Lesson (7) Better Understanding of the Word and Sentence Structure
Keywords: Root - Vowel Pattern – Affixation
Root
* Basic Arabic Word without any Affixes.
By root we mean that we can never omit and/or drop any of those basic rooted letters or else they will not be meaningful.
* Arabic Basic word root is three letter to form the verb root /faعala/ فَعَلَ. In this case they are called tri-consonantal verbs i.e. have three basic consonants.
For example:
فَعَلَ -> كَتَبَ /kataba/
i.e. to write
* Sometimes the basic word root is four letters to form the verb root /tafaعala/ تَفَعَلَ. In this case they are called tetra-consonantal verbs i.e. have four basic consonants.
For example:
تَفَعَلَ -> تَرجَمَ e.g. /targama/
i.e. to translate
By root we mean that we can never omit and/or drop any of those basic rooted letters or else they will not be meaningful.
* Arabic Basic word root is three letter to form the verb root /faعala/ فَعَلَ. In this case they are called tri-consonantal verbs i.e. have three basic consonants.
For example:
فَعَلَ -> كَتَبَ /kataba/
i.e. to write
* Sometimes the basic word root is four letters to form the verb root /tafaعala/ تَفَعَلَ. In this case they are called tetra-consonantal verbs i.e. have four basic consonants.
For example:
تَفَعَلَ -> تَرجَمَ e.g. /targama/
i.e. to translate
Vowel Pattern
* 2nd part is the vowel pattern as when added to the root it forms various pronunciations
* NB: Described previously and will be dealt with later in the course.
* NB: Described previously and will be dealt with later in the course.
Affixation (suffix – infix – or prefix)
1- Affixes – suffix (added after the basic root) – infix (added inside the basic root)
– or prefix (added before the basic root)
– of past, present, order or future tenses added to the either types of roots described in the 1st column.
2- Affixes may be added to words to form singular, plural and/or dual word structures.
NB: Will be described later in the course.
– or prefix (added before the basic root)
– of past, present, order or future tenses added to the either types of roots described in the 1st column.
2- Affixes may be added to words to form singular, plural and/or dual word structures.
NB: Will be described later in the course.
A general Note on the most important Arabic roots that forms miscellaneous Arabic words as more than this will be an off point for our elementary/ intermediate reader/ learner:
Consider the table below for the verb /kataba/ كَتَبَ to write
| Arabic word | Arabic root | Transliteration of Arabic word | Meaning and/or Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| كَتَبَ | فَعَلَ | /kataba/ | He wrote (past) (masculine) |
| اُكتُب | أُفعُل | /̛uktub/ | Write (Order) |
| يَكتُب | يَفعَل | /yaktub/ | He writes |
| كاتِب | فَاعِل | /katib/ | Having written and or writer |
| كِتَاب | فِعَال | /kitab/ | A book |
| كُتُب | فُعُل | /kutub/ | Books |
| كِتَابة | فِعَالة | /kitabah/ | Act of writing |
| مَكتَب | مَفعَل | /maktab/ | Office |
| مَكاتِب | مَفَاعِل | /makatib/ | Offices |
| مَكتَبة | مَفعَلة | /maktaba/ | Library |
| مَكتوب | مَفعول | /maktub/ | Written (Masculine) |
| مَكتوبة | مَفعولة | /maktuba/ | Written (feminine) |
| مَكتوبين | مَفعولين | /maktuben/ | Written (plural) |