أوزان الفعل
The 10 Arabic Verb Forms
Arabic verbs follow patterns called awzaan (أوزان, singular: wazn). Each three-letter root can be plugged into up to 10 different verb forms, each modifying the base meaning in a predictable way. Mastering these patterns lets you decode unfamiliar words instantly.
The template uses the letters ف ع ل (fa-'ain-lam) as placeholders. Form I is فَعَلَ, and each subsequent form adds prefixes, doubles letters, or inserts vowels according to its pattern.
Base meaning — the root meaning itself
كَتَبَ
he wrote
كَتَبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامَ
Al-Baqarah 2:183 — Fasting has been prescribed for you
Intensification, causation, or making someone do something
عَلَّمَ
he taught (caused to know)
عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
Al-Alaq 96:5 — He taught man what he did not know
Doing the action with/to someone (mutual or directed)
قَاتَلَ
he fought (with someone)
وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
Al-Baqarah 2:190 — And fight in the way of Allah
Causative — making something happen or entering a state
أَسْلَمَ
he submitted (entered Islam)
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ
Al-Baqarah 2:131 — When his Lord said to him: Submit!
Reflexive of Form II — doing the action to oneself, gradual process
تَعَلَّمَ
he learned (taught himself)
وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ
Al-Baqarah 2:102 — And they learn what harms them
Mutual/reciprocal action, or pretending to do something
تَسَاءَلَ
they questioned one another
عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ
An-Naba 78:1 — About what are they asking one another?
Passive/reflexive — something happening to the subject
اِنْكَسَرَ
it broke (was broken)
إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انفَطَرَتْ
Al-Infitar 82:1 — When the sky breaks apart
Reflexive with effort — doing something for oneself
اِكْتَسَبَ
he earned (for himself)
لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ
Al-Baqarah 2:286 — It (the soul) gets what it earns, and bears what it earns
Colors and physical defects (rare)
اِحْمَرَّ
it became red
وَمِنَ الْجِبَالِ جُدَدٌ بِيضٌ وَحُمْرٌ
Fatir 35:27 — And among the mountains are tracts, white and red
Seeking or requesting the root action, or considering
اِسْتَغْفَرَ
he sought forgiveness
فَاسْتَغْفِرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ
Aal Imran 3:135 — And they sought forgiveness for their sins
How to Recognize Forms Quickly
- Doubled middle letter? → Form II
- Alif after first root letter? → Form III
- Hamza prefix (أَ)? → Form IV
- تَ prefix + doubled middle? → Form V
- تَ prefix + alif after first root? → Form VI
- اِنْ prefix? → Form VII
- تَ inserted after first root letter? → Form VIII
- Doubled final letter? → Form IX
- اِسْتَ prefix? → Form X
Key Takeaways
- 1. Arabic has 10 verb forms, each modifying the root meaning in a predictable way.
- 2. Forms I–IV are the most common in the Quran. Forms V–X appear less frequently but are still important.
- 3. Learning the patterns lets you decode new words — if you know the root and the form, you can guess the meaning.
- 4. Use the Roots Browser on QuRoots to explore all verb forms for any root.