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### What is a Doubled Verb?

A doubled verb (الفعل المضعف) has a root where the second and third letters are identical. Instead of writing the same letter twice, Arabic combines them using a shadda (ّ).

In the present tense for most subjects (like I, he, she, and we), the root remains doubled.

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### Un-doubling in the Past Tense

When conjugating these verbs in the past tense for the **first person** (I, we) and **second person** (you), the root "un-doubles." You drop the shadda and write the identical root letters twice, followed by the standard past tense suffix.

For example, instead of keeping the shadda in ظنّ (he assumed), it splits into two letters to become ظننتُ (I assumed).

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### Applying the Rule to Other Verb Forms

This un-doubling rule applies to doubled verbs across different verb patterns, including Form IV verbs like أحسّ (to feel) and أصرّ (to insist).

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### Physical Actions

Many common doubled verbs describe physical actions, such as pulling, shaking, pouring, and knocking. The un-doubling rule applies consistently across all of them when talking about yourself or the person you are addressing in the past tense.

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Doubled verbs

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Question	Answer
to assume	ظنdhanna
I used to assume that you are sick.	كنت أظن أنك مريض.kuntu azhunnu annaka marîd
I assumed that you were in the house.	ظننت أنك في البيت.zanantu annaka fi al-bayti
to doubt	شكshakka
Did you doubt the truth?	هل شككت في الحقيقة؟hal shakakta fi al-haqiqati?
She doubts everything because she is sad.	هي تشك في كل شيء لأنها حزينة.hiya tashukku fî kulli shay'in li'annahâ hazînah
to feel	أحسahassa
I felt a pain in my foot.	أحسست بألم في قدمي.ahsastu bi'alamin fi qadami
He may feel that we are here.	قد يحس أننا هنا.qad yuhissu annanâ hunâ
to pull	شدshadda
I pulled the door, but it was closed.	شددت الباب، لكنه كان مغلقا.shadadtu al-bâba, lâkinnahu kâna mughlaqan.
The boy is pulling the rope.	الولد يشد الحبل.al-waladu yashuddul-habl
to shake	هزhazza
I shook the tree and the apples fell.	هززت الشجرة وسقط التفاح.hazaztu ash-shajarata wa saqata at-tuffâh
movement	حركةharaka
He felt a strange movement, so he shook the box.	أحس بحركة غريبة، فهز الصندوق.ahassa bi-harakatin ghareebatin, fahazza s-sundooq
to insist	أصرasarra
Why did you insist on this appointment?	لماذا أصررتم على هذا الموعد؟limâdhâ asrartum 'alâ hâdhal maw'idi?
We always insist on the truth.	نصر على الحقيقة دائما.nusirru 'alâ al-haqîqati dâ'iman
to count	عد'udda
I counted the money again.	عددت المال مرة أخرى.'adadtu al-mâla marratan ukhrâ
She is counting the apples with a fast movement.	هي تعد التفاح بحركة سريعة.hiya tauddu at-tuffâha bi-harakatin sarîatin
to pour	صبsabba
I poured the water in the cup.	صببت الماء في الكوب.sababtu al-maa'a fi al-kuubi
He is pouring the coffee for the guest.	هو يصب القهوة للضيف.huwa yasubbu al-qahwata lid-dayfi
to knock	دقdaqqa
I knocked on the door but no one replied.	دققت الباب لكن لم يرد أحد.daqaqtu al-bâba lakin lam yarudda aḥad
Why were you knocking on the window?	لماذا كنت تدق النافذة؟limâdhâ kunta taduqqu n-nâfidhah?
would like, to wish	ودwadda
I would like to drink water.	أود أن أشرب الماء.uwaddu an ashraba-l-mâ'a
We would like to visit the museum.	نود أن نزور المتحف.nawaddu an nazûra al-mat-hafa
Would you like to sit here?	هل تود أن تجلس هنا؟hal tawaddu an tajlisa hunâ?

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