Lesson 162: Compound Verbs and the Energetic

You already know every rule you need for the first half of this lesson. A doubly weak verb is simply a verb in which two of the earlier sets of rules meet: the hamza rules of lesson 152, the assimilated verbs (first radical و), the hollow verbs and the defective verbs. The only real novelty is رَأَى, which drops its hamza in the imperfect. The second half, the energetic, is new: an ending ـَنَّ ('heavy') or ـَنْ ('light') added to the jussive or imperative stem to make a verb emphatic: لَأَكْتُبَنَّ I will certainly write.

Rule 1: 1. Compound verbs: each weak radical keeps its own rule

Five combinations are common. أَتَى 'to come': hamza first + ي third. وَقَى 'to protect': و first + ي third. رَأَى 'to see': hamza second + ي third. رَوَى 'to relate' and أَوَى 'to take shelter': و second + ي third; here the middle و is treated as a strong consonant and only the final ي is weak. حَيِيَ 'to live': ي second and third. In every case, conjugate the verb as defective and then apply the rule of the other weak radical.

أَتَى + يَأْتِي = أَكَلَ يَأْكُلُ + رَمَى يَرْمِي
atā, yaʾtī
'to come': the hamza of أَكَلَ, the ending of رَمَى
First person آتِي, like آكُلُ.
وَقَى + يَقِي = وَعَدَ يَعِدُ + رَمَى يَرْمِي
waqā, yaqī
'to protect': the و drops as in يَعِدُ, the ending is that of يَرْمِي
رَوَى يَرْوِي
rawā, yarwī
to relate, transmit
The و stays: only the final ي is weak.
حَيِيَ يَحْيَا
ḥayiya, yaḥyā
to live
Defective with kasra in the perfect, like لَقِيَ يَلْقَى.

Rule 2: 2. أَتَى and رَأَى

أَتَى يَأْتِي follows رَمَى يَرْمِي throughout; its jussive is لَمْ يَأْتِ, its first person آتِي, its participle آتٍ. The imperative is اِئْتِ (ʾiʾti), which after وَ or فَ becomes فَأْتِ. أَتَى بِـ means 'to bring'. رَأَى keeps its hamza in the perfect (رَأَيْتُ، رَأَوْا) but drops it in the imperfect and everything formed from it: يَرَى، لَمْ يَرَ, passive يُرَى, and the Form IV أَرَى يُرِي 'to show'. The imperative is a single letter رَ (in pause رَهْ), and is rarely used.

لَمْ يَأْتِ أَحَدٌ إِلَى الدَّرْسِ.
lam yaʾti aḥadun ila d-darsi
No one came to the lesson.
اِذْهَبْ إِلَى الْمَكْتَبَةِ فَأْتِنِي بِالْمُصْحَفِ.
idhhab ila l-maktabati fa-ʾtinī bi-l-muṣḥafi
Go to the library and bring me the copy of the Quran.
After فَ the hamzat al-waṣl of اِئْتِ falls and the hamza is written on alif: فَأْتِنِي.
لَمْ أَرَهُ مُنْذُ رَمَضَانَ.
lam arahu mundhu ramaḍāna
I have not seen him since Ramadan.
رُئِيَ الْهِلَالُ الْبَارِحَةَ، وَلَا يُرَى الْيَوْمَ.
ruʾiya l-hilālu l-bāriḥata, wa-lā yura l-yawma
The new moon was seen last night and cannot be seen today.
أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تَتَوَضَّأُ.
arinī kayfa tatawaḍḍaʾu
Show me how you perform ablution.
Imperative of أَرَى يُرِي (Form IV).

Rule 3: 3. وَقَى، رَوَى، أَوَى

وَقَى loses its first radical in the imperfect (يَقِي) and its last in the jussive and imperative, so the imperative masculine singular is the single letter قِ (in pause قِهْ); plural قُوا, feminine قِي. Its Form VIII اِتَّقَى يَتَّقِي 'to fear (God), be pious' and the noun تَقْوَى 'piety' are among the commonest words in the Quran. رَوَى يَرْوِي is simply defective; its participle رَاوٍ (pl. رُوَاةٌ) is a transmitter of ḥadīth or poetry. أَوَى يَأْوِي has an initial hamza: first person آوِي; the Form IV آوَى يُؤْوِي means 'to give shelter to'.

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
rabbanā ātinā fi d-dunyā ḥasanatan wa-qinā ʿadhāba n-nāri
Our Lord, give us good in this world and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
قِنَا = قِ + نَا; آتِنَا is the imperative of the Form IV آتَى 'to give'.
اِتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ حَيْثُ كُنْتُمْ.
ittaqu llāha ḥaythu kuntum
Be mindful of God wherever you are.
رَوَى الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ.
rawa l-ḥadītha ʿan abīhi ʿan jaddihi
He transmitted the ḥadīth from his father, from his grandfather.
أَوَى الْمُسَافِرُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لَيْلًا.
awa l-musāfiru ila l-masjidi laylan
The traveller took shelter in the mosque at night.
آوَتِ الْأُسْرَةُ الْيَتِيمَ.
āwati l-usratu l-yatīma
The family gave the orphan a home.
Form IV.

Rule 4: 4. حَيِيَ and its derived forms

حَيِيَ (also written حَيَّ) 'to live' has ي as both second and third radical. The perfect is حَيِيَ، حَيِيتُ, plural حَيُوا; the imperfect يَحْيَا, plural يَحْيَوْنَ; the jussive لَمْ يَحْيَ. The adjective is حَيٌّ 'alive' and the noun حَيَاةٌ 'life'. Its derived forms are more frequent than the base: حَيَّا يُحَيِّي (II) 'to greet', أَحْيَا يُحْيِي (IV) 'to bring to life', اِسْتَحْيَا يَسْتَحْيِي (X) 'to be ashamed, be shy'.

حَيِيَتِ الْأَرْضُ بَعْدَ الْمَطَرِ.
ḥayiyati l-arḍu baʿda l-maṭari
The land came to life after the rain.
يَحْيَا الصَّالِحُونَ فِي ذِكْرِ النَّاسِ.
yaḥya ṣ-ṣāliḥūna fī dhikri n-nāsi
The righteous live on in people's remembrance.
حَيَّا الْإِمَامُ الْمُصَلِّينَ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ.
ḥayya l-imāmu l-muṣallīna baʿda ṣ-ṣalāti
The imam greeted the worshippers after the prayer.
يُحْيِي اللّٰهُ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا.
yuḥyi llāhu l-arḍa baʿda mawtihā
God brings the earth to life after its death.

Rule 5: 5. The energetic: heavy ـَنَّ and light ـَنْ

The energetic is formed by adding ـَنَّ (heavy) or ـَنْ (light) to the jussive stem or the imperative. The fatḥa before the nūn replaces the jussive sukūn: يَكْتُبْ → يَكْتُبَنَّ. Where the jussive ends in a long vowel (ـُوا of the plural, ـِي of the feminine), the vowel is shortened and the fatḥa of the ending disappears: يَكْتُبُنَّ، تَكْتُبِنَّ. The dual and feminine plural have only the heavy form, with ـِنَّ after ا: يَكْتُبَانِّ، يَكْتُبْنَانِّ. Hollow verbs restore their long vowel, because the syllable is no longer closed: لَمْ يَقُلْ but لَأَقُولَنَّ. Defective verbs restore their third radical: لَأَرْمِيَنَّ، لَأَدْعُوَنَّ، لَأَلْقَيَنَّ; in the plural يَرْمُنَّ، يَدْعُنَّ but يَلْقَوُنَّ, يَرَوُنَّ.

وَاللّٰهِ لَأَكْتُبَنَّ إِلَيْكَ كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ.
wa-llāhi la-aktubanna ilayka kulla usbūʿin
By God, I will write to you every week.
لَنَقُولَنَّ الْحَقَّ وَلَوْ كَانَ مُرًّا.
la-naqūlanna l-ḥaqqa wa-law kāna murran
We shall surely speak the truth, even if it is bitter.
Hollow: the ū returns.
لَأَدْعُوَنَّ لَكَ فِي صَلَاتِي.
la-adʿuwanna laka fī ṣalātī
I will certainly pray for you in my prayer.
Defective: the و returns.
لَتَرَوُنَّ نَتِيجَةَ عَمَلِكُمْ.
la-tarawunna natījata ʿamalikum
You will surely see the result of your work.
From يَرَى: تَرَوْا + ـنَّ.
اُكْتُبَنْ مَا تَسْمَعُ.
uktuban mā tasmaʿu
Do write down what you hear.
Light energetic of the imperative.

Rule 6: 6. When the energetic is used

(a) After لَـ in the answer to an oath, for a future affirmative: وَاللّٰهِ لَأَفْعَلَنَّ. (b) To strengthen commands, prohibitions and wishes: لَا تَنْسَيَنَّ، لَيْتَكَ تَزُورَنَّنَا. (c) In the answer to a condition introduced by لَئِنْ ('if indeed'): لَئِنْ صَبَرْتَ لَتَنْجَحَنَّ. (d) After إِمَّا (= إِنْ مَا) 'if ever' and after حَيْثُمَا and similar words: إِمَّا تَزُورَنَّ مَكَّةَ فَادْعُ لِي. Without an oath or emphasis, a plain imperfect is used: أَكْتُبُ إِلَيْكَ 'I (shall) write to you'.

أُقْسِمُ بِاللّٰهِ لَأَرُدَّنَّ إِلَيْكَ مَالَكَ.
uqsimu bi-llāhi la-araddanna ilayka mālaka
I swear by God, I will return your money to you.
لَا تَقُولَنَّ إِلَّا خَيْرًا.
lā taqūlanna illā khayran
Say nothing but good.
Emphatic prohibition with an empty exception.
لَئِنْ حَفِظْتَ هٰذِهِ السُّورَةَ لَأُهْدِيَنَّكَ مُصْحَفًا.
la-in ḥafiẓta hādhihi s-sūrata la-uhdiyannaka muṣḥafan
If you memorise this sura, I will give you a copy of the Quran.
إِمَّا تَرَيَنَّ أَخِي فَسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ.
immā tarayanna akhī fa-sallim ʿalayhi
If ever you see my brother, greet him.
حَيْثُمَا تَذْهَبَنَّ أَتْبَعْكَ.
ḥaythumā tadhhabanna atbaʿka
Wherever you go, I will follow you.

Principal parts of the compound verbs (Tables 73–76)

Each verb is defective; the other weak radical follows its own rule.
Perfect	Meaning	Imperfect	Jussive	Imperative	Active participle	Verbal noun
أَتَى	to come	يَأْتِي	لَمْ يَأْتِ	اِئْتِ	آتٍ	إِتْيَانٌ
وَقَى	to protect	يَقِي	لَمْ يَقِ	قِ	وَاقٍ	وِقَايَةٌ
رَأَى	to see	يَرَى	لَمْ يَرَ	رَ	رَاءٍ	رُؤْيَةٌ
رَوَى	to relate	يَرْوِي	لَمْ يَرْوِ	اِرْوِ	رَاوٍ	رِوَايَةٌ
أَوَى	to take shelter	يَأْوِي	لَمْ يَأْوِ	اِيوِ	آوٍ	أُوِيٌّ
حَيِيَ	to live	يَحْيَا	لَمْ يَحْيَ	اِحْيَ	حَيٌّ	حَيَاةٌ

وَقَى and رَأَى: imperfect, imperative and jussive

وَقَى loses both weak radicals in the imperative; رَأَى loses its hamza in the whole imperfect.
Person	يَقِي	Imperative	يَرَى	Jussive
he	يَقِي	—	يَرَى	لَمْ يَرَ
she	تَقِي	—	تَرَى	لَمْ تَرَ
you (m.)	تَقِي	قِ	تَرَى	لَمْ تَرَ
you (f.)	تَقِينَ	قِي	تَرَيْنَ	لَمْ تَرَيْ
I	أَقِي	—	أَرَى	لَمْ أَرَ
you two	تَقِيَانِ	قِيَا	تَرَيَانِ	لَمْ تَرَيَا
they (m.)	يَقُونَ	—	يَرَوْنَ	لَمْ يَرَوْا
they (f.)	يَقِينَ	—	يَرَيْنَ	لَمْ يَرَيْنَ
you (m. pl.)	تَقُونَ	قُوا	تَرَوْنَ	لَمْ تَرَوْا
you (f. pl.)	تَقِينَ	قِينَ	تَرَيْنَ	لَمْ تَرَيْنَ
we	نَقِي	—	نَرَى	لَمْ نَرَ

The energetic of كَتَبَ

No light energetic exists in the dual or the feminine plural.
Person	Heavy imperfect	Light imperfect	Heavy imperative	Light imperative
he	يَكْتُبَنَّ	يَكْتُبَنْ	—	—
she	تَكْتُبَنَّ	تَكْتُبَنْ	—	—
you (m.)	تَكْتُبَنَّ	تَكْتُبَنْ	اُكْتُبَنَّ	اُكْتُبَنْ
you (f.)	تَكْتُبِنَّ	تَكْتُبِنْ	اُكْتُبِنَّ	اُكْتُبِنْ
I	أَكْتُبَنَّ	أَكْتُبَنْ	—	—
they two (m.)	يَكْتُبَانِّ	—	—	—
they two (f.)	تَكْتُبَانِّ	—	—	—
you two	تَكْتُبَانِّ	—	اُكْتُبَانِّ	—
they (m.)	يَكْتُبُنَّ	يَكْتُبُنْ	—	—
they (f.)	يَكْتُبْنَانِّ	—	—	—
you (m. pl.)	تَكْتُبُنَّ	تَكْتُبُنْ	اُكْتُبُنَّ	اُكْتُبُنْ
you (f. pl.)	تَكْتُبْنَانِّ	—	اُكْتُبْنَانِّ	—
we	نَكْتُبَنَّ	نَكْتُبَنْ	—	—

Plain future or sworn promise?

أَزُورُكَ غَدًا.

azūruka ghadan

I will visit you tomorrow.

وَاللّٰهِ لَأَزُورَنَّكَ غَدًا.

wa-llāhi la-azūrannaka ghadan

By God, I will certainly visit you tomorrow.

The energetic adds a commitment the speaker stakes his word on. Note the hollow verb: the ū that disappears in the jussive لَمْ أَزُرْ returns in لَأَزُورَنَّ.

Person	Singular			Plural
	Arabic	Transliteration	English	Arabic	Transliteration	English
he (perfect)	رَأَى	raʾā	he saw	رَأَوْا	raʾaw	they (m.) saw
she (perfect)	رَأَتْ	raʾat	she saw	رَأَيْنَ	raʾayna	they (f.) saw
you m. (perfect)	رَأَيْتَ	raʾayta	you saw	رَأَيْتُمْ	raʾaytum	you (m. pl.) saw
I / we (perfect)	رَأَيْتُ	raʾaytu	I saw	رَأَيْنَا	raʾaynā	we saw
he (imperfect)	يَرَى	yarā	he sees	يَرَوْنَ	yarawna	they (m.) see
she (imperfect)	تَرَى	tarā	she sees	يَرَيْنَ	yarayna	they (f.) see
you m. (imperfect)	تَرَى	tarā	you see	تَرَوْنَ	tarawna	you (m. pl.) see
you f. (imperfect)	تَرَيْنَ	tarayna	you (f.) see	تَرَيْنَ	tarayna	you (f. pl.) see
I / we (imperfect)	أَرَى	arā	I see	نَرَى	narā	we see
he (jussive)	لَمْ يَرَ	lam yara	he did not see	لَمْ يَرَوْا	lam yaraw	they (m.) did not see
he (heavy energetic)	لَيَرَيَنَّ	la-yarayanna	he will surely see	لَيَرَوُنَّ	la-yarawunna	they (m.) will surely see
you m. (heavy energetic)	لَتَرَيَنَّ	la-tarayanna	you will surely see	لَتَرَوُنَّ	la-tarawunna	you (m. pl.) will surely see
you f. (heavy energetic)	لَتَرَيِنَّ	la-tarayinna	you (f.) will surely see	لَتَرَيْنَانِّ	la-taraynānni	you (f. pl.) will surely see
I / we (heavy energetic)	لَأَرَيَنَّ	la-arayanna	I will surely see	لَنَرَيَنَّ	la-narayanna	we will surely see

Compound Verbs and the Energetic

Step 1 of 5: Learn

Rule 1: 1. Compound verbs: each weak radical keeps its own rule

Rule 2: 2. أَتَى and رَأَى

Rule 3: 3. وَقَى، رَوَى، أَوَى

Rule 4: 4. حَيِيَ and its derived forms

Rule 5: 5. The energetic: heavy ـَنَّ and light ـَنْ

Rule 6: 6. When the energetic is used

Principal parts of the compound verbs (Tables 73–76)

وَقَى and رَأَى: imperfect, imperative and jussive

The energetic of كَتَبَ

Plain future or sworn promise?

Conjugations: "To Have"

Vocabulary

Step 2 of 5: Read

The grandfather's advice

Notes

Comprehension

In the Quran

Step 3 of 5: Practice

Exercises

Step 4 of 5: Quiz

Translate from Arabic to English

Translate from English to Arabic

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

How many questions would you like?

Step 5 of 5: Finish