Learning some most commonly used verbs in the Arabic language is essential to master the language. Fortunately, the system of verbs in Arabic is pretty straightforward and not too hard to understand and grasp.

So, here our goal is to showcase 50 Arabic verbs. Because mastering these verbs can provide a strong foundation to help you along your Arabic language learning journey.

Commonly Used Arabic Verbs 

So, what are the types of verbs in Arabic? 

Verbs in Arabic have only three types/tenses; past, present and command tense. It is also important to know the definition of regular and irregular verbs. The root of a regular verb in Arabic does not include vowels (و ، ا ، ي), /wa/, /aa/, /ya/ so they are regular verbs, which means their conjugation is regular.

While the irregular verb is considered irregular in the following cases:

  1. Either the verb is (Mahmuz). Meaning the root verb has a hamzah, which is a small mark that looks like a small inverted 2.
  2. They are assimilated, whose first base letter is (و) /waw/ or (ي) /yaa’/. 
  3. They are deficient or /naaqis/, the verb’s final radical is (و) /waw/ or (ي) /yaa’/.
  4. They are duplicated or /muda’afa/. Some verbs in Arabic are such that their second and third radicals are the same letter. 

Here are 10 regular verbs for the pronoun he (هو) /huwa/

 

Verb Meaning

Past Tense

Present Tense

Command Tense

To Study

درس  /daras/

يدرس  /yadros/

أدرس  /’udrus/

To Ride

ركب  /rakiba/

يركب  /yarkab/

اركب  /irkab/

To Write

كتب  /kataba/

يكتب  /yaktob/

أكتب  /’uktub/

To Have

ملك  /malaka/

يملك  /yamluk/

إملك  /’imlik/

To Do

فعل  /faʻala/

يفعل  /yafʻal/

افعل  /i’fʻal/

To Go

ذهب  /thahaba/

يذهب  /yathhab/

اذهب  /’ithhab/

To Dance

رقص  /raqasa/

يرقص  /yarqos/

ارقص  /’urqos/

To Listen

سمع  /samiʻa/

يسمع  /yasmaaʻ/

اسمع  /’ismaʻ/

To Start

بدء  /bada’a/

يبدء  /yabda’/

ابدء  /’ibda’/

To Carry

حمل  /Hamala/

يحمل  /yaHmil/

احمل  /’iHmil/

 

Let’s put these verbs into simple phrases:

  • He studies Arabic every day.

هو يدرس اللغة العربية كل يوم.

/huwa yadrus allughah alʻarabiiah kulla yawm/

  • He rode the bus yesterday.

هو ركب الحافلة البارحة

/huwa rakiba alHafilah albariHah/

  • Write five sentences in Arabic.

اكتب خمس جمل بالعربية

/’uktub khams jumal bi al’arabiah/

  • He has a car.

هو يملك سيارة

/huwa yamlik sayaarah/

  • Do it!

افعل ذلك!

/’ifʻal thalika!/

  • He went to the Dead Sea with his friends.

هو ذهب للبحر الميت مع أصدقائه.

/huwa thahab lilbaHr almayyit maʻa 'aSdiqaa’ihi/

  • He dances hip hop.

هو يرقص الهيب هوب.

/huwa yarqus al hib hub/

  • He listened to music all night.

هو سمع الموسيقى طوال الليل

/huwa samiʻa almooseeqaa tawaal allayl/

  • Start driving!

إبدء القيادة.

/’ibda' alqiadah/

  • He carries a heavy bag.

هو يحمل حقيبة ثقيلة.

/huwa yaHmil haqibah thaqilah./

Let’s see 10 more regular verbs in Arabic for the pronoun she (هي) /hiya/

 

Verb Meaning

Past Tense

Present Tense

Command Tense

To Wound

جرحت  /jaraHat/

تجرح  /tajraH/

اجرحي  /’ijraHi/

To Make

جعلت  /jaʻalat/

تجعل  /tajʻal/

اجعلي  /’ijʻali/

To Sit

جلست  /jalasat/

تجلس  /tajlis/

اجلسي  /’ijlisi/

To Calculate

حسبت  /Hasabat/

تحسب  /taHsib/

احسبي  /’uHsubi/

To attend

حضرت  /Hadharat/

تحضر  /taHdhur/

احضري  /’iHdhari/

To Memories

حفظت  /HafiDHat/

تحفظ  /taHFaDH/

احفظي  /’iHfaDHi/

To Run

ركضت  /rakadhat/

تركض  /tarkudh/

اركضي  /’urkudhi/

To Bake

خبزت  /khabazat/

تخبز  /takhbiz/

اخبزي  /ikhbizi/

To Cook

طبخت  /Tabakhat/

تطبخ  /taTbokh/

اطبخي  /’uTbukhi/

To Plant

زرعت  /zaraʻat/

تزرع  /tazraʻ/

ازرعي  /’izraʻi/

 

Let’s put these verbs into simple phrases:

  • She wounded herself.

هي جرحت نفسها.

/hia jaraHat nafsaha/

  • She makes me happy.

هي تجعلني سعيد.

/hia tajʻaluni saʻeed/

  • Sit on the new chair!

اجلسي على الكرسي الجديد!

/’ijilisee ʻalaa alkursii aljadid/

  • She calculated her expenses.

هي حسبت مصاريفها.

/hia Hasabat maSarifahaa/

  • She attends all the meetings.

هي تحضر كل الاجتماعات.

/hia taHdar kul al’ijtimaaʻaat/

  • Memorize the poem!

احفظي القصيدة.

/’iHfaDHi alqasidah/

  • She ran 5km.

هي ركضت خمسة كيلومترات.

/hia rakadhat khamsat keeloomitraat/

  • She bakes bread.

هي تخبز الخبز.

/hia takhbiz alkhubz/

  • Cook the vegetables!

اطبخي الخضروات!

/’uTbukhi alkhadhrawat/

  • She planted the seeds.

هي زرعت البذور.

/hia zaraʻat albuTHoor/

What about the pronoun I (أنا) /ana/? Let’s see how regular verbs look with 10 more verbs

 

Verb Meaning

Past Tense

Present Tense

Verb Root

To Play

لعبت  /laʻibtu/

ألعب  /’alʻabu/

لعب  /laʻiba/

To Shout

صرخت /Sarakhtu/

أصرخ  /’aSrukh/

صرخ  /Sarakha/

To Whisper

همست  /hamastu/

أهمس  /’ahmis/

همس  /hamasa/

To Open

فتحت  /fataHtu/

أفتح  /’aftaH/

فتح  /fataHa/

To Drink

شربت  /sharibtu/

أشرب  /’ashrab/

شرب  /shariba/

To Draw

رسمت  /rasamtu/

أرسم  /’arsum/

رسم  /rasama/

To Wash

غسلت  /ghasaltu/

أغسل  /’aghsel/

غسل  /ghasala

To Judge

حكمت  /Hakamtu/

أحكم  /’aHkum/

حكم  /Hakama/

To Exit

خرجت  /kharajtu/

أخرج  /’akhroj/

خرج  /kharaja/

To Enter

دخلت  /dakhaltu/

أدخل  /’adkhul/

دخل  /dakhala/

 

Now let’s put these verbs into phrases using the pronoun I (أنا) /’anaa/:

  • I play cards.

أنا ألعب الورق.

/'anaa 'alʻab alwaraq/

  • I shouted too much.

أنا صرخت كثيراً.

/'anaa Sarakhtu kathiran/

  • I always whisper.

أنا أهمس دائما.

/'anaa 'ahmis da’iman/

  • I opened the door.

أنا فتحت الباب.

/'anaa fataHtu albaab/

  • I drank 2 liters of water.

أنا شربت لترين من الماء.

/'anaa sharibtu litrayn min alma'i./

  • I draw trees.

أنا أرسم أشجار.

/'anaa 'arsum 'ashjar/

  • I washed my clothes.

أنا غسلت ملابسي.

/'anaa ghasaltu malaabisee/

  • I judged her too soon.

أنا حكمت عليها في وقت قصير جداً.

/'anaa Hakamtu ʻalayhaa fi waqt qaseer jidaan/

  • I exit this way.

أنا أخرج من هنا.

/'anaa 'akhruj min huna./

  • I entered late.

أنا دخلت متأخرة.

/'anaa dakhalt muta'akhiratan/

Let’s take a look at 10 more regular verbs with the pronoun you (أنت) /’anta/.

 

Verb Meaning

Past Tense

Present Tense

Verb Root

To Swim

سبحت  /sabaHta/

تسبح  /tasbaH/

اسبح  /’isbaH/

To Feel

شعرت  /shaʻarta/

تشعر  /tashʻur/

اشعر  /’ushʻur/

To Take off

خلعت  /khalaʻta/

تخلع  /takhlaʻa/

اخلع  /’ikhlaʻ/

To Tie

ربطت  /rabata/

تربط  /tarbot/

اربط  /’urbot/

To Return

رجعت  /rajaʻta/

ترجع  /tarjaʻ/

ارجع  /’irjaʻ/

To Refuse

رفضت  /rafadhta/

ترفض  /tarfudh/

ارفض  /’urfudh/

To Fall

سقطت  /SaqaTta/

تسقط  /taSquT/

اسقط  /’uSqoT/

To Explain

شرحت  /sharaHta/

تشرح  /tashraH/

اشرح  /’ishraH/

To Laugh

ضحكت  /dhaHikta/

تضحك  /tadhHak/

اضحك  /’idhHak/

To Thank

شكرت  /shakarta/

تشكر  /tashkur/

اشكر  /’ushkur/

 

 

Let’s use the previously mentioned verbs in phrases:

  • You swim well.

أنت تسبح بشكل جيد.

/'anta tasbaH bishakl jayyid/

  • You felt sad.

أنت شعرت بالحزن.

/'ant shaʻart bialHuzni/

  • Take off your shoes!

اخلع حذائك!

/’ikhlaʻ Hitha’ika/

  • Tie your shoe lace!

اربط حذائك!

/’urbuT Hitha’ika/

  • You refused the offer.

أنت رفضت العرض.

/'ant rafadhta alʻarda/

  • You fell from the ladder.

أنت وقعت من السلم.

/'ant waqaʻta min alsillam/

  • You explain math to me.

أنت تشرح لي الرياضيات.

/'ant tashraH li alriyadhyyaat/

  • You laughed a lot.

أنت ضحكت كثيراً.

/'ant dhaHikt kathiran/

  • You thank people.

أنت تشكر الناس.

/'ant tashkur alnaas/ 


It’s about time to learn some irregular verbs in Arabic. In the table below, you will find 10 irregular verbs in their different tenses.

 

Verb Meaning

Past Tense

Present Tense

Command Tense

To Take

أخذ  /'akhatha/

يأخذ  /ya’khuth/

خذ  /khuth/

To Help

ساعد  /saʻada/

يساعد  /yusaʻid/

ساعد  /saʻid/

To Through

رمى  /rama/

يرمي  /yarmi/

ارمي  /’irmee/

To Stand

وقف  /waqafa/

يقف  /yaqef/

قف  /qif/

To Run Away

فرّ  /farra/

يفرّ  /yafurru/

فر  /fir/

To Say

قال  /qaala/

يقول  /yaqool/

قل  /qul/

To Fall

وقع  /waqaʻa/

يقع  /yaqaʻ/

قع  /qaʻ/

To Find

وجد  /wajada/

يجد  /yajid/

جد  /jid/

To Be Frustrated

يـأس  /ya’isa/

ييأس  /yay’as/

ايأس  /’y’as/

To Stay

بقي  /baqiya/

يبقى  /yabqa/

ابقى  /’ibqaa/

 

Learn Verbs with Kaleela!

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In conclusion, learning Arabic grammar has its importance. Furthermore, It is a topic through which we learn to correctly convey meaning in Arabic, form coherent sentences, and protect ourselves from verbal errors. Arabic grammar classes aren’t boring or hard when the exercises are fun, friendly and in bite-size lessons.

Download Kaleela now, join hundreds of millions of people who speak Arabic around the globe, and Learn Arabic the Right Way.

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