Arabic A2, Unit 1: Roots and patterns

Roots and patterns

Arabic A2 · Unit 1

GoalSee that most Arabic words grow from three root letters, and use this to guess new words.

New words

كَتَبَ (kataba) · he wroteكَاتِب (kātib) · writerمَكْتُوب (maktūb) · writtenمَكْتَبَة (maktaba) · library, bookshopعَمِلَ (ʿamila) · he workedعَامِل (ʿāmil) · workerعَمَل (ʿamal) · work, jobمَعْمَل (maʿmal) · laboratory

Explanation

Most Arabic words are built on a root of three letters. The root carries the idea: ك-ت-ب is about writing, ع-م-ل is about work. The root letters stay in the word; the vowels and the extra letters around them change the job of the word. A pattern with مَـ often means a place: مَكْتَبَة is a place with books. A pattern with ـَا ـِ often means the person who does it: كَاتِب is a writer and عَامِل is a worker. When you meet a new word, look for the three root letters first.

Meaning	Root ك-ت-ب	Root ع-م-ل
he did it	كَتَبَ	عَمِلَ
the person who does it	كَاتِب	عَامِل
the thing	كِتَاب	عَمَل
the place	مَكْتَب	مَعْمَل

Worked examples

كْk+تْt+بْb

The root ك-ت-ب: three letters and the idea of writing. Each letter is a step.

Words from the same root. Listen to how the vowels change.

A short sentence with three words from one root.

Class activity

Root hunt. On paper, write عَمِلَ، عَامِل، عَمَل، مَعْمَل and underline the three root letters ع م ل in each one with a pencil. Do the same for six words from the root ك-ت-ب. Then guess: a مَعْمَل is a “place of work”. What do people do there?

Practice

Which three letters are the root of كَاتِب?

The picture shows books. Which word from the root ك-ت-ب means “the place with books”?

The picture shows a worker. Which word means “worker”: عَمَل or عَامِل?

Press Listen. The word comes from one of three roots: ك-ت-ب, ع-م-ل or ف-ت-ح. Which one?

…

Look at كَتَبَ، كَاتِب، مَكْتَب. What stays the same and what changes?

Welcome back: reading and the verb

Roots and patterns