This ~bonus bonus bonus~ post is pretty self-explanatory, I think. All forms given here are Syrian – minor variations occur in other dialects.
This is not a comprehensive list of all of the possible conjugation patterns of Syrian. Every Arabic verb has a present vowelling (e.g. yéf3al) and a past vowelling (e.g. fé3el). Most verbs pair a present vowelling with a past vowelling according to predictable patterns – most fé3el verbs are yéf3al verbs in the present, for example, and most fa3al verbs are either yéf3el or yéf3ol verbs in the present. There are a not-insignificant number of verbs, however, which have unpredictable or unusual pairings of a present and a past vowelling. Only a dictionary or native speakers can provide this information. Nonetheless, any verb which has fa3al vowelling in the past will conjugate in the past like katab here. Likewise, any verb which has yéf3al vowelling in the present will conjugate like yét3ab here.
Although a lot of these patterns have obvious correspondences to fuSHa patterns and are probably related to them (fa3ila > fé3el), fuSHa verbs do not necessarily have the corresponding vowelling in colloquial. The colloquial form can only be learnt from a dictionary or from natives.
Fa3al fé3el; yéf3el yéf3ol yéf3al
These are the two ‘sound’ past vowellings and three ‘sound’ present vowellings. Probably the most common pattern is fa3al–yéf3el or fa3al-yéf3ol, followed by fé3el-yéf3al. The only pattern in meaning you can generally observe is that the majority of form I verbs of becoming are fé3el-yéf3al, as té3eb is (‘get tired’). However, far from all fé3el verbs are verbs of becoming, as you can see from the second example, mések.
كتب katab ‘to write’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
كاتب kaateb | مكتوب maktuub | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
كتابة kitaabe | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
كتوب كتبي كتبو ktoob ktébi ktébu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | éktob béktob | اكتب بكتب | katab@t | كتبت |
Inte | téktob btéktob | تكتب بتكتب | katab@t | كتبت |
Inti | ték@tbi bték@tbi | تكتبي بتكتبي | katabti | كتبتي |
Huwwe | yéktob byéktob | يكتب بيكتب | katab | كتب |
Hiyye | téktob btéktob | تكتب بتكتب | katbet | كتبت |
Né7na | néktob mnéktob | نكتب منكتب | katabna | كتبنا |
Intu | ték@tbu bték@tbu | تكتبو بتكتبو | katabtu | كتبتو |
Hénnen | yék@tbu byék@tbu | يكتبو بيكتبو | katabu | كتبو |
مسك mések ‘to hold, catch’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
ماسك maasek | ممسوك mamsuuk | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
مسك mas@k | مسكة maske | |||
Imperative: | ||||
مسيك مسكي مسكو mseek mséki mséku |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | émsek bémsek | امسك بمسك | msék@t | مسكت |
Inte | témsek btémsek | تمسك بتمسك | msék@t | مسكت |
Inti | tém@ski btém@ski | تمسكي بتمسكي | msékti | مسكتي |
Huwwe | yémsek byémsek | يمسك بيمسك | mések | مسك |
Hiyye | témsek btémsek | تمسك بتمسك | mésket | مسكت |
Né7na | némsek mnémsek | نمسك منمسك | msékna | مسكنا |
Intu | tém@sku btém@sku | تمسكو بتمسكو | mséktu | مسكتو |
Hénnen | yém@sku byém@sku | يمسكو بيمسكو | mésku | مسكو |
تعب té3eb ‘get tired’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
تعبان ta3baan | – | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
تعب ta3@b | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
تعاب تعبي تعبو t3aab t3abi t3abu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | ét3ab bét3ab | اتعب بتعب | t3éb@t | تعبت |
Inte | tét3ab btét3ab | تتعب بتتعب | t3éb@t | تعبت |
Inti | tét3abi btét3abi | تتعبي بتتعبي | t3ébti | تعبتي |
Huwwe | yét3ab byét3ab | يتعب بيتعب | t3éb@t | تعب |
Hiyye | tét3ab btét3ab | تتعب بتتعب | té3bet | تعبت |
Né7na | nét3ab mnét3ab | نتعب منتعب | t3ébna | تعبنا |
Intu | tét3abu btét3abu | تتعبو بتتعبو | t3ébtu | تعبتو |
Hénnen | yét3abu byét3abu | يتعبو بيتعبو | té3bu | تعبو |
a3al; yaa3ol
This pattern only exists with two ‘hamzated’ verbs, akal ‘eat’ and akhad ‘take’.
اخد akhad ‘to take’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
آخد aakhed | مأخود ma2khuud | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
اخد akh@d | اخدة akhde | |||
Imperative: | ||||
خود خدي خدو khood khédi khédu | ||||
Present | Past | |||
Ana | aakhod baakhod | آخد باخد | akhad@t | اخدت |
Inte | taakhod btaakhod | تاخد بتاخد | akhad@t | اخدت |
Inti | taakhdi btaakhdi | تاخدي بتاخدي | akhatti | اخدتي |
Huwwe | yaakhod byaakhod | ياخد بياخد | akhad | اخد |
Hiyye | taakhod btaakhod | تاخد بتاخد | akhdet | اخدت |
Né7na | naakhod mnaakhod | ناخد مناخد | akhadna | اخدنا |
Intu | taakhdu btaakhdu | تاخدو بتاخدو | akhattu | اخدتو |
Hénnen | yaakhdu byaakhdu | ياخدو بياخدو | akhadu | اخدو |
wé3el wa3al; yuu3al yuu3el
These are the patterns used by weak-initial verbs (‘assimilating verbs’ I seem to remember they’re called in fuSHa teaching materials). They are variations on the sound forms and act generally predictably apart from the treatment of the first consonant in the present, so we’ll only include one example here, wéSel. Note that for some speakers, at least some of these verbs act like they do in fuSHa, dropping their initial consonant entirely – so you will hear for example téSel ‘you arrive’ as well as tuuSal.
وصل wéSel
‘arrive’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
واصل وصلان waaSel waSlaan | N/A | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
وصول wSuul | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
وصال وصلي وصلو wSaal wSali wSalu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | uuSel buuSel | اوصل بوصل | wSél@t | وصلت |
Inte | tuuSel btuuSel | توصل بتوصل | wSél@t | وصلت |
Inti | tuuSli btuuSli | توصلي بتوصلي | wSélti | وصلتي |
Huwwe | yuuSel byuuSel | يوصل بيوصل | wéSel | وصل |
Hiyye | tuuSel btuuSel | توصل بتوصل | wéSlet | وصلنا |
Né7na | nuuSel mnuuSel | نوصل منوصل | wSélna | وصلنا |
Intu | tuuSel btuuSli | توصلو بتوصلو | wSéltu | وصلتو |
Hénnen | yuuSlu byuuSlu | يوصلو بيوصلو | wéSlu | وصلو |
faal (fél@t); yfiil yfuul yfaal
These are the so-called hollow verbs with a semivowel (w, y) as their middle root letter. There is only one possible past vowelling in Syrian – down from one in fuSHa – because of the merger of i u to é in stressed syllables, but there are three possible present vowellings. The rarest, as in fuSHa, is yfaal. The other two are both quite common. Note the regularised passive participle.
جاب jaab ‘to bring’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
جايب jaayeb | مجيوب majyuub | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
N/A | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
جيب جيبي جيبو jiib jiibi jiibu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | jiib bjiib | جيب بجيب | jéb@t | جبت |
Inte | tjiib bétjiib | تجيب بتجيب | jéb@t | جبت |
Inti | tjiibi bétjiibi | تجيبي بتجيبي | jébti | جبتي |
Huwwe | yjiib bijiib | يجيب بجيب | jaab | جاب |
Hiyye | tjiib bétjiib | تجيب بتجيب | jaabet | جابت |
Né7na | njiib ménjiib | نجيب منجيب | jébna | جبنا |
Intu | tjiibu bétjiibu | تجيبو بتجيبو | jébtu | جبتو |
Hénnen | yjiibu bijiibu | يجيبو بجيبو | jaabu | جابو |
داق daa2
‘to taste’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
دايق daaye2 | مديوق madyuu2 | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
دوق doo2 | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
دوق دوقي دوقو duu2 duu2i duu2u |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | duu2 bduu2 | دوق بدوق | dé2@t | دقت |
Inte | tduu2 bétduu2 | تدوق بتدوق | dé2@t | دقت |
Inti | tduu2i bétduu2i | تدوقي بتدوقي | dé2ti | دقتي |
Huwwe | yduu2 biduu2 | يدوق بدوق | daa2 | داق |
Hiyye | tduu2 bétduu2 | تدوق بتدوق | daa2et | داقت |
Né7na | nduu2 ménduu2 | ندوق مندوق | dé2na | دقنا |
Intu | tduu2u bétduu2u | تدوقو بتدوقو | dé2tu | دقتو |
Hénnen | yduu2u biduu2u | يدوقو بدوقو | daa2u | داقو |
نام naam
‘to sleep’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
نايم naayem | N/A | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
نوم noom | نومة noome | |||
Imperative: | ||||
نام نامي نامو naam naami naamu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | naam bnaam | نام بنام | ném@t | نمت |
Inte | tnaam bétnaam | تنام بتنام | ném@t | نمت |
Inti | tnaami bétnaami | تنامي بتنامي | némti | نمتي |
Huwwe | ynaam binaam | ينام بنام | naam | نام |
Hiyye | tnaam bétnaam | تنام بتنام | naamet | نامت |
Né7na | nnaam bénnaam | ننام مننام | némna | نمنا |
Intu | tnaamu bétnaamu | تنامو بتنامو | némtu | نمتو |
Hénnen | ynaamu binaamu | ينامو بنامو | naamu | نامو |
fa3a fé3i; yéf3i yéf3a
These are the ‘defective verbs’ with a semivowel as their final consonant. They generally pattern, like their sound verb equivalents, as fa3a-yéf3i and fé3i-yéf3a, although there are exceptions. Many of the second class are verbs of becoming. The other possible vowelling in fuSHa, yaf3u, does not typically appear in 3aammiyye except in classicisms like yabdu ‘it seems’. A few verbs from fuSHa with this vowelling also exist in 3aammiyye as yéf3i verbs, e.g. سطى saTa (yéSTi) ‘rob’.
طفى Tafa
‘turn off’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
طافي Taafi | مطفي méTfi | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
طفي Tafy | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
اطفي اطفي اطفو
éTfi éTfi éTfu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | éTfi béTfi | اطفي بطفي | Tafeet | طفيت |
Inte | téTfi btéTfi | تطفي بتطفي | Tafeet | طفيت |
Inti | téTfi btéTfi | تطفي بتطفي | Tafeeti | طفيتي |
Huwwe | yéTfi | يطفي بيطفي | Tafa | طفى |
Hiyye | téTfi btéTfi | تطفي بتطفي | Tafet | طفت |
Né7na | néTfi mnéTfi | نطفي منطفي | Tafeena | طفينا |
Intu | téTfu btéTfu | تطفو بتطفو | Tafeetu | طفيتو |
Hénnen | yéTfu byéTfu | يطفو بيطفو | Tafu | طفو |
نسي nési
‘forget’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
نسيان nésyaan | منسي ménsi | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
نسي nasy | N/A | |||
Imperative: | ||||
انسى انسي انسو
énsa énsi énsu |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | énsa bénsa | انسى بنسى | nsiit | نسيت |
Inte | ténsa bténsa | تنسى بتنسى | nsiit | نسيت |
Inti | ténsi bténsi | تنسي بنتسي | nsiiti | نسيتي |
Huwwe | yénsa byénsa | ينسى بينسى | nési | نسي |
Hiyye | ténsa bténsa | تنسى بتنسى | nésyet | نسيت |
Né7na | nénsa mnénsa | ننسى مننسى | nsiina | نسينا |
Intu | ténsu bténsu | تنسو بتنسو | nsiitu | نسيتو |
Hénnen | yénsu byénsu | ينسو بينسو | nésyu | نسيو |
Fa33; yfé33
There is only one common pattern for doubled verbs, fa33-yfé33, although there may be some with yfa33. Doubled verbs are the class which differ most radically from fuSHa in their conjugation. Their active participles are regularised (daa2e2), and their past conjugation has been radically remodelled along the lines of weak verbs. Instead of splitting the consonants apart, in colloquial -ee- is inserted between the end of the stem and the suffix.
دق da22
‘hit, tap’ |
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Active Participle | Passive Participle | |||
داقق daa2e2 | مدقوق mad2uu2 | |||
MaSdar | Noun of Instance | |||
دق da22 | دقة da22a | |||
Imperative: | ||||
دق دقي دقو dé22 dé22i dé22u |
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Present | Past | |||
Ana | dé22 bdé22 | دق بدق | da22eet | دقيت |
Inte | tdé22 bétdé22 | تدق بتدق | da22eet | دقيت |
Inti | tdé22i bétde22i | تدقي بتدقي | da22eeti | دقيتي |
Huwwe | ydé22 bidé22 | يدق بدق | da22 | دق |
Hiyye | tdé22 bétdé22 | تدق بتدق | da22et | دقت |
Né7na | ndé22 méndé22 | ندق مندق | da22eena | دقينا |
Intu | tdé22u bétdé22u | تدقو بتدقو | da22eetu | دقيتو |
Hénnen | ydé22 ydé22u | يدقو بدقو | da22u | دقو |