Learning verbs

فبراير 9th, 2008

To become proficient for reading newspapers and magazines, one needs to learn 3000-4000 words, and more for reading fiction or general conversation. (source: The Art and Science of Learning Languages - by Amorey Gethin) Many of the key words to learn are verbs, which are used repeatedly. In the last post, verbs were introduced along with the concept of conjugating them. It would help to learn one (or more) new verbs each day.

I already know some verbs, including these below, and will be posting new verbs regularly.

* arrive - وصل (wasala)
* clean - نظف (nathafa)
* drink - شرب (shariba)
* eat - أكل (akala)
* go - ذهب (thahaba)
* know - عرف (arafa)
* like - حب (habba)
* live/reside - سكن (sukana)
* read - قرأ (qara)
* say - قال (qala)
* sit - جلس (jalasa)
* sleep - نام (nama)
* study - درس (darasa)
* speak - تكلم (takallama)
* travel - سفر (safara)
* understand - فهم (fahima)
* visit - زار (zara)
* walk - مشى (masha)
* wash - غسل (ghasala)
* work - عمل (amila)
* write - كتب (kataba)

As is customary in Arabic, these verbs are given in the 3rd person, masculine past tense, which is how the verbs are listed in the dictionary.

About This Blog

I am studying Arabic at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, and will be in Egypt in the summer. This site covers Arabic grammar, vocabulary, and other aspects of the Arabic language, and makes frequent use of YouTube videos, news, and other Arabic language resources on the Internet.