Imperative verb

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In the Arabic language, the imperative verb refers to the command form of a verb. It can be categorized into two main types:

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  1. Direct Command (Second Person): Directly addressed to the second person. Examples of direct commands include:
    • “اِضْرِبْ” (You) hit.
    • “اُنْظُرْ” (You) look.
    • “اِشْرَبْ” (You) drink.
  2. Commands can also be directed to the first or third person. This form is called the absent and speaker command. Illustrative examples include:
    • “لِيَضْرِبْ” (He) hits.
    • “لِأَنْصُرْ” (I) assist.
    • “لِأَشْرَبْ” (I) drink.
  • Now let’s explore how the direct imperative is formed in Arabic:
    1. Direct Imperative – أَمْرٌ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ:
      • The direct imperative is derived from the imperfect tense in the second person (both masculine and feminine). Here’s how it transitions:
        • Verb “فعل” (Masculine Singular):
          • You do / will do: “تَفْعَلُ”
          • You both do / will do: “تَفْعَلانِ”
          • You all do / will do: “تَفْعَلُوْنَ”
        • Verb “فعلي” (Feminine Singular):
          • You do / will do (feminine): “تَفْعَلِيْنَ”
          • You both do / will do (dual feminine): “تَفْعَلانِ”
          • You all do / will do (feminine plural): “تَفْعَلْنَ”
      • Step 1: Remove the indicator of the second person imperfect tense, “تَ”.
      • Step 2: Replace the ‘ت’ with a hamza (همزة الوصل). The hamza takes a kasrah if the second radical has a fatha or kasrah, and a dammah if the second radical has a dammah.
      • Step 3: In the masculine singular form, the final letter will have a sukoon. All instances of the letter ‘nun’ (ن) are omitted, except in the feminine plural.

        Resulting forms:

        • Masculine Singular: “اِفْعَلُ” (Do)
        • Dual: “اِفْعَلانِ” (Do, you both)
        • Plural: “اِفْعَلُوْنَ” (Do, you all)
        • Feminine Singular: “اِفْعَلِيْنَ” (Do)
        • Dual: “اِفْعَلانِ” (Do, you both)
        • Plural: “اِفْعَلْنَ” (Do, you all)
    2. Imperative Form of “فتح” (Open):
      • Masculine Singular: “اِفْعَلِيْ” (Do)
      • Singular: “اِفْتَحْ” (Open)
      • Dual: “اِفْتَحَا” (Open, you both)
      • Plural: “اِفْتَحُوْا” (Open, you all)

    Remember that the prefixed hamza (همزة الوصل) is represented in writing but isn’t pronounced. It seamlessly connects the preceding word to the subsequent one.