Root Words – Arabic words are usually based totally on a “root” which uses three consonants to define the underlying which means of the word. Additionally, diverse vowels, prefixes and suffixes are employed to accompany those 3 root letters with the intention to deliver the preferred inflection of meaning.
Each set of root letters can result in a giant variety of words, all predictable in form and all associated with the simple that means of the three root letters.
For instance, the root k-t-b has the simple meaning of marking, inscribing or writing. The root may be conjugated in simple past worrying (ideal) verb bureaucracy including:
- kataba
- he wrote
- katabū
- they wrote
- katabat
- she wrote
- katabnā
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we wrote
Similarly, there are easy and predictable guidelines for gift (imperfect) and imperative types of the primary root, along with:
- yaktubu
- he writes
- yaktabunā
- they write
- taktubu
- you write
- naktubu
- we write
- ‘uktub
write!
And then the vastness virtually begins to be visible as additional bureaucracy inclusive of verbal nouns are made out of the identical simple root okay-t-b to explain matters such as:
- katīb
- writer
- kitāba
- the act of writing
- kitāb
- some writing, e book
- kutub
- books
- kutubī
- bookdealer
- kutayyib
- publication
- maktūb
- letter
- maktab
- faculty, office
- maktaba
- library, literature
- maktabī
- individual office
- miktāb
- typewriter
- mukātaba
- correspondence
- iktitāb
- registration
- istiktāb
- dictation
Suggested Read:
A Brief List of a few Arabic Roots:
The following listing of roots is sorted in line with the English alphabet, ignoring any diacritical marks.Examples of regular utilization of the root are proven in parenthesis.
a-b
2
to be a father, ancestor, forefather
(ab, abū)
‘a-b-d
685
to serve, worship, be devoted to, display veneration
(‘abd, ‘ibāda, ma’būd)
‘a-d-l
696
to behave justly, equitably or to make immediately, set in order
(‘adl, a’dāla, ta’dīl)
‘a-d-m
698
to be non-existent, disappeared, destroyed, with out
(‘adam, ‘adīm)
‘a-f-w
731
to be obliterated, effaced, removed
(al-‘afūw, ‘afwīya, ‘afā’, isit’fā’, ‘āfin, mu’fan)
a-ḥ-d
7
to unify, be one
(al-aḥad, aḥadīya, uḥādī)
a-kh-r
9
to delay, defer, be ultimate, final, last
(al-ākhir, ākhar, ukhrā, ta’khīr, mu’akhkhara)
a-l-h
30
to adore, deify, turn to any other with extreme feeling
(ilāh, ilāhī)
‘a-l-m
743
to know, have knowledge, be knowledgeable, educate, notify
(al-‘alīm, ‘ilm, ‘ilmiya, ‘allam, u’lūma)
a-m-l
35
to wish, to look attentively, meditate, take into account
(amal, āmāl, āmil, muta’ammil)
a-n-s
38
to be acquainted, friendly, sociable
(uns, insī, ins, anīs)
‘a-q-d
734
to tie, knit, make a knot, prepare, be part of
(‘aqd, ‘aqīda)
‘a-q-l
737
to have the college of reasoning, comprehension
(‘aql, ‘aqlī)
‘a-r-f
708
to recognise, to understand, find out, to announce
(‘arīf, ‘irfān, ma’rīfa, ta’rīf, ma’rūf)
‘a-ṣ-m
722
to keep again, restrain, keep, to take safe haven, shield
( ‘aṣama, ‘iṣāmī)
‘a-ẓ-m
729
to be tremendous, powerful, mighty
(a’ẓam, al-‘aẓīm, ‘iẓāmī, ‘aẓīma)
‘a-y-d
774
to have a good time, to ceremonial dinner
(‘īd ul adhā, mu’āyada)
‘a-z-z
712
to be robust, effective, reputable, to beef up, beef up
(al-‘azīz, ‘izz, ta’zīz, ma’azza)
b-d-‘
fifty seven
to introduce, originate, begin, do for the primary time
(al mubdi’, bdi’, badī’a, abda’, ibtidā’)
b-q-y
84
to stay, hold, undergo, be ever-lasting
( al- baqī’, baqā’, abqā, bāqin)
d-a’-ā
326
to call, summon, enchantment to, invite, invoke
(du’ā, da’wa)
dh-k-r
358
to don’t forget, bear in mind, undergo in thoughts
(dhikr, tadhkār, dhākira)
d-w-n
350
to report, write down, enter, collect
(dīwān)
d-y-n
352
to be obedient, submissive, to be indebted, to owe
(dīn, diyāna)
f-l-q
851
to break up open, cleave, tear asunder, burst
(falq, falaq)
f-n-y
854
to wane, dwindle, recede, come to an cease, quit to exist
(fanā’, fānin)
f-q-h
847
to recognize, recognise or to teach, teach
(fiqh)
f-t-ḥ
811
to open, unlock, display, triumph over
( fattāḥ, mifatāḥ, miftāḥī, al-fātiḥa)
f-ṭ-m
to wean, relinquish, disengage, abstain, reduce-off
(Fātima)
gh-f-r
793
to cover, disguise, forgive, defend, defend
(al-ghafūr, ‘astaghfirullāh)
gh-n-y
803
to be rich, wealthy, unfastened or to sing praises, extol
(ghanā’, istighnā’ )
gh-s-l
788
to scrub, easy, cleanse, purge
(ghusl)
ḥ-ā-l
251
to trade, be converted, end up, to be transferred
(ḥāla, taḥwīl, iḥāla)
ḥ-a-t
249
to shield, shield, encircle, encompass, surround
(iḥāṭa, muḥīṭ)
ḥ-b-b
179
to like, to endear, to make pricey, to love, to decide on
(ḥubb, ḥabīb, maḥbūb)
ḥ-b-l
182
to capture, ensnare, or to be pregnant
(ḥabīl, ḥabila, ḥublā)
ḥ-f-ẓ
220
to guard, defend, maintain, contend with
(ḥafīẓ, taḥfīẓ)
ḥ-m-d
238
to reward, commend, laud, extol
(ḥamīd, maḥmūd, muḥammad, al-ḥamdulillāh)
h-m-l
240
to hold, endure, lift, take alongside, delivery, convert, bring around
(ḥamīla, ḥaml)
ḥ-m-s
239
to be zealous, ardent, enthusiastic, excited
(ḥamās, taḥammus)
ḥ-q-q
224
to be genuine, right, accurate
(al-ḥaqq, ḥaqīq, taḥqīq)
ḥ-s-d
207
to envy, to be resentful
( ḥāsid)
ḥ-s-n
208
to be lovely, lovely. Exceptional, proper
(ḥusnā, ḥasan)
ḥ-ṣ-n
214
to give a boost to, be handy, to be chaste, pure
(ihsān ḥaṣāna)
ḥ-y-y
256
to stay, to exist
(al-ḥayy, taḥīya, iḥyā’, ḥayāh, ḥayya)
j-ā-‘
177
to come back, to get to, attain, arrive, set forth, got down to do
(jai’a, majī’, jā’iāt)
j-ā-d
172
to be exact, to enhance, to be professional, talented
(jūd, tajwīd, jayyid)
j-ā-l
176
to roam, wander, move freely, circulate
(jawwāl, tajwāl, majāl)
j-h-d
168
to warfare, undertaking, attempt, labor, pressure, combat
(jihād, majhūd, ijtihād)
j-n-n
164
to cover, disguise, placed beneath cover
(janna, junna, junūn, jinn, jinnī)
j-w-d
173
to be precise, be better, to provide generously, liberally
(jūd, jayyid, jawād, tajwīd)
okay-b-r
947
to be older, esteemed, large, incredible, huge, well-known, prominent
(kabīr, ‘akbar, takbīr)
k-f-ā
977
to be sufficient, sufficient, to satisfy all desires
(kifāya, iktifā’, mukāfāh)
ok-l-m
981
to speak, talk, converse, specific
(kalima, kalām)
k-m-l
984
to be entire, entire, ideal, completed
(kamāl, kāmil, kamāla, takmīl, ikmā, istikmāll)
okay-s-b
966
to earn, gather, win, collect, achieve
(kāsib, iktisāb)
ok-w-n
993
to be, exist, show up, take area or make, create, bring on
(yakūn, kiyān, kaun)
kh-l-f
297
to be a successor, take the place of, alternative or to vary, argue
(khalīfa)
kh-l-s
294
to be pure, delicate, purged, loose, liberated, redeemed, sincere
(ikhlāṣ, takhlīṣ)
kh-l-q
299
to create, make, form, mould, pattern
(khulq, khulqī, khalīq, al-khāliq, akhlāqī)
l-h-b
1032
to flame, burn, blaze, kindle, excite
(iltihb, lahab)
l-ṭ-f
1018
to be type, friendly, amicable, benevolent
(laṭīf)
m-l-k
1081
to possess, rule, own, have dominion over
(mālik, malīk)
m-r-‘
1058
to be healthful, healthful, manly
(imra’, marī’)
m-s-ḥ
1064
anoint, rub, wipe off, stroke with hand
(masīḥī)
m-w-l
1093
the have wealth, to end up wealthy, finance something
(māl, amwāl)
n-ḍ-r
1118
to commit, consecrate, vow, notify, warn
(naḍīr, inḍār, manḍūr)
n-f-k
1152
to blow, puff, breathe, inflate
(nafk, manfūk)
n-ṣ-r
1138
to assist, useful resource, help, protect, defend
(naṣīr, manṣūr)
n-s-y
1130
to neglect, neglect, miss
(nasy, mansīy)
n-w-r
1182
to light up, light, enlighten, to clarify, be revealed, disclosed
(nārī, nūr, munīr, munawwar)
n-z-l
1122
to come down, descend, monitor
(tanzīl, nazīl)
n-ẓ-m
1147
to set up, placed so as, determine the info of some thing
(niẓām, munazzam)
q-ā-m
934
to rise up, get up, ascend, to begin, to remain, to exist
(al-qayyūm, qiyām, maqām, qā’im)
r-ā-d
425
to walk about, prowl, search, are searching for
(irāda, murīd)
r-b-b
370
to deliver up, to foster, to nourish, a master, lord, owner
(rabb)
r-ḥ-m
384
womb, kinship, mercy, compassion
(al-raḥmān, al-raḥīm)
r-sh-d
395
to be at the proper song, rightly guided
(murshid, irshād, rashād, rashīd)
r-z-q
389
to provide, deliver, provide means of subsistence
(al-razzāq, rizq, marzūq, murtazak)
s-b-ḥ
457
to glorify, reward, to be swimming in
(subḥan allāh, tasbīḥ)
ṣ-b-r
585
to be affected person, to make long lasting
(al-ṣabūr, ṣabbār, aṣbar, muṣābara, istibār)
s-l-m
495
to be secure, stable, covered, to give up, to put up
(al-salām, islām, salīm, muslim)
ṣ-l-w
611
to hope, worship, bless
(ṣalāt, muṣallā, ṣalawātun)
ṣ-m-d
613
to be unaffected, or flip to someone or to resist, oppose
(al-ṣamad)
s-m-‘
501
to hear, to concentrate, pay attention, be instructed, hear about
(al-samī’, samā’)
ṣ-w-m
621
to abstain, to chorus, a selected form of abstinence e.G. Speedy
(ṣaum, ṣā’im, ṣiyām)
sh-ok-r
563
to thank, to be thankful, laud, provide thank you
(al-shakūr)
sh-r-okay
547
to share, become a associate, player
(shirk)
sh-r-q
546
to radiate, shine, beam, to upward thrust like the sun
(sharq)
sh-r-r
539
to be evil, bad, wicked
(sharr, sharīr)
t-b-b
108
to perish, be destroyed, stabilized
(tabban lahā)
t-w-b
119
to turn in the direction of, to repent, surrender
(al-tawwāb)
w-b-l
1226
to be unwholesome, unhealthy, noxious, heavy rain
(wabāl)
w-ḥ-d
1236
to be one, precise, without equal
(waḥīd, wāḥid)
w-okay-l
1283
to entrust, assign, commission, empower
(wakil, tawakkul)
w-l-d
1285
to present delivery, make, create
(walid, maulūd)
w-l-y
1288
to be close to, near, pal, servant, defender, supporter, protector
(walīy, wālī, maulānā)
w-s-w-s
1254
to whisper, to temp, to rouse doubts
(waswās)
y-d
1295
hand, cope with, manage, electricity
(yad)
y-q-n
1298
to be certain, satisfied, certitude
(yaqan, yaqīn, mūqin)
ẓ-h-r
682
to be visible, perceptible, show up, wonderful
(al-ẓāhir)
ẓ-l-m
681
to do incorrect, treat unjustly or to develop darkish, gloomy
(ẓulm, ẓalām)
Prayer For Someone You Love To Come Back
Further reading about Arabic roots
Learn greater about the Arabic Root and Pattern System by way of ArabicOnline. Short online lesson here.
Arabic-English Dictionary: The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic – Hans Wehr (2011). Link to Amazon.
A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic – Karen Ryding (2011). Link to Amazon.
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