One pattern, many jobs
Many words for crafts and trades share one pattern: فعّال. The middle root letter is doubled and a long ā follows it. The doubling is a shadda, which unvocalized text does not show, so listen for it: khabbāz, najjār.
| job | root | from |
|---|---|---|
| خبّاز baker | خ ب ز | خبز bread |
| نجّار carpenter | ن ج ر | carpentry |
| خيّاط tailor | خ ي ط | خاط to sew |
| طباخ(tabbâkh) cook | ط ب خ | طبخ to cook |
| رسام(rassâm) painter | ر س م | رسم to draw |
| The cook cooks in the restaurant. | الطباخ يطبخ في المطعم.at-tabbâkhu yatbukhu fil-mat'ami. |
| The painter is drawing a beautiful picture. | الرسام يرسم صورة جميلة.ar-rassâmu yarsumu sûratan jamîlatan |
You already know nine more of them: حداد، فلاح، سباك، جزار، بقال، حلاق، صياد, and the two above. When you meet a new فعّال word, look for the root: it usually names the thing the person works with or does.
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