A Conversational Course in Qur'ānic Arabic

لُغَةُ القُرْآنِ

Part 5 · Chapter Forty-Two · Form VI — تَفَاعَلَ

تَفَاعَلَ

Form VI — Doing It to One Another

Form VI takes Form III's ‘with another party’ sense and makes it fully mutual: both sides do it to each other. تَعَاوَنَ isn't ‘he helped’ or ‘he was helped’ — it's ‘they helped each other,’ cooperation flowing both ways. This form gives us one of the most quoted verses in the Qur'ān about how peoples and tribes relate to one another.

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 VI's تَفَاعَلَ pattern and its ‘mutual, reciprocal’ meaning
Produce all nine word-forms of a Form VI verb from one root
Tell Form III (with someone) and Form VI (with each other) apart
Read the Qur'ān's most famous verse on peoples ‘knowing one another’

TEACHER NOTES

Pacing: 40 min

Prerequisite check: Form III (Chapter Thirty-Nine) — Form VI is its reciprocal.

Watch out for: تَعَاوَنَ (‘to cooperate’) is a genuinely useful real-world verb — worth extra speaking practice beyond the grammar drill.

01 — THE FULL PICTURE, FIRST

رُكْنُ الْقَوَاعِدِGrammar Corner

Nine word-forms, one root.

Perfect (active)	Imperfect (active)	Active participle	Perfect (passive)	Imperfect (passive)	Passive participle	Maṣdar (verbal noun)	Imperative (positive)	Imperative (negative)
تَعَارَفَ ta‘ārafa he came to know (someone)	يَتَعَارَفُ yata‘ārafu he comes to know (someone)	مُتَعَارِفٌ muta‘ārif one who knows another (mutually)	تُعُورِفَ tu‘ūrifa it was mutually recognised	يُتَعَارَفُ yuta‘ārafu it is being mutually recognised	مُتَعَارَفٌ عَلَيْهِ muta‘āraf ‘alayh agreed-upon, conventionally known	تَعَارُفٌ ta‘āruf mutual acquaintance	تَعَارَفْ ta‘āraf get to know one another!	لَا تَتَعَارَفْ lā tata‘āraf don't get to know one another!

Root ع-ر-ف, Form VI — تَعَارَفَ ‘to know one another’

Form III vs. Form VI — one-way-with vs. fully mutual.

قَاتَلَ (III) vs تَقَاتَلَ (VI)

qātala (he fought someone) vs taqātala (they fought each other)
Form III can be one person acting toward another; Form VI is inherently mutual, usually needing a plural subject.

Form VI's maṣdar is predictable: تَفَاعُلٌ, always — compare تَعَاوُنٌ and تَعَارُفٌ.

Quick check: why does Form VI usually need a plural (or dual) subject? (Because the action is mutual — it needs at least two parties acting on each other.)

02 — LISTEN & REPEAT

حِوَارٌDialogue

Yūsuf and Maryam talk about cooperation and getting to know new people. Listen twice, then read aloud.

MARYAM

نَتَعَاوَنُ دَائِمًا فِي عَائِلَتِنَا.

nata‘āwanu dā’iman fī ‘ā’ilatinā.

We always cooperate with each other in our family.

YŪSUF

هَذَا جَمِيلٌ! نَحْنُ أَيْضًا نَتَشَارَكُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.

hādhā jamīl! naḥnu ayḍan natashāraku kulla shay’.

That's beautiful! We share everything with each other too.

MARYAM

تَعَارَفْنَا الْيَوْمَ بِطُلَّابٍ جُدُدٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ.

ta‘ārafnā-l-yawma bi-ṭullābin judud fi-l-masjid.

We got to know some new students at the mosque today.

YŪSUF

اللَّهُ خَلَقَنَا شُعُوبًا لِنَتَعَارَفَ.

Allāhu khalaqanā shu‘ūban li-nata‘ārafa.

Allah created us as peoples so that we would come to know one another.

03 — CORE WORDS

الْمُفْرَدَاتُVocabulary

Notice how the meaning becomes fully mutual — the action flows both ways between the parties involved.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
NEWتَعَاوَنَ / يَتَعَاوَنُ	ta‘āwana / yata‘āwanu	he cooperated / he cooperates	Root ع-و-ن — the action flows both ways between the parties.
NEWتَعَارَفَ / يَتَعَارَفُ	ta‘ārafa / yata‘ārafu	he got to know (someone) / gets to know	Root ع-ر-ف — compare عَرَفَ (I), ‘he knew.’
NEWتَشَارَكَ / يَتَشَارَكُ	tashāraka / yatashāraku	he shared (with someone) / he shares	Root ش-ر-ك.
NEWتَسَاءَلَ / يَتَسَاءَلُ	tasā’ala / yatasā’alu	he wondered, asked himself/each other	Root س-أ-ل.
NEWتَبَادَلَ / يَتَبَادَلُ	tabādala / yatabādalu	he exchanged (with someone) / he exchanges	Root ب-د-ل.
NEWشُعُوبٌ	shu‘ūb	peoples, nations	Singular شَعْبٌ.
NEWقَبَائِلُ	qabā’il	tribes	Singular قَبِيلَةٌ.
NEWعَائِلَةٌ	‘ā’ilah	a family	—

Also in this chapter's dialogue and reading.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
EARLYالسَّبَبُ	as-sabab	the reason, the cause	—
EARLYالتَّعَاوُنُ	at-ta‘āwun	cooperation	—

04 — READING THE SOURCE

وَقْفَةٌ قُرْآنِيَّةٌQur'ān Connection

One of the most quoted verses in the Qur'ān on human diversity — built entirely around this chapter's example root.

SŪRAT AL-ḤUJURĀT — 49:13

وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا

And We made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.

وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ

wa ja‘alnākum

and We made you

شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ

shu‘ūban wa qabā’il

peoples and tribes

لِتَعَارَفُوا

li-ta‘ārafū

so that you may know one another

لِتَعَارَفُوا combines لِـ (Chapter Twenty-Eight, purpose) with the jussive of تَعَارَفَ — ‘so that you may come to know one another.’ The verse continues to say that the most honoured among people, in Allah's sight, is the most righteous — not the one from the biggest tribe.

05 — SAY IT LIKE A NATIVE

عِبَارَاتٌ يَوْمِيَّةٌEveryday Phrases

Everyday phrases built from Form VI verbs.

تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى

ta‘āwanū ‘ala-l-birri wa-t-taqwā — cooperate in righteousness and piety

تَشَارَكْنَا فِي الْمَشْرُوعِ

tashāraknā fi-l-mashrū‘ — we shared in the project

أَتَسَاءَلُ لِمَاذَا

atasā’alu limādhā — I wonder why

تَبَادَلْنَا الْآرَاءَ

tabādalnā-l-ārā’ — we exchanged opinions

مِنْ دَوَاعِي التَّعَارُفِ

min dawā‘i-t-ta‘āruf — it's a pleasure to meet you (formal)

تَعَاوُنٌ بَيْنَ الدُّوَلِ

ta‘āwunun bayna-d-duwal — cooperation between nations

نَتَشَارَكُ نَفْسَ الرَّأْيِ

natashāraku nafsa-r-ra’y — we share the same opinion

تَسَاءَلْتُ عَنِ السَّبَبِ

tasā’altu ‘ani-s-sabab — I wondered about the reason

SKILLS PRACTICE

الِاسْتِمَاعُListening

Audio track 42.1

Aḥmad and Salmā talk about meeting new people. Listen first, script second.

AḨMAD

تَعَارَفْنَا بِعَائِلَةٍ جَدِيدَةٍ فِي الْحَيِّ.

SALMĀ

هَلْ تَتَعَاوَنُونَ مَعَهُمْ؟

AḨMAD

نَعَمْ، نَتَبَادَلُ الطَّعَامَ فِي الْمُنَاسَبَاتِ.

SALMĀ

هَذَا مِنْ مَعَانِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: لِتَعَارَفُوا.

Who did Aḥmad's family get to know?
Do they cooperate with them?
What do they exchange on special occasions?

Reveal answers

1. A new family in the neighbourhood. 2. Yes. 3. Food.

SKILLS PRACTICE

التَّحَدُّثُSpeaking

Pair work

Partner drill. Use تَعَارَفَ, تَعَاوَنَ, or تَشَارَكَ to describe a time you and someone else did something mutually.

Letters	Word 1	Word 2	Tip
قَاتَلَ vs تَقَاتَلَ	قَاتَلَ	تَقَاتَلَ	Adding تَـ at the front is the difference between ‘he fought (someone)’ (III) and ‘they fought each other’ (VI).

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْقِرَاءَةُReading

Read silently, then aloud

Read once for meaning, then aloud.

خَلَقَ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِيَتَعَارَفُوا، لَا لِيَتَفَاخَرُوا. الْمُسْلِمُونَ يَتَعَاوَنُونَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ. تَعَارَفْنَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ بِأُسَرٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَتَبَادَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الزِّيَارَاتِ. التَّعَاوُنُ وَالتَّعَارُفُ يُقَوِّيَانِ رَابِطَةَ الْأُخُوَّةِ.

1) لِمَاذَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ حَسَبَ النَّصِّ؟

أ) لِيَتَفَاخَرُواب) لِيَتَعَارَفُواج) لِيَتَقَاتَلُواد) لَا سَبَبَ

2) عَلَامَ يَتَعَاوَنُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ؟

أ) عَلَى الشَّرِّب) عَلَى الْخَيْرِج) لَا يَتَعَاوَنُونَد) عَلَى التَّفَاخُرِ

3) مَاذَا يُقَوِّي رَابِطَةَ الْأُخُوَّةِ حَسَبَ النَّصِّ؟

أ) التَّعَاوُنُ وَالتَّعَارُفُب) الْمَالُ فَقَطْج) لَا شَيْءَد) التَّنَافُسُ

Reveal answers

1. ب — لِيَتَعَارَفُوا 2. ب — عَلَى الْخَيْرِ 3. أ — التَّعَاوُنُ وَالتَّعَارُفُ

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْكِتَابَةُWriting

On paper or in your notebook

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

وَقَبَائِلَ شُعُوبًا النَّاسَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ
لِتَعَارَفُوا وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ
الْخَيْرِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمُونَ يَتَعَاوَنُ

Guided writing. Write three sentences using تَعَاوَنَ, تَعَارَفَ, and تَشَارَكَ about mutual relationships in your own life.

06 — CHAPTER EXERCISES

التَّدْرِيبَاتُExercises

1اخْتَرِ الْإِجَابَةَ الصَّحِيحَةَChoose the correct answer

1. Form VI is formed by:

a) adding hamza to Form Ib) adding تَـ to Form III's patternc) doubling the last letterd) adding اِسْتَـ

2. Form VI's meaning is typically:

a) one-directionalb) fully mutual, both waysc) passive onlyd) a command

3. The maṣdar pattern for Form VI is:

a) تَفْعِيلٌb) تَفَاعُلٌc) إِفْعَالٌd) اِفْتِعَالٌ

4. لِتَعَارَفُوا in 49:13 means:

a) so that you may fightb) so that you may know one anotherc) so that you may competed) so that you may separate

Reveal answers

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

2صِلْ كُلَّ كَلِمَةٍ بِمَعْنَاهَاMatch each item to its meaning

تَعَاوَنَ
تَعَارَفَ
تَشَارَكَ
تَسَاءَلَ
تَبَادَلَ

he exchanged
he wondered
he shared
he got to know
he cooperated

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.

نَتَعَاوَنُ دَائِمًا فِي عَائِلَتِنَا.
تَعَارَفْنَا بِطُلَّابٍ جُدُدٍ.
وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا.
نَتَشَارَكُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.

Reveal answers

1. We always cooperate in our family.
2. We got to know new students.
3. And We made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.
4. We share everything with each other.

4تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْعَرَبِيَّةِTranslate into Arabic

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

We cooperate with our neighbours.
They got to know one another at the mosque.
We exchange opinions.

Reveal answers

١) نَتَعَاوَنُ مَعَ جِيرَانِنَا.
٢) تَعَارَفُوا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ.
٣) نَتَبَادَلُ الْآرَاءَ.

5أَكْمِلِ الْحِوَارَComplete the dialogue

Word bank: نَتَعَاوَنُ — نَتَشَارَكُ — تَعَارَفْنَا — لِنَتَعَارَفَ

مريم: دَائِمًا فِي عَائِلَتِنَا.
يوسف: نَحْنُ أَيْضًا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.
مريم: الْيَوْمَ بِطُلَّابٍ جُدُدٍ.
يوسف: اللَّهُ خَلَقَنَا شُعُوبًا .

Reveal answers

نَتَعَاوَنُ — نَتَشَارَكُ — تَعَارَفْنَا — لِنَتَعَارَفَ

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

مَرْيَمُ تَقُولُ إِنَّ عَائِلَتَهَا لَا تَتَعَاوَنُ أَبَدًا.true / false

يُوسُفُ وَعَائِلَتُهُ يَتَشَارَكُونَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.true / false

اللَّهُ خَلَقَ النَّاسَ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِيَتَعَارَفُوا.true / false

Reveal answers

1. False — she says they always cooperate. 2. True. 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

تَعَاوَنَ الطُّلَّابُ فِي هَذَا الدَّرْسِ. تَعَارَفْنَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَمْسِ. تَشَارَكَ أَخِي كِتَابَهُ مَعَ صَدِيقِهِ. تَسَاءَلَ الطَّالِبُ عَنِ سَبَبِ هَذَا الدَّرْسِ. الشُّعُوبُ وَالْقَبَائِلُ كَثِيرَةٌ فِي هَذَا الْكِتَابِ. التَّعَاوُنُ سَبَبُ النَّجَاحِ.

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 الثَّانِي وَالْأَرْبَعُونَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ

Chapter Forty-Two complete — next chapter: Form VII (انْفَعَلَ)