The Action Tails

In the last lesson, we learned that verbs are built on a 3-letter root like ذَهَبَ (He went). But what if you went? Or I went? In the Past Tense, we change the "doer" by adding specific suffixes (tails) to the end of the root verb!

1. The 5 Singular Tails

Let's put the verb ذَهَبَ (to go) in the machine. Notice how the pink tail at the end tells you exactly WHO did the action.

The Doer	Arabic Verb	Structure Breakdown	Pronunciation	Translation
He	ذَهَبَ	Base Verb (No tail)	Dhahaba	He went
She	ذَهَبَتْ	Base + تْ	Dhahabat	She went
You (m)	ذَهَبْتَ	Base + تَ	Dhahabta	You (m) went
You (f)	ذَهَبْتِ	Base + تِ	Dhahabti	You (f) went
I	ذَهَبْتُ	Base + تُ	Dhahabtu	I went

Crucial Spelling Rule: Notice that when adding the tails ta, ti, or tu, the 3rd letter of the base verb (the 'Ba' in Dhahaba) loses its Fatha and gets a Sukoon (silence). For example, it becomes Dhahab-tu, NOT Dhahaba-tu.

2. Try Another Verb

Let's apply the exact same tails to the verb كَتَبَ (To write).

He wrote

كَتَبَ

Kataba

She wrote

كَتَبَتْ

Katabat

You (m) wrote

كَتَبْتَ

Katabta

You (f) wrote

كَتَبْتِ

Katabti

I wrote

كَتَبْتُ

Katabtu

3. Dialogue Lab

See how these verbs are used naturally in conversation. We only use words you already know!

Who went? Hamid went.

مَنْ ذَهَبَ؟ حَامِدٌ ذَهَبَ

Where did Fatima go? She went there.

أَيْنَ ذَهَبَتْ فَاطِمَةُ؟ ذَهَبَتْ هُنَاكَ

Did you(m) sit, Muhammad? Yes, I sat.

هَلْ جَلَسْتَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ؟ نَعَمْ جَلَسْتُ

Did you(f) exit, O student? No, I did not exit.

هَلْ خَرَجْتِ يَا طَالِبَةُ؟ لَا، مَا خَرَجْتُ

Who wrote? The teacher wrote.

مَنْ كَتَبَ؟ اَلْمُدَرِّسُ كَتَبَ

Where did I sit? I sat here.

أَيْنَ جَلَسْتُ؟ جَلَسْتُ هُنَا