Mastering the command form is vital for practical communication. Whether you want to politely ask someone to „listen” or urgently tell a group to „stop,” you need to conquer the imperative in arabic. Therefore, this comprehensive guide will break down the grammar behind the arabic imperative and show you how to give commands correctly in both formal and spoken contexts.
The Imperative in Arabic: Form and Function
The imperative verb form is an order, a request, or a piece of advice directed only at the second person (you). Crucially, unlike English, the imperative in arabic changes its form dramatically based on the gender and number of the person you are speaking to.
The process of creating the imperative (فِعْل الْأَمْر – fi’l al-amr) always starts with the present tense (المُضَارِع – al-muḍāri‘).
Forming the Direct Imperative (The فَعَلَ Pattern)
The core rule for forming a positive command (or Direct Imperative) involves dropping the present tense prefix and adding an alif (أ) if needed. For clarity, we will use the common root فَعَلَ (fa‘ala – to do/act), specifically the verb to write: كَتَبَ (kataba).
Step-by-Step Guide for Singular Masculine (You):
- First, take the you (masculine singular) form: تَكْتُبُ (takutubu) (You write).
- Next, remove the prefix ت (ta): كْتُبُ (kutubu).
- Subsequently, remove the final Damma (-u) and replace it with a Sukūn (-): كْتُبْ (kutub).
- Finally, if the first letter now has a sukūn, then you add an alif (أ) and give it a vowel (often u or i): اُكْتُبْ (uktub) (Write!).
Direct Imperative Conjugation Chart
The complexity of the Direct Imperative lies in addressing the correct person. Consequently, the verb form changes significantly for the singular female, dual, and plural.
| Person Being Addressed | Pronoun | Present Tense | Imperative Form | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You (m. sing.) | أَنْتَ (anta) | تَكْتُبُ | اُكْتُبْ (uktub) | Write! (to 1 male) |
| You (f. sing.) | أَنْتِ (anti) | تَكْتُبِينَ | اُكْتُبِي (uktubī) | Write! (to 1 female) |
| You (dual m./f.) | أَنْتُمَا (antumā) | تَكْتُبَانِ | اُكْتُبَا (uktubā) | Write! (to 2 people) |
| You (pl. m.) | أَنْتُمْ (antum) | تَكْتُبُونَ | اُكْتُبُوا (uktubū) | Write! (to group of males) |
| You (pl. f.) | أَنْتُنَّ (antunna) | تَكْتُبْنَ | اُكْتُبْنَ (uktubna) | Write! (to group of females) |
Forming Direct Negative Commands
In contrast to the positive Direct Imperative, you do not use the imperative form for negative commands („Don’t go!”). Instead, you use the prohibition particle لا (la) followed by the present tense verb in the jussive (or shortened) form.
The Rule: لا+فِعْل الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم (The jussive present tense).
| Command Type | Arabic Phrase | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative (m. sing.) | لَا تَذْهَبْ | lā tadhhab | Don’t go! (to 1 male) |
| Negative (f. sing.) | لَا تَذْهَبِي | lā tadhhabī | Don’t go! (to 1 female) |
| Negative (pl. m.) | لَا تَذْهَبُوا | lā tadhhabū | Don’t go! (to group of males) |
Beyond Commands: Politeness and Colloquial Use
Expressing Indirect/Polite Wishes
Furthermore, using the direct imperative can sound harsh in formal settings. Therefore, you can express polite requests or Expressing indirect/polite wishes using these gentler structures:
- (law samaḥt / law samaḥti) لَوْ سَمَحْتَ / لَوْ سَمَحْتِ : „If you would allow” or „Excuse me/Please.” Note that this often precedes a command.
- Example: (Law samaḥta, a‘ṭinı al-kitab.) لَوْ سَمَحْتَ، أَعْطِنِي الْكِتَابَ. (Please, give me the book.)
- (arjū an…) أَرْجُو أَنْ… : „I hope that you…” followed by the present tense verb.
- Example: (Arju an tajlisa.) أَرْجُو أَنْ تَجْلِسَ. (I request that you sit.)
The imperative in Egyptian Arabic
In fact, while MSA maintains complex conjugations, The imperative in Egyptian Arabic (and most dialects) is much simpler. Consequently, learners only need to master three conversational forms, dropping the formal dual and feminine plural rules entirely.
Positive Commands (The 3 Conversational Forms):
| Form | Egyptian Arabic | Transliteration | Example Verb: هَات (haˉt) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You (m. sing.) | هَات | hāt | هَات الْكِتَاب ده. (Haˉt el-kitaˉb da.) | Give/Bring the book! (m.) |
| You (f. sing.) | هَاتِي | hātī | هَاتِي الْكِتَاب ده. (Haˉtıˉ el-kitaˉb da.) | Give/Bring the book! (f.) |
| You (pl.) | هَاتُوا | hātū | هَاتُوا الْكِتَاب ده. (Haˉtuˉ el-kitaˉb da.) | Give/Bring the book! (pl.) |
Negative Commands (The مَا…ش (ma…sh) Pattern):
Specifically, in Egyptian Arabic, the negative command is highly distinct. Furthermore, it uses the present tense prefixed with مَا (ma) and suffixed with ـش (-sh).
| Command Type | Egyptian Arabic | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don’t Write (m. sing.) | مَاتِكْتِبْش | ma-tiktib-sh | Don’t write! |
| Don’t Go (f. sing.) | مَاتِمْشِيش | ma-timshi-sh | Don’t go! |
| Don’t Eat (pl.) | مَاتَاكْلُوش | ma-taklu-sh | Don’t eat! |
Key Conversational Imperatives:
- For Politeness: To soften any command, always add لَوْ سَمَحْت (law samaḥt) (m.), لَوْ سَمَحْتِي (law samaḥti) (f.), or لَوْ سَمَحْتُوا (law samaḥtu) (pl.).
- Common Essential Verbs: (Take!) خُد (khud) , (Wait!) اِسْتَنَّى (istanna) , (Sleep!) نَام (nam) , (Go/Walk!) اِمْشِي (imshi).
Conclusion
Mastering the imperative in arabic is a vital step toward practical fluency. Start with the singular forms, then practice the difference between the positive and negative commands. With consistent effort, you will soon use Arabic commands naturally and confidently. To accelerate your progress and get targeted practice on these difficult grammatical forms, consider using a dedicated Kaleela App.