	سَأَلْنَا	saʾalnā	we asked
he (imperfect)	يَسْأَلُ	yasʾalu	he asks	يَسْأَلُونَ	yasʾalūna	they (m.) ask
she (imperfect)	تَسْأَلُ	tasʾalu	she asks	يَسْأَلْنَ	yasʾalna	they (f.) ask
you m. (imperfect)	تَسْأَلُ	tasʾalu	you (m.) ask	تَسْأَلُونَ	tasʾalūna	you (m. pl.) ask
you f. (imperfect)	تَسْأَلِينَ	tasʾalīna	you (f.) ask	تَسْأَلْنَ	tasʾalna	you (f. pl.) ask
I (imperfect)	أَسْأَلُ	asʾalu	I ask	نَسْأَلُ	nasʾalu	we ask
he (perfect)	قَرَأَ	qaraʾa	he read	قَرَؤُوا	qaraʾū	they (m.) read
she (perfect)	قَرَأَتْ	qaraʾat	she read	قَرَأْنَ	qaraʾna	they (f.) read
you m. (perfect)	قَرَأْتَ	qaraʾta	you (m.) read	قَرَأْتُمْ	qaraʾtum	you (m. pl.) read
you f. (perfect)	قَرَأْتِ	qaraʾti	you (f.) read	قَرَأْتُنَّ	qaraʾtunna	you (f. pl.) read
I (perfect)	قَرَأْتُ	qaraʾtu	I read	قَرَأْنَا	qaraʾnā	we read
he (imperfect)	يَقْرَأُ	yaqraʾu	he reads	يَقْرَؤُونَ	yaqraʾūna	they (m.) read
she (imperfect)	تَقْرَأُ	taqraʾu	she reads	يَقْرَأْنَ	yaqraʾna	they (f.) read
you m. (imperfect)	تَقْرَأُ	taqraʾu	you (m.) read	تَقْرَؤُونَ	taqraʾūna	you (m. pl.) read
you f. (imperfect)	تَقْرَئِينَ	taqraʾīna	you (f.) read	تَقْرَأْنَ	taqraʾna	you (f. pl.) read
I (imperfect)	أَقْرَأُ	aqraʾu	I read	نَقْرَأُ	naqraʾu	we read

Hamzated Verbs

Step 1 of 5: Learn

Rule 1: 1. The hamza is a strong radical

Rule 2: 2. The seat of the hamza

The seat of the hamza

Rule 3: 3. First-radical hamza: أَأْ becomes آ, and the imperative

The shortened imperatives

Rule 4: 4. Second-radical hamza: سَأَلَ

Rule 5: 5. Third-radical hamza: قَرَأَ، بَدَأَ، مَلَأَ

Principal parts of the common hamzated verbs

Rule 6: 6. Derived forms: اِتَّخَذَ، اِسْتَأْذَنَ, and the verbal noun تَفْعِلَة

Derived forms with a hamza

Conjugations: "To Have"

Vocabulary

Step 2 of 5: Read

A banquet at the neighbours' house

Notes

Comprehension

In the Quran

Step 3 of 5: Practice

Exercises

Step 4 of 5: Quiz

Translate from Arabic to English

Translate from English to Arabic

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

How many questions would you like?

Step 5 of 5: Finish