Four-lettered verbs in Arabic - الْفِعْلُ المُجَرَدُ الرُّباعِي
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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