Arabic Verbs
Learn most popular Arabic verbs, used in a variety of everyday situations, conveniently accompanied by English pronunciation.
| English | Arabic | Transliteration |
| to be (not used in present tense) |
كان - يكون (كون) | kaana - yakuunu (koon) |
| to do; to make | فعل - يفعل (فعل) | fa3ala - yaf3alu (fa3l) |
| to work | عمل - يعمل (عمل) | 3amala - ya3milu (3amal) |
| to take | أخذ – يأخذ (أخذ) | axada - ya'xudu (axd) |
| to walk | مشى - يمشي (مشي) | maša - yamši (mašy) |
| to run | جرى - يجري (جري) | jara - yajri (jary) |
| to sit | جلس – يجلس (جلوس) | jalasa - yajlisu (juluus) |
| to eat | أكل - يأكل (أكل) | akala - yaa'kulu (akl) |
| to drink | شرب – يشرب (شرب) | šariba - yašrabu (šurb) |
| to sleep | نام - ينام (نوم) | naama - yanaamu (nawm) |
| to study | درس - يدرس (دراسة) | darasa - yadrusu (diraasa) |
| to learn | تعلّم – يتعلّم (تعلّم) | ta3allama - yata3allamu (ta3allum) |
| to understand | فهم - يفهم (فهم) | fahima - yafhamu (fahm) |
| to know | عرف - يعرف (معرفة) | 3arafa - ya3rifu (ma3rifa) |
| to read | قرأ – يقرأ (قراءة) | qara'a - yaqra' (qiraa'a) |
| to write | كتب – يكتب (كتابة) | kataba - yaktubu (kitaaba) |
| to say, tell | قال - يقول (قول) | qaala - yaquulu (qawl) |
| to ask (a question) | سأل - يسأل (سؤال) | sa'ala - yas'alu (su'aal) |
| to see | رأى – يرى (رؤية) | ra'a - yara (ru'ya) |
| to look at | نظر – ينظر (نظر) إلى | naZara - yanZuru (naZar) ila |
| to find | وجد - يجد (وجود) | wajada - yajidu (wujuud) |
| to lose (s.t.) | ضيّع - يضيّع (تضييع) | Dayya3a - yuDayyi3u (taDyii3) |
| to hear | سمع - يسمع (سمع | سماعة) | sami3a - yasma3u (sam3/samaa3a) |
| to listen to | استمع – يستمع (استماع) إلى | istama3a - yastami3u (istimaa3) ila |
| to love | أحبّ - يحبّ (حبّ) | aHabba - yuHibbu (Hubb) |
| to live | عاش - يعيش (معيشة) | 3aaša - ya3iišu (ma3iiša) |
| to wait | انتظر – ينتظر (انتظار) | intaZara - yantaZiru (intiZaar) |
| to buy | اشترى - يشتري (شراء) | ištara - yaštari (širaa') |
| to sell | باع - يبيع (بيع) | baa3a - yabii3u (bii3) |
| to open (s.t.) | فتح - يفتح (فتح) | fataHa - yaftaHu (fatH) |
| to close (s.t.) | غلق - يغلق (غلق) | ġalaqa - yaġliqu (ġalq) |
| to play | لعب - يلعب (لعب) | la3aba - yal3ibu (li3b) |
Arabic Proverbs:
الاعتراف بالحق فضيلة (il-i3tiraaf bil-Ha''e faDiila.)
Admitting it when someone else is right is a virtue.
ما خفي كان أعظم (ma xafiya kaana a3Zam.)
What is (still) hidden is more than what has happened/been revealed so far. (This is just the tip of the iceberg.)
التكرار يعلّم الحمار (it-tikraar yi3allim il-Humaar.)
Repetition teaches (even) a donkey. (Practice makes perfect.)
في الامتحان يكرم المرء أو يحان (fil-imteHaan yokram il-mar' aw yohaan.)
At the time of a test, a person rises or falls. (People's real worth is known only through trial.)
امشي في جنازة ولا تمشي في جوازة (imši fi ganaaza walla timši fi gawaaza.)
Being involved in a funeral is better than trying to arrange marriages. (Warning about matchmaking.)
لبس البوصة، تبقى عروسة (labbis il-buuSa, tib'a 3aruusa.)
Dressing up a stick turns it into a bride. (Costume makes the clown.)
طبّاخ السمّ بيدوقه (Tabbaax is-simm biyduu'u.)
One who cooks poison tastes it. (What goes around comes around.)
