In the Arabic language, tenses are used to express when an action occurs - in the past, present or future. Mastering the intricate Arabic verb conjugation system is key to understanding Arabic grammar and constructing sentences correctly.
This guide will explain the fundamentals of the three tenses in Arabic and how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs into these tenses.
Overview of Arabic Tenses
There are three main tenses in Arabic grammar:
Past Tense
Expresses actions completed before the time of speaking
Usually formed by adding suffixes like -تَ ,-َا etc to verb root
Present Tense
Indicates actions happening right now
Formed by attaching present tense prefixes like يَـ , تَـ , يَ , أَ ,نَ
Future Tense
Refers to actions that will occur later
Uses the prefix سَـ or سَوْفَ
Each tense has its own attached pronouns and rules of conjugation that alter verb form to fit subject gender, plurality etc.
Conjugating Regular Verbs
Regular Arabic verbs follow a predictable pattern when conjugated into different tenses.
For example, consider the regular verb كَتَبَ which means “to write”.
Past Tense
I wrote - كَتَبْتُ
You wrote - كَتَبْتَ
He wrote - كَتَبَ
She wrote - كَتَبَتْ
We wrote - كَتَبْنَا
They wrote - كَتَبُوا
Present Tense
I am writing - أَكْتُبُ
You are writing - تَكْتُبُ
He is writing - يَكْتُبُ
She is writing - تَكْتُبُ
We are writing - نَكْتُبُ
They are writing - يَكْتُبُونَ
Future Tense
I will write - سَأَكْتُبُ
You will write - سَتَكْتُبُ
He will write - سَيَكْتُبُ
She will write - سَتَكْتُبُ
We will write - سَنَكْتُبُ
They will write - سَيَكْتُبُونَ
So the root verb كَتَبَ changes form in predictable ways based on the subject pronoun and tense.
Conjugating Irregular Verbs
Some common verbs in Arabic are irregular, meaning they do not follow the standard conjugation pattern when going into different tenses.
For example, the irregular verb أَكَلَ (to eat).
Past Tense
I ate - أَكَلْتُ
You ate - أَكَلْتَ
He ate - أَكَلَ
She ate - أَكَلَتْ
We ate - أَكَلْنَا
They ate - أَكَلُوا
Present Tense
I am eating - آكُلُ
You are eating - تَأْكُلُ
He is eating - يَأْكُلُ
She is eating - تَأْكُلُ
We are eating - نَأْكُلُ
They are eating - يَأْكُلُونَ
Future Tense
I will eat - سَآكُلُ
You will eat - سَتَأْكُلُ
He will eat - سَيَأْكُلُ
She will eat - سَتَأْكُلُ
We will eat - سَنَأْكُلُ
They will eat - سَيَأْكُلُونَ
So each tense has its unique conjugation form that must be memorized for irregular verbs.
Practice conjugating regular and irregular verbs into different tenses using examples. This builds familiarity with Arabic grammar structures.
Time Phrases for Each Tense
Using appropriate time-related words and phrases with each tense makes it clear when the action is occurring:
Past Tense Time Phrases
Yesterday, last week, in 1999, two days ago, during my childhood...
Present Tense Time Phrases
Now, today, at the moment, currently, nowadays...
Future Tense Time Phrases
Tomorrow, next week, in 2030, in two days, later today...
Combining the conjugated verb with tense-matching time phrases improves fluency and comprehension.
Tense Consistency
A golden rule when writing or speaking Arabic is to maintain consistency of verb tenses within and across sentences:
❌ Wrong: I walked to the store yesterday. I buy milk.
✔️ Correct: I walked to the store yesterday. I bought milk.
Both verbs should be in past tense for consistent time reference.
This tense uniformity reduces ambiguity and improves clarity.
Conclusion
The intricate, information-rich Arabic language encodes details like time directly into verb structure through systematic rules of tense conjugation. With repeated practice, the tenses become second nature. Online programs like eQuranekareem Online Quran Academy teach tense mastery through focused grammar lessons for seamless Arabic learning. Unlocking Arabic opens deeper access to the language of the Quran.
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