1. To conjugate an Arabic verb into the present tense, prefixes are added to the beginning of the verb's root to indicate person and number. Suffixes are sometimes also added to the end of the root for the same purpose. 2. If the verb root does not have a suffix, the last letter of the root takes a dammah vowel. The first letter of the root loses its vowel and takes a sukun. 3. There are four prefix letters (a, n, t, y) and four suffix letters/patterns (iyn, an, owon, n) used to indicate person and number in the present tense conjugation of Arabic verbs.

1. Arabic verb
Present tense
ِ‫ار‬َ‫ض‬ُ‫م‬ْ‫ل‬‫ٱ‬ ُ‫ل‬ْ‫ع‬ِ‫ف‬ْ‫ل‬‫ٱ‬‫ع‬

2. 1.To make an Arabic verb ( example ََ‫س‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ج‬ to sit) in
present tense we need to add prefixes ( for example
ََ‫أ‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ )at the beginning of its root.
Some time suffixes ( for example ََ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬َ‫ت‬َِ‫ان‬ ) are needed to
denote the gender and the number of the verb.
2.If the verb don’t have suffixes in the end of its root, then the
last letter of its root should carry dammah ( for
example َِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬َ‫أ‬َ‫س‬ I sit) .
3. The first letter of the root will lose its fathah and carries all
time soukoun ( example ََ‫أ‬َْ‫ج‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ I sit ).
.

3. Contrarily to past tense, the present tense must have
prefixes added to its beginning of the
root for example ََ‫س‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ج‬ to denote gender and number of
the verb:
The prefixes are 4 types of alphabets we can combine
them in one word ََ‫ين‬َ‫ت‬َ‫:أ‬
• ََ‫أ‬: to denote the first person singular
• ‫ن‬َََ : to denote first person plural.
• ََ‫ت‬: to denote the second person ( singular dual and
plural)
• ََ‫ي‬ : to denote third person except singular feminine
and dual feminine.

4. Also, the present tense need Suffixes
added at the end of its root for example ََ‫س‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ج‬ to
denote gender and number of the verb:
The suffixes are 4types of alphabets: the َ‫ن‬ and
three alphabets that we use to make long sound ‫و‬
‫ا‬ ‫.ي‬ We can combine them in one word ‫وي‬ ‫نا‬
• ََ‫ين‬ : to denote the feminine singular
• َِ‫ان‬ : to denote dual.
• ََ‫ون‬ : to denote plural masculine
• ََ‫ن‬ : to denote plural feminine

5. First person: Present tense of the verb ََ‫س‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ج‬
َ‫:أ‬ for the first person singular
َ‫:ن‬ for the first person plural.
SingularI sit
PluralWe sit
ََ‫أ‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ ََ‫ن‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬

6. Second person: ََ‫س‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ج‬, suffixes and prefixes are in
red
Masculine
You sit
Feminine
You sit
Singular
ََ‫ت‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ ََ‫ت‬َِ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ََ‫ين‬
Dual
ََ‫ت‬ََ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬َِ‫ان‬ ََ‫ت‬ََ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬َِ‫ان‬
Plural
ََ‫ت‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ََ‫ون‬ ََ‫ت‬َْ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ََ‫ن‬

7. Third person: َ‫س‬‫ل‬‫ج‬ suffixes and prefixes are in
red.
Masculine Feminine
Singular
ََ‫ي‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ ََ‫ت‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬
Dual
ََ‫ي‬ََ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬َِ‫ان‬ ََ‫ت‬ََ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬َِ‫ان‬
Plural
ََ‫ي‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ََ‫ون‬ ََ‫ي‬َْ‫س‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ج‬ََ‫ن‬