Verbs: Present Tense

01

The Four Prefixes

Every present tense verb starts with one of four letters, remembered by the mnemonic ⁧⁧أَنِيتُ⁩⁩ (ʼạnītụʾanītuˈaniytuˈanyt):

• ⁧⁧أ⁩⁩ (ʼạ-ʾa-ˈa-ˈa-) — I
• ⁧⁧ن⁩⁩ (nạ-na-na-n-) — we
• ⁧⁧ي⁩⁩ (yạ-ya-ya-y-) — he / they
• ⁧⁧ت⁩⁩ (tạ-ta-ta-t-) — she / you

02

Singular Forms

Using the root k-t-b (to write). Note that 'she' and 'you (male)' share the same form — context makes it clear.

• ⁧⁧أَنَا أَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (ʼạnā ʼạktụbụʾanā ʾaktubuˈanā ˈaktubuˈana ˈaktb) - I write
• ⁧⁧هُوَ يَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (hụwạ yạktụbụhuwa yaktubuhuwa yaktubuhw yktb) - he writes
• ⁧⁧هِيَ تَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (hịyạ tạktụbụhiya taktubuhiya taktubuhy tktb) - she writes
• ⁧⁧أَنْتَ تَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (ʼạntạ tạktụbụʾanta taktubuˈanta taktubuˈant tktb) - you (male) write
• ⁧⁧أَنْتِ تَكْتُبِينَ⁩⁩ (ʼạntị tạktụbīnạʾanti taktubīnaˈanti taktubiynaˈant tktbyn) - you (female) write

• ⁧أَنَا أَشْرَبُ الْقَهْوَةَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.⁩

  ʼạnā ʼạšrạbụ ᵃlqạhwạẗạ kụllạ yạwmịṇ.ʾanā ʾas͟hrabu ᵃlqahwata kulla yawmin.ˈanā ˈašrabu ᵃlqahwaẗa kulla yawmí.ˈana ˈašrb ᵃlqhwẗ kl ywm.

  I drink coffee every day.

• ⁧هِيَ تَدْرُسُ فِي الْجَامِعَةِ.⁩

  hịyạ tạdrụsụ fī ᵃljāmịʕạẗị.hiya tadrusu fī ᵃld͟jāmiʿati.hiya tadrusu fiy ᵃlǧāmiʿaẗi.hy tdrs fy ᵃljamʕẗ.

  She studies at the university.

03

Negation and Future

To negate, place ⁧⁧لَا⁩⁩ (lālālāla) before the verb. To express the future, add the prefix ⁧⁧سَـ⁩⁩ (sạ-sa-sa-s-).

• ⁧أَنَا لَا أَعْرِفُ.⁩

  ʼạnā lā ʼạʕrịfụ.ʾanā lā ʾaʿrifu.ˈanā lā ˈaʿrifu.ˈana la ˈaʕrf.

  I do not know.

• ⁧سَأَكْتُبُ الرِّسَالَةَ.⁩

  sạʼạktụbụ ᵃrrịsālạẗạ.saʾaktubu ᵃrrisālata.saˈaktubu ᵃrrisālaẗa.sˈaktb ᵃrsalẗ.

  I will write the letter.