Most Arabic verbs are based on three-letter roots. For example:
Note how the roots are the same as the past-tense for 'he'.
Past Tense:
The general formula for past tense is: root + suffix (indicating subject)
| SUBJECT | CONJUGATION | SUBJECT IN ARABIC |
|---|---|---|
| I | كتبـت | أنا |
| You (m.) | كتبـت | انتَ |
| You (f.) | كتبـتي | انتِ |
| You (pl.) | كتبـتوا | انتو |
| He | كتب | هو |
| She | كتبـت | هي |
| They | كتبـوا | هم |
| We | كتبـنا | نحن |
For example:
Present Tense:
The general formula for present tense is: prefix (indicating subject) + root
| SUBJECT | CONJUGATION | SUBJECT IN ARABIC |
|---|---|---|
| I | أدرس | أنا |
| You (m.) | تـدرس | انتَ |
| You (f.) | تـدرســين | انتِ |
| You (pl.) | تـدرسـون | انتو |
| He | يـدرس | هو |
| She | تـدرس | هي |
| They | يـدرســون | هم |
| We | نـدرس | نحن |
The above is the simple present tense i.e. it expresses habits / general truths / repeated actions. For example:
Present Tense Rules:
Extra words can be added to the simple present tense to form other tenses.
1) PRESENT CONTINUOUS (...ing tense) → دا + present
For example: دا أدرس - "I am studying"
2) FUTURE (going to tense) → راح + present
For example: راح أدرس - "I am going to study"
3) HABITUAL PAST (used to tense) → كان (conjugated in the past) + present
For example: كنت أدرس - "I used to study"
A Note on 'كان' (to be):
The verb 'كان' is one of the most commonly used irregular verbs. For example, it is used in the habitual past (as seen above) and in descriptive sentences. However, it is only used in descriptive sentences in the past and future tense. It is not used in the present tense. For example:
| FUTURE TENSE | PAST TENSE | SUBJECT |
|---|---|---|
| راح أكون | كنت | أنا (I) |
| راح تكون | كنت | انتَ (You m.) |
| راح تكونين | كنتي | انتِ (You f.) |
| راح تكونون | كنتوا | انتو (You pl.) |
| راح يكون | كان | هو (He) |
| راح تكون | كانت | هي (She) |
| راح يكونون | كانوا | هم (They) |
| راح نكون | كنا | نحن (We) |
For more information on irregular verbs, visit this page.