Lesson Six: The Present Tense Verb

in the State of Nasb [ ]

PRINCIPLE ONE

Certain words when placed before a verb alter its meaning. These are
called particles. For example, the particle “ ” negates the past tense verb,
and the particle “ ” negates the present tense verb (lessons three and four).

PRINCIPLE TWO
Particles that change the meaning of a verb often affect its grammatical
state as well. The following four particles, when placed before the present
tense verb, cause it to enter the state of nasb ( )19:

1)
2)
3)
4)

PRINCIPLE THREE
Changes in grammatical state are reflected at the end of a word by either
(1) changes in voweling or (2) changes in lettering. If the present tense verb
ends with a dammah ( ُ ) in the state of rafa’ ( ), the dammah is changed
to a fathah ( َ ) to reflect the state of nasb ( ). If the verb ends in a n n
( ) in the state of rafa’ ( ), the n n is dropped to reflect the state of nasb
( ) [table 6.1].

19 These particles do not have independent meaning. When placed before the present tense verb,
they act to alter its meaning. Refer to higher-level books of Arabic grammar for a discussion of
how each of these particles changes the meaning of a verb.
34 FUNDAMENTALS OF CLASSICAL ARABIC

PRINCIPLE FOUR
The two stateless ( ) conjugations of the present tense verb (i.e., the
second and third person feminine plurals) never enter states (lesson five,
principle five). The four particles that cause the state of nasb ( ) do not
alter these two conjugations, and the final n n on each of these
conjugations does not drop from the end of the verb (table 6.1).

PRINCIPLE FIVE
The particle is used as a model to illustrate the state of nasb ( ).
This particle changes the verb from its default state of rafa’ ( ) to the
state of nasb ( ). Furthermore, it alters the meaning of the verb by (1)
limiting the present tense to the future tense and (2) negating it. Thus
(he does) becomes (he will never do).

ESSENTIAL NOTE
The conjugations of the present tense verb in the state of nasb ( ) must
be memorized (table 6.2) before moving to the next lesson.
 The Present Tense Verb in the State of Nasb 35

TABLE 6.1
EXPRESSING THE STATE OF NASB

VERB IN SIGN PARTICLE MEANS OF

Final
dammah + Change final
dammah to fathah ö
He/It (S/M) does He/It (S/M) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
They (D/M) do They (D/M) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
They (P/M) do They (P/M) will never do

Final
dammah + Change final
dammah to fathah ö
She/It (S/F) does She/It (S/F) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
They (D/F) do They (D/F) will never do

Stateless
( ) + No change ö
They (P/F) do They (P/F) will never do

Final
dammah + Change final
dammah to fathah ö
You (S/M) do You (S/M) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
You (D/M) do You (D/M) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
You (P/M) do You (P/M) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
You (S/F) do You (S/F) will never do

Final
n n + Drop final n n ö
You (D/F) do You (D/F) will never do

Stateless
( ) + No change ö
You (P/F) do You (P/F) will never do

Final
dammah + Change final
dammah to fathah ö
I do I will never do

Final
dammah + Change final
dammah to fathah ö
We do We will never do
36 FUNDAMENTALS OF CLASSICAL ARABIC

TABLE 6.2
THE PRESENT TENSE VERB IN THE STATE OF NASB

PASSIVE VOICE IN NASB ACTIVE VOICE IN NASB

He/It (S/M) will never be done He/It (S/M) will never do

They (D/M) will never be done They (D/M) will never do

They (P/M) will never be done They (P/M) will never do

She/It (S/F) will never be done She/It (S/F) will never do

They (D/F) will never be done They (D/F) will never do

They (P/F) will never be done They (P/F) will never do

You (S/M) will never be done You (S/M) will never do

You (D/M) will never be done You (D/M) will never do

You (P/M) will never be done You (P/M) will never do

You (S/F) will never be done You (S/F) will never do

You (D/F) will never be done You (D/F) will never do

You (P/F) will never be done You (P/F) will never do

I will never be done I will never do

We will never be done We will never do

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