A Conversational Course in Qur'ānic Arabic

لُغَةُ القُرْآنِ

Part 5 · Chapter Thirty-Eight · Form II — فَعَّلَ

فَعَّلَ

Form II — Causing and Intensifying

Form II doubles a root's middle letter — كَبَّرَ, سَبَّحَ, عَلَّمَ — and that doubling almost always means ‘caused something to happen’ or ‘did it intensively.’ عَلِمَ (Form I, ‘he knew’) becomes عَلَّمَ (Form II, ‘he caused someone to know’ — he taught). This is the single most common derived form in the Qur'ān, and you'll recognise several of its words already.

Every Arabic passage has a small circle button — click it to hear it read aloud using your browser's own Arabic voice.

BY THE END OF THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL BE ABLE TO

Recognise Form II's فَعَّلَ pattern and its causative/intensive meaning
Produce all nine word-forms of a Form II verb from one root
Recognise سَبَّحَ and كَبَّرَ, central to Muslim daily worship
Read a verse whose opening word is a Form II imperative

TEACHER NOTES

Pacing: 40 min

Prerequisite check: Form I verbs and basic sarf concepts (Chapter Thirty-Seven).

Watch out for: Form II's core meaning (causative/intensive) is easiest anchored with one memorable pair: عَلِمَ → عَلَّمَ.

01 — THE FULL PICTURE, FIRST

رُكْنُ الْقَوَاعِدِGrammar Corner

Nine word-forms, one root. Once you know a root's Form II perfect verb, every other slot follows a fixed pattern.

Perfect (active)	Imperfect (active)	Active participle	Perfect (passive)	Imperfect (passive)	Passive participle	Maṣdar (verbal noun)	Imperative (positive)	Imperative (negative)
كَبَّرَ kabbara he magnified	يُكَبِّرُ yukabbiru he magnifies	مُكَبِّرٌ mukabbir one who magnifies	كُبِّرَ kubbira it was magnified	يُكَبَّرُ yukabbaru it is magnified	مُكَبَّرٌ mukabbar magnified (e.g. ‘magnified’ in size)	تَكْبِيرٌ takbīr the act of saying Allāhu akbar	كَبِّرْ kabbir magnify!	لَا تُكَبِّرْ lā tukabbir don't magnify!

Root ك-ب-ر, Form II — كَبَّرَ ‘to magnify’

Two meaning-shifts, one pattern. Doubling the middle letter usually does one of two things: it makes a verb causative (someone caused an action) or intensive (the action is done thoroughly/repeatedly).

عَلِمَ (I) → عَلَّمَ (II)

‘alima → ‘allama
he knew → he caused (someone) to know = he taught (causative)

قَطَعَ (I) → قَطَّعَ (II)

qaṭa‘a → qaṭṭa‘a
he cut → he cut into many pieces (intensive)

Form II's maṣdar, unlike Form I's, is predictable: تَفْعِيلٌ, every time — compare تَكْبِيرٌ and تَعْلِيمٌ, both following the same shape.

Quick check: what's the maṣdar pattern for any Form II verb? (تَفْعِيلٌ — always predictable, unlike Form I.)

02 — LISTEN & REPEAT

حِوَارٌDialogue

Yūsuf and Maryam talk about teaching and remembrance, using several Form II verbs. Listen twice, then read aloud.

MARYAM

مَنْ عَلَّمَكَ التَّجْوِيدَ؟

man ‘allamaka-t-tajwīd?

Who taught you tajwīd?

YŪSUF

عَلَّمَنِي جَدِّي، وَكَانَ يُكَبِّرُ بِصَوْتٍ جَمِيلٍ.

‘allamanī jaddī, wa kāna yukabbiru bi-ṣawtin jamīl.

My grandfather taught me, and he used to say ‘Allāhu akbar’ in a beautiful voice.

MARYAM

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ! كُنْتُ أُسَبِّحُ مَعَ جَدَّتِي كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ.

subḥāna-llāh! kuntu usabbiḥu ma‘a jaddatī kulla ṣabāḥ.

SubḥānAllāh! I used to glorify Allah with my grandmother every morning.

YŪSUF

الذِّكْرُ يُقَرِّبُنَا مِنَ اللَّهِ.

adh-dhikru yuqarribunā mina-llāh.

Remembrance brings us closer to Allah.

03 — CORE WORDS

الْمُفْرَدَاتُVocabulary

Watch the doubled middle letter (marked by a shaddah) in every one of these — that's the whole of Form II's signature.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
NEWكَبَّرَ / يُكَبِّرُ	kabbara / yukabbiru	he magnified / he magnifies	Root ك-ب-ر — to say ‘Allāhu akbar.’
NEWسَبَّحَ / يُسَبِّحُ	sabbaḥa / yusabbiḥu	he glorified / he glorifies	Root س-ب-ح — to say ‘SubḥānAllāh.’
REVIEWعَلَّمَ / يُعَلِّمُ	‘allama / yu‘allimu	he taught / he teaches	Root ع-ل-م — you've known this since early in the course.
NEWقَرَّبَ / يُقَرِّبُ	qarraba / yuqarribu	he brought near / he brings near	Root ق-ر-ب — causative of قَرُبَ, ‘he was near.’
NEWوَحَّدَ / يُوَحِّدُ	waḥḥada / yuwaḥḥidu	he declared oneness / he unifies	Root و-ح-د — as in تَوْحِيد.
NEWقَدَّسَ / يُقَدِّسُ	qaddasa / yuqaddisu	he sanctified / he sanctifies	Root ق-د-س — as in الْقُدُّوس, one of Allah's Names.
NEWذِكْرٌ	dhikr	remembrance	Maṣdar of the Form I ذَكَرَ, related in meaning.
NEWدَرَّسَ / يُدَرِّسُ	darrasa / yudarrisu	he taught (a subject) / he teaches	Root د-ر-س.

Also in this chapter's dialogue and reading.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
EARLYاللُّغَةُ	al-lughah	the language	—
EARLYعَادَةٌ	‘ādah	a habit	—

04 — READING THE SOURCE

وَقْفَةٌ قُرْآنِيَّةٌQur'ān Connection

The opening command of one of the earliest revealed sūrahs — a Form II imperative.

SŪRAT AL-MUDDATHTHIR — 74:3

وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ

And your Lord — exalt Him.

وَرَبَّكَ

wa rabbaka

and your Lord

فَكَبِّرْ

fa kabbir

then magnify/exalt (Him)

كَبِّرْ is the exact Form II imperative from this chapter's sarf table — the command form of the verb that gives us تَكْبِير, the phrase اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ heard in every call to prayer and every prayer itself.

05 — SAY IT LIKE A NATIVE

عِبَارَاتٌ يَوْمِيَّةٌEveryday Phrases

Everyday phrases built from Form II verbs.

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allāhu akbar — Allah is greatest

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ

subḥāna-llāhi wa bi-ḥamdih — glory be to Allah and praise Him

عَلَّمَنِي كَثِيرًا

‘allamanī kathīran — he taught me a lot

قَرَّبَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَكُمَا

qarraba-llāhu baynakumā — may Allah bring you two closer

دَرَّسْتُ اللُّغَةَ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ

darrastu-l-lughata-l-‘arabiyyah — I taught Arabic

وَحَّدَ اللَّهَ فِي عِبَادَتِهِ

waḥḥada-llāha fī ‘ibādatih — he affirmed Allah's oneness in worship

قَدَّسَ اللَّهَ

qaddasa-llāh — he sanctified/glorified Allah

ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ يُطَمْئِنُ الْقَلْبَ

dhikru-llāhi yuṭma’inu-l-qalb — remembrance of Allah calms the heart

SKILLS PRACTICE

الِاسْتِمَاعُListening

Audio track 38.1

Aḥmad describes his grandfather's daily remembrance. Listen first, script second.

AḨMAD

جَدِّي يُسَبِّحُ اللَّهَ مِئَةَ مَرَّةٍ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ.

SALMĀ

وَهَلْ يُكَبِّرُ أَيْضًا؟

AḨMAD

نَعَمْ، وَيُعَلِّمُنِي أَذْكَارًا جَدِيدَةً كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ.

SALMĀ

مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، دَرْسٌ يَوْمِيٌّ فِي التَّوْحِيدِ!

How many times does Aḥmad's grandfather glorify Allah each morning?
Does he also say takbīr?
What does he teach Aḥmad every week?

Reveal answers

1. A hundred times. 2. Yes. 3. New remembrances (adhkār).

SKILLS PRACTICE

التَّحَدُّثُSpeaking

Pair work

Partner drill. Use عَلَّمَ, سَبَّحَ, or كَبَّرَ in a sentence about your own morning or evening routine.

Letters	Word 1	Word 2	Tip
عَلِمَ vs عَلَّمَ	عَلِمَ	عَلَّمَ	The doubled middle consonant (the shaddah) is the entire difference between ‘he knew’ (I) and ‘he taught’ (II).

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْقِرَاءَةُReading

Read silently, then aloud

Read once for meaning, then aloud, spotting every Form II word.

عَلَّمَنِي أَبِي أَنْ أُكَبِّرَ وَأُسَبِّحَ بَعْدَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ. الذِّكْرُ يُقَرِّبُ الْعَبْدَ مِنْ رَبِّهِ، وَيُوَحِّدُ قَلْبَهُ عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ. أُحِبُّ أَنْ أُدَرِّسَ هَذَا لِإِخْوَتِي الصِّغَارِ، لِأَنَّ التَّكْبِيرَ وَالتَّسْبِيحَ عَادَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ.

1) مَاذَا عَلَّمَ الْأَبُ ابْنَهُ؟

أ) أَنْ يَلْعَبَب) أَنْ يُكَبِّرَ وَيُسَبِّحَ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِج) أَنْ يَنَامَ مُبَكِّرًاد) لَا شَيْءَ

2) مَاذَا يَفْعَلُ الذِّكْرُ بِالْعَبْدِ حَسَبَ النَّصِّ؟

أ) يُبْعِدُهُ عَنْ رَبِّهِب) يُقَرِّبُهُ مِنْ رَبِّهِج) لَا شَيْءَد) يُتْعِبُهُ فَقَطْ

3) لِمَنْ يُرِيدُ الْكَاتِبُ أَنْ يُدَرِّسَ هَذَا؟

أ) لِأَصْدِقَائِهِب) لِإِخْوَتِهِ الصِّغَارِج) لَا أَحَدَد) لِأُسْتَاذِهِ

Reveal answers

1. ب — أَنْ يُكَبِّرَ وَيُسَبِّحَ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ 2. ب — يُقَرِّبُهُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ 3. ب — لِإِخْوَتِهِ الصِّغَارِ

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْكِتَابَةُWriting

On paper or in your notebook

Sentence building. Put these words in the correct order, then translate.

صَلَاةٍ كُلِّ بَعْدَ أُكَبِّرَ أَنْ عَلَّمَنِي
رَبِّهِ مِنْ الْعَبْدَ يُقَرِّبُ الذِّكْرُ
فَكَبِّرْ وَرَبَّكَ

Guided writing. Write three sentences using كَبَّرَ, سَبَّحَ, and عَلَّمَ, describing acts of worship or teaching in your own life.

06 — CHAPTER EXERCISES

التَّدْرِيبَاتُExercises

1اخْتَرِ الْإِجَابَةَ الصَّحِيحَةَChoose the correct answer

1. Form II is formed by:

a) adding a prefix onlyb) doubling the middle root letterc) lengthening the first voweld) adding اِسْتَـ

2. Form II's meaning-shift from Form I is usually:

a) reflexiveb) causative or intensivec) passive onlyd) no change at all

3. The maṣdar pattern for any Form II verb is:

a) unpredictable, memorise each oneb) تَفْعِيلٌ, alwaysc) فَاعِلٌd) مَفْعُولٌ

4. كَبِّرْ in 74:3 is:

a) a Form II perfect verbb) a Form II imperativec) a Form I nound) a passive verb

Reveal answers

1. b 2. b 3. b 4. b

2صِلْ كُلَّ كَلِمَةٍ بِمَعْنَاهَاMatch each item to its meaning

كَبَّرَ
سَبَّحَ
عَلَّمَ
قَرَّبَ
وَحَّدَ

he declared oneness
he brought near
he taught
he glorified
he magnified

Reveal answers

1–e, 2–d, 3–c, 4–b, 5–a

3تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةِTranslate into English

Self-check — type your answer, then compare with the model answer below. This one isn’t scored.

عَلَّمَنِي جَدِّي التَّجْوِيدَ.
كُنْتُ أُسَبِّحُ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ.
الذِّكْرُ يُقَرِّبُنَا مِنَ اللَّهِ.
وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ.

Reveal answers

1. My grandfather taught me tajwīd.
2. I used to glorify Allah every morning.
3. Remembrance brings us closer to Allah.
4. And your Lord, exalt Him.

4تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْعَرَبِيَّةِTranslate into Arabic

Self-check — type your answer, then compare with the model answer below. This one isn’t scored.

My father taught me to say takbīr.
Remembrance brings the heart close to Allah.
I want to teach my little brothers.

Reveal answers

١) عَلَّمَنِي أَبِي أَنْ أُكَبِّرَ.
٢) الذِّكْرُ يُقَرِّبُ الْقَلْبَ مِنَ اللَّهِ.
٣) أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُدَرِّسَ إِخْوَتِي الصِّغَارَ.

5أَكْمِلِ الْحِوَارَComplete the dialogue

Word bank: عَلَّمَكَ — عَلَّمَنِي — يُكَبِّرُ — أُسَبِّحُ

مريم: مَنْ التَّجْوِيدَ؟
يوسف: جَدِّي، وَكَانَ بِصَوْتٍ جَمِيلٍ.
مريم: كُنْتُ مَعَ جَدَّتِي.

Reveal answers

عَلَّمَكَ — عَلَّمَنِي — يُكَبِّرُ — أُسَبِّحُ

6صَحِيحٌ أَمْ خَطَأٌ؟True or false? (based on the reading passage)

جَدُّ يُوسُفَ كَانَ يُكَبِّرُ بِصَوْتٍ جَمِيلٍ.true / false

مَرْيَمُ لَمْ تُسَبِّحِ اللَّهَ مَعَ جَدَّتِهَا أَبَدًا.true / false

الذِّكْرُ يُقَرِّبُ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَسَبَ الْحِوَارِ.true / false

Reveal answers

1. True. 2. False — she used to, every morning. 3. True.

SKILLS PRACTICE

قِرَاءَةٌ حُرَّةٌFree Reading

Hover to check — no test, just read

A short passage using only words you've met so far. Just read for meaning — hover any word if you get stuck. Flip the switch to check whole sentences instead of single words.

Word Sentence

نُكَبِّرُ اللَّهَ وَنُسَبِّحُهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ. عَلَّمَنَا أُسْتَاذُنَا هَذِهِ اللُّغَةَ. قَرَّبَنِي هَذَا الدَّرْسُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ. وَحَّدَ النَّبِيُّ اللَّهَ دَائِمًا. نُقَدِّسُ اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي كُلِّ ذِكْرٍ. يُدَرِّسُ أَبِي اللُّغَةَ مُنْذُ عَامٍ. هَذِهِ عَادَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ عِنْدَنَا.

SKILLS PRACTICE — NEW

مُحَادَثَةٌ حُرَّةٌConversation Practice

Chat with Yūsuf or Maryam using only what you've learned so far — type it or say it out loud, your choice.

تَمَّ الدَّرْسُ الثَّامِنُ وَالثَّلَاثُونَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ

Chapter Thirty-Eight complete — next chapter: Form III (فَاعَلَ)