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Verb patterns: roots and forms II to X
Almost every Arabic word grows from a three-letter root. Spotting the root and the pattern lets you work out words you have never seen.
Roots
Most words come from three root letters. ك ت ب is about writing: كَتَبَ (he wrote), كِتاب (book), كاتِب (writer), مَكْتَب (office, desk), مَكْتَبة (library, bookshop).
د ر س is about studying: دَرَسَ (he studied), دَرْس (lesson), مَدْرَسة (school), مُدَرِّس (teacher).
د ر س is about studying: دَرَسَ (he studied), دَرْس (lesson), مَدْرَسة (school), مُدَرِّس (teacher).
The derived forms
Using patterns at work
اِجْتِماع a meeting, مُساعَدة help, اِسْتِخْدامُ الحاسوب using the computer, تَعاوُن teamwork, cooperation.
في عَمَلي أَتَعاوَنُ مَعَ زُمَلائي وأَسْتَخْدِمُ الحاسوبَ كُلَّ يَوْم = In my job I cooperate with my colleagues and I use the computer every day.
في عَمَلي أَتَعاوَنُ مَعَ زُمَلائي وأَسْتَخْدِمُ الحاسوبَ كُلَّ يَوْم = In my job I cooperate with my colleagues and I use the computer every day.
Find the root, form and meaning of اِسْتَخْدَمَ.
- Remove the pattern letters ا س ت at the front.
- The root is خ د م (to do with serving, using).
- اِسْتَفْعَلَ is Form X.
Answer: Root خ د م, Form X, meaning "he used".
Words grow from three-letter roots (ك ت ب, د ر س). Forms: II فعّل (درّس), III فاعل (ساعد), IV أفعل (أرسل), V تفعّل (تعلّم), VI تفاعل (تعاون), VII انفعل (انطلق), VIII افتعل (اجتمع), X استفعل (استخدم).
The interactive lesson includes the diagrams for this topic.
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