Hollow verb

[Jana337]

I had a look at the glossary of Arabic grammar terms, something I definitely want to master as I feel that it will facilitate the acquisition of the splendid language.

What is الأجْوَف, a hollow verb, please?

The definition says that middle is a weak letter.

Are those by any chance those verbs that I can never find in dictionaries because they have waaw, yaa or alef in the root?

Jana

 

[cherine]

The hollow verb is that of which the middle, i.e the second letter of its root is a vowel. (maybe because vowels are considered "less solid" than consonants )
example :
maala = incline م - ي - ل
qaala = say ق - و - ل
taala = took long time, became tall ط - و - ل
and so on.
I hope I was clear

 

[Jana337]

The hollow verb is that of which the middle, i.e the second letter of its root is a vowel. (maybe because vowels are considered "less solid" than consonants )
example :
maala = incline م - ي - ل
qaala = say ق - و - ل
taala = took long time, became tall ط - و - ل
and so on.
I hope I was clear

You were clear, but I can reconcile what you wrote with my stock of knowledge.
For example qaala should be, if I am not wrong, قالَ, without a waaw. What would justify writing "waaw" or "yaa" in the root?

Jana

 

[cherine]

... qaala should be, if I am not wrong, قالَ, without a waaw. What would justify writing "waaw" or "yaa" in the root? Jana

That's one of the difficulties of searching for the roots of Arabic words.
The alef is usually a "transformation" of either "waaw" or "yaa2". To know which is the origin of the alef in a verb's root, you use the present form of the verb :
قال - يقول : so the origin of the alef is waaw
مال - يميل : so it's a yaa2
مَشَى - يمشِى : so the alef in the end of the verb is originally a yaa2 .... and so on.

 

[Jana337]

Hm... Interesting. And probably way beyond my current level

Our textbooks teach us to think of the roots this way: Take the perfect masculine form in the 3rd person (like kataba) and remove vowels. If I understand correctly, this strategy would not work with hollow verbs because the 3rd person is qaala but the root is q-w-l. Am I on the right track?

Jana

 

[cherine]

Our textbooks teach us to think of the roots this way: Take the perfect masculine form in the 3rd person (like kataba) and remove vowels. If I understand correctly, this strategy would not work with hollow verbs because the 3rd person is qaala but the root is q-w-l. Am I on the right track?
Jana

You're right. But it's not that hard. Simply needs some practice. The problem is only with the second letter when it's a vowel ا - ى - و or more precisely an "alef". The rule is also very simple : just put the present form of the verb to determine the origin of the alef. Otherwise, it's the same rule you've said that applies.
Good luck And i'd love to help you with any verb you'd be confused about; I've always enjoyed this "root-finding game"

 

[Jana337]

The rule is also very simple : just put the present form of the verb to determine the origin of the alef.

Now you made me laugh - I use the root to determine everything else, including the present form.

Good luck And i'd love to help you with any verb you'd be confused about; I've always enjoyed this "root-finding game"

شكرا جزيلا

ينا

 

[cherine]

Now you made me laugh - I use the root to determine everything else, including the present form.

Sorry Jana, I hoped I was of help. Still, you can practice the way we did at school, we used to learn the 3 forms of a verb : past - present and "participle?" مفعول مطلق
كتب - يكتب - كتابةً
مشى - يمشى - مشيًا
قرأ - يقرأ - قراءةً
نَظَرَ - ينظر - نَظَرًا
... maybe with practice you'll find it as easy as i do ?

 

[Jana337]

Sorry Jana, I hoped I was of help. Still, you can practice the way we did at school, we used to learn the 3 forms of a verb : past - present and "participle?" مفعول مطلق
كتب - يكتب - كتابةً
مشى - يمشى - مشيًا
قرأ - يقرأ - قراءةً
نَظَرَ - ينظر - نَظَرًا
... maybe with practice you'll find it as easy as i do ?

Of course you were. I will learn it with the help of this great community.

إن رومة لم تبن في يوم واحد, after all.

ينا