Four-lettered verbs in Arabic - الْفِعْلُ المُجَرَدُ الرُّباعِي | Free Arabic Course

Introduction

The four-lettered verbs in Arabic, distinct from the more common tri-literal form فَعَلَ, are uniquely constructed from a root of فَعْلَلَ. These verbs consist of four letters and follow specific patterns:

Form XII: فَعْلَلَ Form XIII: تَفَعْلَلَ Form XIV: إِفْعَلَلَّ Form XV: اِفْعَنْلَلَ.

1. Table for the Four-Lettered Verb Form: فَعْلَلَ

• Past tense - فَعْلَلَ
• Imperfect tense - يُفَعْلِلُ
• Imperative - فَعْلِلْ
• Verbal noun - فَعْلَلَةٌ
• Active participle - مُفَعْلِلٌ
• Passive participle - مُفَعْلَلٌ
• Past active - فُعْلِلَ
• Imperfect passive - يُفَعْلَلُ

Examples from the Holy Quran

الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ

Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - (114:5)

إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا

When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake (99:1)

وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ

but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. (2:96)

فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِذَنبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا

So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them]. (9:14)

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

And by the night as it closes in (81:7)

2. Table of four-lettered verb form تَفَعْلَلَ

• Past tense - تَفَعْلَلَ
• Imperfect tense - يَتَفَعْلَلُ
• Imperative - تَفَعْلَلْ
• Verbal noun - تَفَعْلُلٌ
• Active participle - مُتَفَعْلِلٌ

3. Table of four-lettered verb form إِفْعَلَلَّ

• Past tense - إِفْعَلَلَّ
• Imperfect tense - يَفْعَلِلُّ
• Imperative - إِفْعَلِّلْ - إِفْعَلِّلَ
• Verbal noun - إِفْعَلَّالٌ
• Active participle - مُفْعَلِلٌّ

Examples from the Holy Quran

قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي

He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied." (2:260)

وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ

while his heart is secure in faith (16:106)

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ

[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, (89:27)

تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ

The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord (39:23)

4.Table of four-lettered verb form إِفْعَنْلَلَ

• Past tense - إِفْعَنْلَلَ
• Imperfect tense - يَفْعَنْلِلُ
• Imperative - إِفْعَنْلِلْ
• Verbal noun - إِفْعِنْلَالٌ
• Active participle - مُفْعَنْلِلٌ
• Passive participle - مُفْعَنْلَلٌ

Conclusion

This lesson on Arabic nuances concludes here. Insha’Allah, our subsequent session will delve into the declension of a noun.

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