Introduction to the Past Tense
In Arabic, the past tense is created by taking the base form of a verb and adding suffixes to the end. These suffixes tell you who performed the action.
While these singular endings sound different when spoken, they are written exactly the same way in standard, unvoweled Arabic. You will rely on pronouns and context to know exactly who is acting.
| Pronoun | Suffix | Example (فعل - to do) |
|---|
| هو | (none) | فعل |
| هي | ت | فعلت |
| أنا | ت | فعلت |
| أنت | ت | فعلت |
To say "I" or "you" did something, attach the letter ت to the end of the verb. Notice how they share the same spelling in written Arabic.
When you look up a verb in an Arabic dictionary, you will find its base form. This base form is actually the "he" past tense conjugation, which has no added suffix.
Verbs with Prepositions
Some Arabic verbs are closely paired with specific prepositions to complete their meaning, such as بحث عن (to search for) or اتصل ب (to call). Conjugate the verb normally and place the preposition directly after it.
To conjugate a past tense verb for a female subject ("she"), you also add a ت to the end of the base verb. Just like with the "I" and "you" forms, rely on context or the subject of the sentence to distinguish who is acting.
Telling a Story
When recounting memories and past events, placing adverbs like فجأة (suddenly) or أخيرا (finally) at the beginning of your sentence helps set the pace and sequence your story.
