Lesson Nine: The Command

[‫ﺮ‬‫]ﹶﺍ َﻷﻣ‬

The command (‫ﺮ‬‫ﻷﻣ‬

َ ‫ )ﹶﺍ‬is used to demand an act. For example, ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ ِﺍ ﹾﻓ‬means,
“do!” and ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ means, “he must do!” All conjugations of the command
are derived from the present tense verb in the state of jazm (‫ﻡ‬‫ﺟﺰ‬  ). Active
voice conjugations of the command reflect the person, gender, and
plurality of the individual commanded. For example, ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌ ﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ means, “they
must do!” Passive voice conjugations of the command reflect the person,
gender, and plurality of the object of the command. For example, ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌ ﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
means, “they (e.g., those tasks) must be done!”

PRINCIPLE ONE
The command is formed from the present tense verb in two distinct ways. In
the case of the active voice of the first and third person, the command is
made by placing the particle “ ‫ ” ﹺﻝ‬before the present tense verb (table 9.1).
This particle is called the lām of command (‫ﺮ‬‫ﻷﻣ‬ َ ‫ )ﻻﹶﻡ ﹶﺍ‬and it is one of five
particles that cause present tense verbs to enter the state of jazm (‫ﻡ‬‫ﺟﺰ‬  ) [lesson
seven, principle one]. For example, ‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ﻳ ﹾﻔ‬ (he does) becomes ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ (he must do!).

PRINCIPLE TWO
Active voice conjugations of the second person command are created by
(1) placing the second person present tense verb in the state of jazm, (2)
replacing the initial tā’ of the second person with a hamzah (seated on an
‘alif), and (3) voweling this hamzah with a kasrah 26 (table 9.2). For
example, ‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ (you do) becomes ‫ﻞ‬
‫ﻌ ﹾ‬ ‫(ِﺍ ﹾﻓ‬do!).

26 In some cases, the hamzah is voweled with a dammah. This occurs when the letter at the ‘ain
position of the present tense verb is also voweled with a dammah. Such patterns are covered in
Lesson Sixteen. For example, ‫ﺮ‬‫ﻨﺼ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ (he helps), becomes ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺼ‬
 ‫ﻧ‬‫( ﹸﺍ‬help!). See table 16.3, verb form I, types
A and E.
44 FUNDAMENTALS OF CLASSICAL ARABIC

PRINCIPLE THREE
All passive voice conjugations of the command, including the second
person, are formed by placing the lām of command ( ‫ ) ﹺﻝ‬before passive
voice conjugations of the present tense verb. For example, ‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫( ﺗ‬you are being
done) becomes ‫ﻞ‬
‫ﻌ ﹾ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ (be done!) [table 9.3].

THE EMPHATIC COMMAND

The emphatic command is used to forcefully demand an act. For example,
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ means, “verily do!” and ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ means, “verily he must do!” All
conjugations of the emphatic command are derived from the emphatic.
Active voice conjugations of the emphatic command reflect the person,
gender, and plurality of the individual commanded. For example, ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﻠﹸ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
means, “verily they must do!” Passive voice conjugations of the emphatic
command reflect the person, gender, and plurality of the object of the
command. For example, ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﻠﹸ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻴ‬ means, “verily they (e.g., those tasks)
must be done!”

PRINCIPLE FOUR
The emphatic command is formed from the emphatic in two distinct ways. In
the case of the active voice of the first and third person, the emphatic
command is formed by (1) removing the lām of emphasis ( ‫ ) ﹶﻝ‬from the
emphatic and (2) replacing it with the lām of command ( ‫) ﹺﻝ‬. Because all
forms of the emphatic are stateless (‫ﺒﻨﹺﻲ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ), this lām does not change the state
of the verb. However, the verb’s meaning changes from the emphatic to
the emphatic command. For example, ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫( ﹶﻟ‬verily he will do!) becomes
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ (verily he must do!).

PRINCIPLE FIVE
Active voice conjugations of the second person emphatic command are
formed by (1) removing the “ ‫ﻝ‬
‫ ” ﹶ‬from the beginning of the emphatic, (2)
replacing the initial tā’ of the second person with a hamzah (seated on an
 The Command 45

‘alif), and (3) voweling this hamzah with a kasrah. 27 For example, ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﹶﻟ‬
(verily you will do!) becomes ‫ﻦ‬
 ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ (verily do!).

PRINCIPLE SIX
All passive voice conjugations of the emphatic command, including the
second person, are formed by replacing the lām of emphasis ( ‫ ) ﹶﻝ‬with the
lām of command ( ‫) ﹺﻝ‬. For example, ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫( ﹶﻟﺘ‬verily you will be done!) becomes
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹶﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ (verily be done!) [table 9.3].

ESSENTIAL NOTE
The conjugations of the command and the emphatic command must be
memorized (table 9.3) before moving to the next lesson.

27 In some cases, this hamzah is voweled with a dammah. See footnote 26.
46 FUNDAMENTALS OF CLASSICAL ARABIC

TABLE 9.1
CREATING THE FIRST AND THIRD PERSON ACTIVE VOICE COMMAND

LĀM OF
VERB IN SIGN MEANS OF ACTIVE
COMMAND
ORIGINAL OF EXPRESSING VOICE
CAUSING
RAF’A RAF’A JAZM COMMAND
JAZM

‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ﻳ ﹾﻔ‬ Final

dammah + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Change final
dammah to sukūn Ö
‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
He or It (S/M)
He/It (S/M) must do!
does

‫ﻥ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻳ ﹾﻔ‬ Final
nūn + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Drop final nūn Ö ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
They (D/M) do They (D/M) must do!

‫ﻮ ﹶﻥ‬ ‫ﻌﻠﹸ‬ ‫ﻳ ﹾﻔ‬ Final

nūn + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Drop final nūn Ö ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
They (P/M) do They (P/M) must do!

‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Final

dammah + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Change final
dammah to sukūn Ö
‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
She or It (S/F)
She/It (S/F) must do!
does

‫ﻥ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Final
nūn + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Drop final nūn Ö ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
They (D/F) do They (D/F) must do!

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ﻳ ﹾﻔ‬ Stateless

(‫ﺒﻨﹺﻲ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ) + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ No change Ö ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
They (P/F) do They (P/F) must do!

‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ﹶﺃ ﹾﻓ‬ Final

dammah + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Change final
dammah to sukūn Ö ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻟﹶﺄ ﹾﻓ‬
I do I must do!

‫ﻌﻞﹸ‬ ‫ﻧ ﹾﻔ‬ Final

dammah + ‫ﹺﻝ‬ Change final
dammah to sukūn Ö ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻨ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
We do We must do!

M=Masculine F=Feminine S=Singular D=Dual P=Plural

 The Command 47

TABLE 9.2
CREATING THE SECOND PERSON28 ACTIVE VOICE COMMAND

PRESENT TENSE ACTIVE VOICE

STEP ONE STEP TWO
IN JAZM COMMAND
Add a hamzah

‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Remove the

initial tā’ +
(seated on an ‘alif)
with a kasrah to
the beginning of
Ö ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
You (S/M) the verb [You] Do! (S/M)
Add a hamzah

‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Remove the
initial tā’ +
(seated on an ‘alif)
with a kasrah to Ö ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
the beginning of
You (D/M) the verb [You] Do! (D/M)
Add a hamzah

‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Remove the

initial tā’ +
(seated on an ‘alif)
with a kasrah to
the beginning of
Ö ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
You (P/M) the verb [You] Do! (P/M)
Add a hamzah

‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻠ‬‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Remove the

initial tā’ +
(seated on an ‘alif)
with a kasrah to
the beginning of
Ö ‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻠ‬‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
You (S/F) the verb [You] Do! (S/F)
Add a hamzah

‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Remove the
initial tā’ +
(seated on an ‘alif)
with a kasrah to
the beginning of
Ö ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
You (D/F) the verb [You] Do! (D/F)
Add a hamzah

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ﺗ ﹾﻔ‬ Remove the

initial tā’ +
(seated on an ‘alif)
with a kasrah to
the beginning of
Ö ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
You (P/F) the verb [You] Do! (P/F)

M=Masculine F=Feminine S=Singular D=Dual P=Plural

28 Recall that the second person is used to refer to the individual spoken to. Therefore, each of
the conjugations listed in table 9.2 directly commands an individual or a group of individuals.
For example, ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ (do!) commands two individuals to perform an action (i.e., you two do!).
48 FUNDAMENTALS OF CLASSICAL ARABIC

TABLE 9.3
THE COMMAND

PASSIVE VOICE ACTIVE VOICE

PASSIVE VOICE ACTIVE VOICE
EMPHATIC EMPHATIC

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻴ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
Verily he/it (S/M) must be done! Verily he/it (S/M) must do! He/It (S/M) must be done! He/It (S/M) must do!

‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻴ‬ ‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻴ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
Verily they (D/M) must be done! Verily they (D/M) must do! They (D/M) must be done! They (D/M) must do!

‫ﻌﻠﹸﻦ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻴ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﻠﹸ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬

Verily they (P/M) must be done! Verily they (P/M) must do! They (P/M) must be done! They (P/M) must do!

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
Verily she/it (S/F) must be done! Verily she/it (S/F) must do! She/It (S/F) must be done! She/It (S/F) must do!

‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
Verily they (D/F) must be done! Verily they (D/F) must do! They (D/F) must be done! They (D/F) must do!

‫ﺎ ﱢﻥ‬‫ﻌ ﹾﻠﻨ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺎ ﱢﻥ‬‫ﻌ ﹾﻠﻨ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻴ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
Verily they (P/F) must be done! Verily they (P/F) must do! They (P/F) must be done! They (P/F) must do!

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ِﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
Verily [you] be done! (S/M) Verily [you] do! (S/M) [You] Be done! (S/M) [You] Do! (S/M)

‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
Verily [you] be done! (D/M) Verily [you] do! (D/M) [You] Be done! (D/M) [You] Do! (D/M)

‫ﻌﻠﹸﻦ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﻠﹸ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺍ‬‫ﻌﹸﻠﻮ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬

Verily [you] be done! (P/M) Verily [you] do! (P/M) [You] Be done! (P/M) [You] Do! (P/M)

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻠ‬‫ﻌ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻠ‬‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻠ‬‫ﻌ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻠ‬‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
Verily [you] be done! (S/F) Verily [you] do! (S/F) [You] Be done! (S/F) [You] Do! (S/F)

‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻼ ﱢﻥ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻼ‬
‫ﻌ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
Verily [you] be done! (D/F) Verily [you] do! (D/F) [You] Be done! (D/F) [You] Do! (D/F)

‫ﺎ ﱢﻥ‬‫ﻌ ﹾﻠﻨ‬ ‫ﺘ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺎ ﱢﻥ‬‫ﻌ ﹾﻠﻨ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﺘ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻠ‬ ‫ﺍ ﹾﻓ‬
Verily [you] be done! (P/F) Verily [you] do! (P/F) [You] Be done! (P/F) [You] Do! (P/F)

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻟﺄﹸ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻟﹶﺄ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻟﹸﺄ ﹾﻓ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻟﹶﺄ ﹾﻓ‬
Verily I must be done! Verily I must do! I must be done! I must do!

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟﻨ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﹶﻠ‬ ‫ﻨ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻨ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻌ ﹾﻞ‬ ‫ﻨ ﹾﻔ‬‫ﻟ‬
Verily we must be done! Verily we must do! We must be done! We must do!