Verbs: Present Tense

01

The Four Prefixes

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

• ⁧⁧أ⁩⁩ (a-a-ʾa-a-) — I
• ⁧⁧ن⁩⁩ (na-) — we
• ⁧⁧ي⁩⁩ (ya-) — he / they
• ⁧⁧ت⁩⁩ (ta-) — 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 (anā aktubuanā aktubuʾanā ʾaktubuana aktubu) - I write
• ⁧⁧هُوَ يَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (huwa yaktubu) - he writes
• ⁧⁧هِيَ تَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (hiya taktubu) - she writes
• ⁧⁧أَنْتَ تَكْتُبُ⁩⁩ (anta taktubuanta taktubuʾanta taktubuanta taktubu) - you (male) write
• ⁧⁧أَنْتِ تَكْتُبِينَ⁩⁩ (anti taktubīnaanti taktubīnaʾanti taktubiynaanti taktubyna) - you (female) write

• ⁧أَنَا أَشْرَبُ الْقَهْوَةَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.⁩

  anā ashrabu al-qahwah kulla yawm.anā ashrabu al-qahwah kulla yawm.ʾanā ʾashrabu ʾal-qahwah kulla yawm.ana ashrabu al-qahwah kula yawm.

  I drink coffee every day.

• ⁧هِيَ تَدْرُسُ فِي الْجَامِعَةِ.⁩

  hiya tadrusu fī al-jāmi‘ah.hiya tadrusu fī al-d͟jāmi‘ah.hiya tadrusu fiy ʾal-ǧāmi‘ah.hiya tadrusu fy al-jami‘ah.

  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 (sa-).

• ⁧أَنَا لَا أَعْرِفُ.⁩

  anā lā a‘rifu.anā lā a‘rifu.ʾanā lā ʾa‘rifu.ana la a‘rifu.

  I do not know.

• ⁧سَأَكْتُبُ الرِّسَالَةَ.⁩

  sa-aktubu al-risālah.sa-aktubu al-risālah.sa-aktubu ʾal-risālah.sa-aktubu al-risalah.

  I will write the letter.