Finding a Verb's Pattern

Level 3

Classes differ in their consonant, vowel, and alternating stems. Most verbs follow one of three regular conjugations.

How It Works

ClassHe/she presentInfinitive
1heesaa/heestaa — singsheesi
2fiiriyaa/fiirisaa — looksfiirin
3booqdaa/booqataa — visitsbooqan

These are paradigm fragments. Class one generally has consonant stems and infinitives in -i. Class two mainly has i/ee-related stems. Class three alternates consonant and vowel stems according to the ending; internal t or d need not express feminine agreement.

Classes two and three normally retain n before progressive material. Each class has sound alternations, and some verbs permit alternative conjugations. Six irregular verbs have separate paradigms. Learn a present pair, infinitive, and imperative together. Agreement expresses person, number, and relevant gender, but its surface shape depends on the stem.

Examples (3)

  1. Cali wuu heesaa subax kasta.

    Ali sings every morning.

    Class-one consonant stem.

  2. Maryan waxay fiirisaa sawirka.

    Maryan looks at the picture.

    Class-two agreement alternation.

  3. Waxaan booqdaa adeerkay.

    I visit my uncle.

    Class-three consonant stem.

How It Connects

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

Finding a Verb's PatternLevel 3

Learn This First

Identify infinitive formation before comparing the principal verb-class patterns.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.