Verbs With a Doubled Letter

Level 3

Geminate verbs (الفعل المضعّف) have roots where the last two letters are the same (e.g., R-D-D). They usually appear with a shaddah (رَدَّ), but the letters must 'separate' when certain suffixes are added.

How It Works

In Modern Standard Arabic, الفعل المضعّف (Geminate Verbs) follow specific phonological rules based on the vowels following the radicals:

  • Merging (Idgham): When the second and third radicals are identical, they merge into one letter written with a الشدة. This happens when the second radical is made vowelless to allow it to join the third. For example, the root ر-د-د becomes رَدَّ (he replied). In the present tense (e.g., yardudu -> yaruddu), the vowel of the second radical is transferred to the preceding vowelless letter. This merging also applies to derived forms like Form IV (أَفَعَّ) and Form X (اِسْتَفَعَّ).
  • Separation (Fakk al-Idgham): The letters MUST separate if the second identical radical is vowelless. This occurs in the past tense when followed by a suffix starting with a consonant (I, you, we, and the feminine plural هنّ). It also occurs in the present tense feminine plural (e.g., يَرْدُدْنَ). Note that the feminine dual (هما) does NOT separate (e.g., رَدَّتا).
  • Separation Vowels: When separating, the vowel matches the original middle radical's vowel. This is usually 'a' (رَدَدْتُ), but is 'i' for verbs like ظَلِلْتُ, and 'u' for rare verbs following the 'fa‘ula' pattern (لَبُبْتُ).
  • Passive Voice: The same rules apply in the passive; the radicals merge when the ending is a vowel (رُدَّ) and separate when the ending is a consonant (رُدِدْتُ).
  • Jussive and Imperative: In the shortened present and the masculine singular command, you can choose between the merged form (رُدَّ) or the separated form (اُرْدُدْ). If separated in the imperative, a همزة الوصل is required.

Examples (6)

  1. رَدَّ الطالِبُ عَلى سُؤالِ المُعَلِّمِ.

    The student replied to the teacher's question.

    Word by Word: Replied the student to question (of) the teacher.

    In 'radda', the two 'dal' letters merge because the second radical is made vowelless to allow for the shadda. This is the standard form for the 3rd person masculine singular.

  2. ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ نَسيتَ المَوْعِدَ.

    I thought that you forgot the appointment.

    Word by Word: I thought that you forgot the appointment.

    The verb 'zanna' (to think) separates into 'zanantu' because the suffix '-tu' (I) starts with a consonant. In this 'fa'ala' pattern verb, the separation vowel in the past tense is 'a'.

  3. لَمْ يَفِرَّ اللِّصُّ مِنَ الشُّرْطَةِ.

    The thief did not flee from the police.

    Word by Word: Not he flee the thief from the police.

    In the jussive (lam yafirra), the verb remains merged but takes a fatha at the end to avoid two sukuns meeting. Alternatively, one could say 'lam yafrir' with separation.

  4. يَفِرُّ الغَزالُ مِنَ الأَسَدِ.

    The deer flees from the lion.

    Word by Word: Flees the deer from the lion.

    This is an example of an i-stem geminate verb (farra/yafirru). The letters remain merged in the present tense for 'he'.

  5. يا أَحْمَدُ، رُدَّ عَلى الهاتِفِ!

    Ahmad, answer the phone!

    Word by Word: O Ahmad, answer on the phone!

    In the merged imperative 'rudda', a fatha is added to the end to prevent two vowelless letters from meeting. You could also say 'urdud' with separation.

  6. الطالِباتُ لَمْ يَمْرُرْنَ مِنْ هُنا.

    The students (fem. plural) did not pass through here.

    Word by Word: The students (fem.) not they pass from here.

    In the feminine plural, the doubled letters must separate. Here, the present stem vowel 'u' appears between the two 'ra' letters: 'yamrurna'.

Common Mistakes

  • Failing to separate the doubled letters when adding a consonant suffix.

    رَدْتُ على الرِسالَةِ.
    رَدَدْتُ على الرِسالَةِ.

    Learners often treat the shaddah as a single letter. You must 'unlock' the doubling (radad-tu) when a consonant suffix follows.

  • Splitting the doubled letter when no consonant suffix follows.

    رَدَدَ الرجلُ على السؤال.
    رَدَّ الرجلُ على السؤال.

    In a geminate verb, the doubled letter stays merged (radda) before a vowel ending. It splits only before a consonant suffix, as in رَدَدْتُ.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Verbs With a Doubled LetterLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand doubled verbs (الفعل المضعّف), you first need to be familiar with the Arabic root system and how the Shadda mark represents doubled consonants. You also need a firm grasp of basic verb conjugation, as the primary challenge of this pattern is knowing when the doubled letters remain merged and when they must be separated during suffix attachment.