Session 10 - Grammar / Verb Conjugation Rules

Question 1

PRESENT TENSE: Regular verbs

Answer 1

three consonant letters as their root

Question 2

PRESENT TENSE: Irregular verbs

Answer 2

3 kinds: verbs that end in a long vowel, verbs whose middle letter is an alif, and verbs with two letters with shedda

Question 3

PRESENT TENSE: Irregular verbs - Group 1

Answer 3

The long vowel of verbs in this group, like qra - قرى - “to study”, msha - مشى - “to go”, and shra - شرى - “to buy”, it becomes either an alif - ا - or ya - ي - in all singular verb forms. These differences can be learn through practice. In the plural forms - “we”, “you all”, “they” - the long vowel is merged with waw - و . (eg) msha - مشى - “to go”

Question 4

PRESENT TENSE: Irregular verbs - Group 2

Answer 4

The alif in these verbs becomes either a waw - و , ya - ي , or remains an alif - ا. This corresponds to the short vowels used in these verbs’ past tense forms. These differences can be learned through practice. (eg) shaf - شاف - “to see”

Question 5

PRESENT TENSE: Irregular verbs - Group 3

Answer 5

Verbs with a doubled last letter - shedda - behave like regular verbs in the present tense. (eg) 7ass - ّحس - “To feel”

Question 6

PRESENT TENSE: msha - مشى - “to go”

Answer 6

I go: ana kanimshi - أنا كنمشي
You (m.) go: anta katimshi - أنتَ كتمشي
You (f.) go: anti katimshi - أنتِ كتمشي
She goes: hiya katimshi - هي كتمشي
He goes: howa kayimshi - هو كيمشي
We go: 7na kanimshiaw - حنا كنمشيو
You (pl.) go: antuma katimshiaw - أنتما كتمشيو
They go: homa kayimshiaw - هما كيمشيو

Question 7

PRESENT TENSE: shaf - شاف - “to see” (Group 2)

Answer 7

I see: ana kanshuf - أنا كنشوف
You (m.) see: anta katshuf - أنتَ كتشوف
You (f.) see: anti katshufi - أنتِ كتشوفي
She sees: hiya katshuf - هي كتشوف
He sees: howa kayshuf - هو كيشوف
We see: 7na kanshufo - حنا كنشوفو
You (pl.) see: antuma katshufo - أنتما كتشوفو
They see: homa kayshufo - هما كيشوفو

Question 8

PRESENT TENSE: 7ass - ّحس - “To feel” (Group 3)

Answer 8

I feel: ana kan7ass - أنا كنحس
You (m.) feel: anta kat7ass - أنتَ كتحس
You (f.) feel: anti kat7assi - أنتِ كتحسي
She feels: hiya kat7ass - هي كتحس
He feels: howa kay7ass - هو كيحس
We feel: 7na kan7asso - حنا كنحسو
You (pl.) feel: antuma kat7asso - أنتما كتحسو
They feel: homa kay7asso - هما كيحسو

Question 9

PRESENT TENSE: The Subjunctive Mood

Answer 9

Present tense verbs go into the subjunctive when they come after certain prepositions, like bash, particles, or come after other verbs. In the subjunctive (and sometimes elsewhere), the ta or ka prefix is dropped:

بغيت ناكل دبا
bghit nakol dba
(I want to eat now)

غنسوني عليك باش نتعرف عليك
ghansone 3laik bash nt3rraf 3laik
(I’m going to call you so we can get to know each other.)

Question 10

Past tense verbs

Answer 10

The past tense in Moroccan Arabic is almost identical to the past tense in Standard Arabic with these exceptions:

The first person - “I” - ending is silent. The 3rd person male - “he” - ending is also silent.

Both the male and female 2nd person - “you” - endings have a long e sound. So in the 2nd person, verbs are conjugated the same for both men and women.

The 3rd person male - “he” - ending is also silent.

The plural “you” ending - “you all” - is too.

Question 11

PAST TENSE: safara - سافر

Answer 11

I traveled: ana safart - أنا سافرتْ
You (m.) traveled: anta safarti - أنتَ سافرتِ
You (f.) traveled: anti safarti - أنتِ سافرتِ
She traveled: hiya safarat - هي سافرت
He traveled: howa safar - هو سافر
We traveled: 7na safarna - حنا سافرنا
You (pl.) traveled: antuma safarto - أنتما سافرتو
They traveled: homa safaro - هما سافرو

Question 12

PAST TENSE: Irregular verbs

Answer 12

There are three types of irregular verbs in Moroccan Arabic: verbs that end in a long vowel, verbs whose middle letter is an alif, and verbs with two letters with shedda.