Elementary Arabic Morphology 2

The Division of Verbs

  1. What is a verb?

  2. How many different kinds of verbs are there in relation to the number of root letters?

  3. How many kinds of triliteral verbs are there in relation to root letters?

  4. What is a sound verb?

  5. What is a perfect verb?

  6. What is an unsound verb?

  7. How many weak letters are there?

  8. What are double-letter verbs?

  9. A verb is a word that indicates a state or event that occurred in the past, occurs in the present, or will occur in the future. For example**:** حَسُنَ(he was good) - in the past and یأخُذُ(he takes) - in the present or future.

  10. There are two kinds of verbs in relation to root letters:

• Triliteral: a verb made up of three root letters, for example نَصَرَ (he helped)

• Quadriliteral: a verb made up of four root letters, for example دَحرَجَ (he rolled)

  1. There are two types of triliteral verbs in relation to root letters: sound and unsound.

  2. A sound verb is a verb that does not have any weak letters in its root. There are three kinds of sound verbs: a verb with a glottal stop in its root and a double-letter verb. For example: فَرَّ (he ran away).

  3. A perfect verb is a sound verb that does not have a glottal stop or double-letter in its root. For example: شَکَرَ (he thanked).

  4. An unsound verb is a verb that has a weak letter in its root. For example: رَمَیَ (he threw).

  5. There are three weak letters: alif, wāw and yā'.

  6. A double-letter verb is a verb that has two identical letters in its root. For example: زَلزَلَ (it quaked).