Elementary Arabic Morphology 2

Triliteral Verbs with Increase letters

  1. What is a singular triliteral verb?

  2. What is a triliteral verb with increase letters?

  3. How many forms does a triliteral verb with one increase letter have?

  4. How many forms does a triliteral verb with two increase letters have?

  5. How many forms does a triliteral verb with three increase letters have?

  6. How many forms of triliteral verbs with increase letters are there?

  7. Are all the forms of triliteral verbs with increase letters applied to all triliteral verbs?

  8. A singular triliteral verb is a triliteral verb that only has its root letters, without any increase letters. For example عَرَفَ(he knew).

  9. A triliteral verb with increase letters is a triliteral verb that has added letters to its root:

• Either one added letter: for example: أکرَمَ(he honored).

• Or two added letters: for example: اِنطَلَقَ(he was set free).

• Or three added letters: for example: اِستَغفَرَ (he asked for forgiveness).

  1. There are three forms of triliteral verbs that have one increase letter:

• فَعَّلَ This is form II[^1]. Here the second root letter is doubled. For example: خَبَرَ (he notified)

• فاعَلَ This is form III. Here an alif is added to the root. For example: خابَرَ (he negotiated)

• أفعَلََ This is form IV. Here a glottal stop is added to the beginning of the root. For example: أخبَرَ(he notified)

  1. There are five forms of triliteral verbs that have two increase letters:

• تَفَعَّلَ This is form V. Here a tā' is added and the second root letter is doubled. For example: تَقَبَّلَ (he accepted)

• تَفاعَلَ This is form VI. Here a tā' and an alif are added. For example تَقابَلَ (he met)

• اِنفَعَلَ This is form VII. Here a glottal stop and a nūn are added. For example: اِنقَبَلَ (it was accepted)

• اِفتَعَلَ This is form VIII. Here a glottal stop and a tā' are added. For example: اِقتَبَلَ (he received)

• اِفعَلَّ This is form IX. Here a glottal stop is added and the last root letter is doubled. For example: اِحمَرَّ (he become red)

  1. There are two forms of triliteral verbs that have two increase letters:

• اِستَفعَلَ This is form X. Here a glottal stop, sīn and tā' are added. For example: اِستَغفَرَ (he asked for forgiveness)

• اِفعَوعَلَ This is form XII[^2]. Here a glottal stop and a wāw are added along with another second root letter. For example: اِحدَودَبَ (It was bent outward)

  1. There are ten forms of triliteral verbs with increase letters.[^3]

  2. No, in order to know which forms are applied to which verbs one must refer to dictionaries. For example form IV and XII are not applied to the verb فَتَحَ

[^1]: The number of the forms is according to the Hans Wehr dictionary. They can be found on page 13 of the introduction of the compact version of the internationally recognized fourth edition.

[^2]: Form XI is not mentioned in this book

[^3]: Mentioned in this book, for there are more than that.