In Arabic, verbs appear in different forms (patterns) that depend on the root system. The roots of verbs appear in different forms that have the same basic meaning, but different forms give additional meaning to the basic meaning of the verb.

In this post, verb forms I, II and II are explained with some examples and exercises.

Form I (فعلَ) gives the basic meaning of the verb.

Form II (فعَّلَ), makes an intransitive verb transitive, e.g.

درس means to study, while درّس means to teach.

علم means to know, while علّم means to teach.

خرج means to go out, while خرّج means to graduate.

Form II also intensifies the action, e.g.

كسر means to break, while كسّر means to smash.

قطع means to cut, while قطّع means to cut into small pieces.

Form III (فاعَلَ), implies participation, i.e. to involve both the subject and the object in doing the action, e.g.

درس means to study, whileدارس means to study with another person.

كتب means to write, while كاتب means to correspond with.

قتل means to kill, while قاتل means to fight with someone else.

Exercises:

Complete the following sentences with the appropriate form of the verbs in brackets:

1. ————- الطالب اللغة العربية في الجامعة. (درس)

2. ———— الأستاذ الطلاب دروس الأدب. (درس)

3. ————- المدير الموظفين عن المشروع الجديد. (كتب)

4. ————- الولد الزجاج إلى قطع صغيرة. (كسر)

5. ————– الجيش الأعداء في معركة كبيرة. (قتل)

1. درس الطالب اللغة العربية في الجامعة.

2. درّس الأستاذ الطلاب دروس الأدب.

3. كاتب المدير الموظفين عن المشروع الجديد.

4. كسّر الولد الزجاج إلى قطع صغيرة.

5. قاتل الجيش الأعداء في معركة كبيرة.