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LearnGrammarThe Root System
beginnerMorphology (الصرف)

The Root System

نظام الجذور

Most Arabic words come from 3-letter roots

Explanation

Arabic words are built from root letters (usually 3). Understanding roots helps you recognize related words.

Example Root: ك-ت-ب (k-t-b) - related to writing

  • كَتَبَ (kataba) = he wrote
  • كِتَاب (kitāb) = book
  • كَاتِب (kātib) = writer
  • مَكْتُوب (maktūb) = written
  • مَكْتَبَة (maktabah) = library

    • Example Root: ع-ل-م (ʿ-l-m) - related to knowledge

  • عَلِمَ (ʿalima) = he knew
  • عِلْم (ʿilm) = knowledge
  • عَالِم (ʿālim) = scholar
  • مَعْلُوم (maʿlūm) = known
  • تَعَلَّمَ (taʿallama) = he learned

    • Quranic Examples

    ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ

    2:2

    Dhālika al-kitābu lā rayba fīh

    This is the Book about which there is no doubt

    وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا

    2:31

    Wa ʿallama Ādama al-asmā'a kullahā

    And He taught Adam all the names

    Tips to Remember

    • 1.الْكِتَـٰبُ (the book) shares root ك-ت-ب with كَتَبَ (he wrote)
    • 2.عَلَّمَ (he taught) is Form II of root ع-ل-م

    Related Grammar Rules

    Verb Forms (Awzan)

    أوزان الفعل

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    Verb Forms (Awzan)

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    Noun Gender

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