A Conversational Course in Qur'ānic Arabic

لُغَةُ القُرْآنِ

Part 5 · Chapter Forty-Three · Form VII — انْفَعَلَ

انْفَعَلَ

Form VII — Something Happens to It

Form VII adds اِنْـ to the front of a root, and gives a plain reflexive or ‘middle-voice’ meaning — not quite passive, but close: the subject undergoes the action rather than causing it. قَلَبَ (Form I, ‘he overturned [something]’) becomes اِنْقَلَبَ (Form VII, ‘it turned over, it was overturned’). This form is genuinely rarer than the others you've studied — useful to recognise, less often needed to produce.

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 VII's انْفَعَلَ pattern and its reflexive/middle-voice meaning
Produce all nine word-forms of a Form VII verb from one root
Know that Form VII never occurs in the passive — it's already reflexive by nature
Read a verse using اِنْقَلَبَ to describe a change in direction or state

TEACHER NOTES

Pacing: 35–40 min

Prerequisite check: Form I passive concepts help but aren't required.

Watch out for: Form VII is almost always passive/reflexive in sense — a shorter, more mechanical chapter than most of this block.

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)
انْقَلَبَ inqalaba it turned over, changed	يَنْقَلِبُ yanqalibu it turns over, changes	مُنْقَلِبٌ munqalib one/that which turns over	(rarely used) — passive perfect — essentially unused	(rarely used) — passive imperfect — essentially unused	(rarely used) — passive participle — essentially unused	اِنْقِلَابٌ inqilāb a turning-over, a coup/revolution	اِنْقَلِبْ inqalib turn over! change!	لَا تَنْقَلِبْ lā tanqalib don't turn over!

Root ق-ل-ب, Form VII — اِنْقَلَبَ ‘to turn over, change’

Why the passive slots are empty. Form VII is already reflexive/middle-voice by nature — the subject already undergoes the action, so there's nothing further for a passive transformation to add. This is worth remembering as a general rule: some forms simply don't have a meaningful passive.

قَلَبَ (I) → انْقَلَبَ (VII)

qalaba → inqalaba
he overturned (something) → it turned over (by itself)

Form VII's maṣdar is اِنْفِعَالٌ, always — compare اِنْقِلَابٌ.

Quick check: why doesn't Form VII really have a passive form? (Because the verb is already reflexive/middle-voice — the subject already undergoes the action.)

02 — LISTEN & REPEAT

حِوَارٌDialogue

Yūsuf and Maryam talk about things that changed on their own. Listen twice, then read aloud.

MARYAM

لِمَاذَا انْقَلَبَ مِزَاجُكَ فَجْأَةً؟

limādhā-nqalaba mizājuka faj’atan?

Why did your mood suddenly flip?

YŪSUF

سَمِعْتُ خَبَرًا حَزِينًا، لَكِنَّ الْأَمْرَ انْحَلَّ الْآنَ.

sami‘tu khabaran ḥazīnan, lākinna-l-amra-nḥalla-l-ān.

I heard sad news, but the matter has resolved itself now.

MARYAM

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ! هَلِ انْطَلَقْتَ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ بَعْدَهَا؟

al-ḥamdu lillāh! hali-nṭalaqta ila-l-madrasati ba‘dahā?

Praise be to Allah! Did you set off to school after that?

YŪSUF

نَعَمْ، وَانْشَرَحَ صَدْرِي بِمُجَرَّدِ الْخُرُوجِ.

na‘am, wa-nsharaha ṣadrī bi-mujarradi-l-khurūj.

Yes, and my chest opened up (I felt relieved) just by going out.

03 — CORE WORDS

الْمُفْرَدَاتُVocabulary

Every one of these describes something happening to the subject, not something the subject does to another.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
NEWانْقَلَبَ / يَنْقَلِبُ	inqalaba / yanqalibu	it turned over, changed / it turns over	Root ق-ل-ب — compare قَلَبَ (I), ‘he overturned.’
NEWانْطَلَقَ / يَنْطَلِقُ	inṭalaqa / yanṭaliqu	he set off, departed / he sets off	Root ط-ل-ق.
NEWانْحَلَّ / يَنْحَلُّ	inḥalla / yanḥallu	it dissolved, resolved itself / it resolves	Root ح-ل-ل.
NEWانْشَرَحَ / يَنْشَرِحُ	insharaha / yansharihu	it opened up, felt at ease / it opens up	Root ش-ر-ح — compare شَرَحَ, ‘he explained.’
NEWانْكَسَرَ / يَنْكَسِرُ	inkasara / yankasiru	it broke / it breaks	Root ك-س-ر — compare كَسَرَ (I), ‘he broke [something].’
NEWمِزَاجٌ	mizāj	mood, temperament	—
NEWفَجْأَةً	faj’atan	suddenly	—
NEWصَدْرٌ	ṣadr	chest	انْشَرَحَ صَدْرِي — idiomatic for ‘I felt relieved/at ease.’

Also in this chapter's dialogue and reading.

Arabic	Says	Meaning	Note
EARLYالْبَابُ	al-bāb	the door	—
EARLYالْمُشْكِلَةُ	al-mushkilah	the problem	—

04 — READING THE SOURCE

وَقْفَةٌ قُرْآنِيَّةٌQur'ān Connection

A verse using اِنْقَلَبَ to describe those who might abandon their faith under pressure — the same root and form from this chapter's table.

SŪRAT ĀLI ‘IMRĀN — 3:144 (EXCERPT)

أَفَإِن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ

So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?

أَفَإِن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ

afa’in māta aw qutila

so if he died or was killed

انقَلَبْتُمْ

inqalabtum

would you turn back (Form VII, ‘you’ form)

عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ

‘alā a‘qābikum

on your heels

انقَلَبْتُمْ is exactly the Form VII pattern from this chapter, addressed to ‘you-plural.’ ‘Turning on one's heels’ is an idiom for reverting or retreating — the reflexive sense fits perfectly: no one else turns you around, you turn yourself around.

05 — SAY IT LIKE A NATIVE

عِبَارَاتٌ يَوْمِيَّةٌEveryday Phrases

Everyday phrases built from Form VII verbs.

انْشَرَحَ صَدْرِي

insharaha ṣadrī — I felt relieved, at ease

انْقَلَبَتِ الْمَوَازِينُ

inqalabati-l-mawāzīn — the tables have turned

انْطَلَقَ الْمُؤْتَمَرُ

inṭalaqa-l-mu’tamar — the conference kicked off

انْحَلَّتِ الْمُشْكِلَةُ

inḥallati-l-mushkilah — the problem got resolved

انْكَسَرَ قَلْبِي

inkasara qalbī — my heart broke

انْتَهَتِ الْقِصَّةُ

intahati-l-qiṣṣah — the story ended

انْقَطَعَ الِاتِّصَالُ

inqaṭa‘a-l-ittiṣāl — the connection got cut off

انْفَتَحَ الْبَابُ

infataḥa-l-bāb — the door opened (by itself)

SKILLS PRACTICE

الِاسْتِمَاعُListening

Audio track 43.1

Aḥmad tells Salmā about his day taking an unexpected turn. Listen first, script second.

AḨMAD

كَانَ يَوْمِي عَادِيًّا، ثُمَّ انْقَلَبَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ فَجْأَةً.

SALMĀ

مَاذَا حَدَثَ؟

AḨMAD

انْقَطَعَتِ الْكَهْرَبَاءُ، لَكِنَّ الْمُشْكِلَةَ انْحَلَّتْ بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ.

SALMĀ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ أَنَّهَا انْحَلَّتْ بِسُرْعَةٍ!

How was Aḥmad's day described at first?
What happened suddenly?
How long did it take to resolve?

Reveal answers

1. Ordinary. 2. The power cut off. 3. About an hour.

SKILLS PRACTICE

التَّحَدُّثُSpeaking

Pair work

Partner drill. Describe something that changed, broke, or resolved itself on its own, using a Form VII verb.

Letters	Word 1	Word 2	Tip
قَلَبَ vs انْقَلَبَ	قَلَبَ	انْقَلَبَ	Adding اِنْـ at the front shifts the verb from ‘he overturned (something)’ (I, active) to ‘it turned over (by itself)’ (VII, reflexive).

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْقِرَاءَةُReading

Read silently, then aloud

Read once for meaning, then aloud.

انْقَلَبَ حَالُ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ أَنِ اهْتَدَوْا. انْشَرَحَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ لِلْإِسْلَامِ، وَانْحَلَّتْ عَنْهُمْ هُمُومٌ كَثِيرَةٌ. لَا يَنْقَلِبُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْحَقُّ عَنْ دِينِهِ مَهْمَا حَدَثَ. انْطَلَقُوا يَدْعُونَ النَّاسَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ بِقُلُوبٍ مُطْمَئِنَّةٍ.

1) مَاذَا حَدَثَ لِحَالِ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ؟

أ) لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ شَيْءٌب) انْقَلَبَ بَعْدَ أَنِ اهْتَدَوْاج) سَاءَ فَقَطْد) لَا يُعْرَفُ

2) مَاذَا انْحَلَّ عَنْهُمْ؟

أ) الْمَالُب) هُمُومٌ كَثِيرَةٌج) لَا شَيْءَد) الصِّحَّةُ

3) مَاذَا فَعَلُوا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ؟

أ) انْطَلَقُوا يَدْعُونَ النَّاسَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِب) اِنْعَزَلُوا عَنِ النَّاسِج) لَا شَيْءَد) نَدِمُوا

Reveal answers

1. ب — انْقَلَبَ بَعْدَ أَنِ اهْتَدَوْا 2. ب — هُمُومٌ كَثِيرَةٌ 3. أ — انْطَلَقُوا يَدْعُونَ النَّاسَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ

SKILLS PRACTICE

الْكِتَابَةُWriting

On paper or in your notebook

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

اهْتَدَوْا أَنِ بَعْدَ حَالُهُمْ انْقَلَبَ
لِلْإِسْلَامِ صُدُورُهُمْ انْشَرَحَتْ
أَعْقَابِكُمْ عَلَى انْقَلَبْتُمْ

Guided writing. Write two sentences using Form VII verbs to describe something that changed or resolved on its own.

06 — CHAPTER EXERCISES

التَّدْرِيبَاتُExercises

1اخْتَرِ الْإِجَابَةَ الصَّحِيحَةَChoose the correct answer

1. Form VII is formed by:

a) doubling the middle letterb) adding اِنْـ to the frontc) adding اِسْتَـd) lengthening the first vowel

2. Form VII's meaning is best described as:

a) causativeb) reflexive/middle-voice — the subject undergoes the actionc) mutuald) a command

3. Why does Form VII lack a meaningful passive?

a) it's ungrammatical to tryb) it's already reflexive, so passive adds nothingc) no reason, it's randomd) it's too rare a form

4. انقَلَبْتُمْ in 3:144 addresses:

a) ‘I’b) ‘he’c) ‘you-plural’d) ‘they’

Reveal answers

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

2صِلْ كُلَّ كَلِمَةٍ بِمَعْنَاهَاMatch each item to its meaning

انْقَلَبَ
انْطَلَقَ
انْحَلَّ
انْشَرَحَ
انْكَسَرَ

it opened up, felt at ease
it broke
it dissolved, resolved
he set off
it turned over, changed

Reveal answers

1–e, 2–d, 3–c, 4–a, 5–b

3تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةِTranslate into English

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

انْقَلَبَ مِزَاجُهُ فَجْأَةً.
انْحَلَّتِ الْمُشْكِلَةُ.
انْشَرَحَ صَدْرِي.
انقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ.

Reveal answers

1. His mood suddenly flipped.
2. The problem resolved itself.
3. My chest opened up (I felt at ease).
4. You turned back on your heels.

4تَرْجِمْ إِلَى الْعَرَبِيَّةِTranslate into Arabic

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

The problem resolved itself.
I felt relieved.
He set off to school.

Reveal answers

١) انْحَلَّتِ الْمُشْكِلَةُ.
٢) انْشَرَحَ صَدْرِي.
٣) انْطَلَقَ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ.

5أَكْمِلِ الْحِوَارَComplete the dialogue

Word bank: انْقَلَبَ — انْحَلَّ — انْطَلَقْتَ — انْشَرَحَ

مريم: لِمَاذَا مِزَاجُكَ؟
يوسف: سَمِعْتُ خَبَرًا حَزِينًا، لَكِنَّ الْأَمْرَ الْآنَ.
مريم: هَلِ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ؟
يوسف: نَعَمْ، وَ صَدْرِي.

Reveal answers

انْقَلَبَ — انْحَلَّ — انْطَلَقْتَ — انْشَرَحَ

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

مِزَاجُ يُوسُفَ لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ أَبَدًا.true / false

الْمُشْكِلَةُ انْحَلَّتْ بَعْدَ أَنْ سَمِعَ الْخَبَرَ الْحَزِينَ.true / false

يُوسُفُ ذَهَبَ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ بَعْدَ أَنِ انْحَلَّتِ الْمُشْكِلَةُ.true / false

Reveal answers

1. False — it flipped suddenly. 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

فَجْأَةً انْقَلَبَ مِزَاجُ أَخِي. انْطَلَقَ الطُّلَّابُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ. انْحَلَّتِ الْمُشْكِلَةُ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ. انْشَرَحَ صَدْرُهُ بَعْدَ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ. انْكَسَرَ الْبَابُ فَجْأَةً.

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 الثَّالِثُ وَالْأَرْبَعُونَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ

Chapter Forty-Three complete — next chapter: Form VIII (افْتَعَلَ)