Scribd
Upload
1K views2 pages

Sarf Cheat Sheet

Sarf is the study of Arabic morphology, focusing on how words are formed from root letters, primarily three-letter roots. The morphological scale helps analyze word patterns, with examples illustrating transformations based on root letters and the addition or alteration of letters. Understanding Sarf is essential for expanding vocabulary, improving language skills, and avoiding errors in Arabic speech and writing.

Uploaded by

Mohammed Abul Kalam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
1K views2 pages

Sarf Cheat Sheet

Sarf is the study of Arabic morphology, focusing on how words are formed from root letters, primarily three-letter roots. The morphological scale helps analyze word patterns, with examples illustrating transformations based on root letters and the addition or alteration of letters. Understanding Sarf is essential for expanding vocabulary, improving language skills, and avoiding errors in Arabic speech and writing.

Uploaded by

Mohammed Abul Kalam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

📘 Sarf Cheat Sheet: The Morphological Scale in

Arabic

🔹 What is Sarf?
Sarf (morphology) is the science of how Arabic words are formed from root letters. It explains how a
root like ‫ ك–ت–ب‬can be transformed into words like ‫ َك اِتب‬,‫ ِكَتاب‬, ‫َك َت َب‬, etc.

1. The Morphological Scale (‫)الميزان الصرفي‬

Most Arabic words are based on three-letter roots. To analyze word patterns, scholars used the
scale:
‫( ف – ع – ل‬fa – ʿayn – lām)
Each root letter corresponds to one of these model letters.

🧠 Examples:
‫( قمر‬qamar – moon) → ‫( َف َع َل‬faʿala)
‫( جبل‬jabal – mountain) → ‫( َف َع َل‬with kasrah on ʿayn, sukoon on lām)
‫( كُر م‬karuma – to be noble) → ‫( َف ُع َل‬faʿula)

2. If the Word Has More Than Three Root Letters:

➤ When letters are added:

‫( تدحرج‬tadahraj – to roll) → ‫َتَف ْع َلَل‬


‫( أحمّر‬aḥmarra – to blush) → ‫اْف َع َّل‬

➤ When a root letter is doubled:

‫( قّد م‬qaddama – to present) → ‫َف َّع َل‬


‫( جّن ات‬jannāt – gardens) → ‫َف َّع الت‬

➤ When augmented letters (from ‫ )سألتمونيها‬are added:

‫( راِك ْب‬Rakib – Passenger) → ‫َف اِع ل‬


‫( ُم ْن َكِس ر‬Munkasir – Broken) → ‫ُم ْن َف ِع ل‬
‫( استخرج‬istakhraja – to extract) → ‫استفعل‬
‫( اضطرب‬iḍṭaraba – to be agitated) → ‫افتعل‬
Even though a letter (like ‫ )ت‬was inserted, it fits a known pattern.
3. If a Root Letter is Dropped:

➤ From the word:

‫( ُق ل‬qul – say!) from ‫ → قول‬on the pattern ‫ُف ل‬

➤ From the pattern:

‫‘( عدة‬idda – number) from ‫د → ِفْع َلة‬-‫د‬-‫( ع‬fiʿlah)


‫‘( عضة‬aḍḍa – bite) → ‫ِفْع َلة‬, even though it originally had a doubled letter

✅ Why Sarf Matters


It helps you:

Understand how Arabic words are formed


Expand vocabulary from roots
Avoid mistakes in speech and writing

You might also like