Verb in the Affirmative and the Negative Form- الفِعْلُ المُثْبَتُ والفِعْلُ المَنْفِيُّ
Introduction – مُقَدِّمَةٌ
- In previous lessons we discussed the types of verbs in Arabic (based on structure), that is the past, present and imperative. We also discussed the verb tenses (based on time): the past, present and future.
- In this lesson we will discuss another topic related to the verb: making verbs negative. We shall learn how to form the negative for the past, present and future tenses In-Shā’-Allâh (God-willing).
- This lesson explains how to make the present verb negative and the particles used to do this. We shall learn the particles used to make various tenses, either past, present or future negative. Note below, there is also an example of how the use of a particle (لمْ) can change the present tense verb to a past tense meaning.
- See the following examples relating to the present / future tense:
Verb tense
|
Type of verb
|
Particle
|
Sentence
|
Future
|
Present
|
Lan
|
My brother will not travel with us tomorrow
|
Present
|
Present
|
La
|
As he does not like traveling on a permanent basis
|
Past
|
Present
|
Lam
|
And he has not traveled to any country yet
|
- We shall also study the particles used in making the past verb negative.
Verb tense
|
Type of verb
|
Particle
|
Sentence
|
Past
|
Past
|
Mā
|
My father did not wake up early because he had not sleptearly.
|
Past
|
Past
|
Mā
|
I did not do my homework yesterday
|
- We shall also study another particle used in the negative: ‘laysa لَيْسَ’ (not to be) which is used to make the nominal sentence negative.
Particle
|
Sentence
|
|
The see is not bigger than the ocean
| |
|
And the lake is not bigger than the sea
|
- In lesson 14 on the verb tenses, we discussed the present verb and learnt that it mainly expresses the present tense – i.e. an action being performed at the time of speaking. We noted that it can also express other tenses such as the future (action to be performed at a later time), using the particles (sa- and sawfa حَرْفُ السِّينِ وَسَوْفَ) before the present verb. Please see the examples below.
Future
|
Present
| |
Arabic
| ||
English
|
He will write tomorrow
|
He is writing now
|
Arabic
| ||
English
|
He is going to travel tomorrow
|
He is traveling today
|
- It is important to emphasize two different points before we go into detail. The particles we arediscussing below have the following purposes:
- To change the time period (tense) of the present tense verb – e.g. from present tense to future tense.
- To change the action to the negative.
- The exception to that rule is the particle لا which keeps the meaning as the present tense time period.
- The question now is: How do we make the present verb negative while referring to different time periods, i.e. the present, the future and the past?
- To answer this question will divide the discussion to the following points:
- Making the present verb (indicating the present tense) negative.
- Making the present verb (indicating a future action) negative.
- Making the present verb (indicating a past action) negative.
Making the present verb (indicating the present tense) negative:
The present verb can be negated and keeping its present tense by the use of two particles as follows:
- “lā لا”
Picture
|
Sentence
|
Tense
|
Verb
|
Particle
|
 |
I do not like the guava juice
|
Present
|
Uħibbu
(Like)
| |
 |
We do not write when the teacher is speaking
|
Present
|
Naktubu
(Write)
| |
 |
Muna does not prefer coffee. She loves tea more.
|
Present
|
Tufađđilu
(Prefer)
|
- From the examples above, we note the following:
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
I do not like
|
I like
|
|
We do not write
|
We write
|
|
We do not prefer
|
We prefer
|
- “Mā ما”
Tense
|
Verb
|
Particle
|
Sentence
|
Present
|
Uħibbu
(Like)
|
I do not like the guava juice
| |
Present
|
Naktubu
(Write)
|
We do not write when the teacher is speaking
| |
Present
|
Tufađđilu
(Prefer)
|
Muna does not prefer coffee. She loves tea more.
|
- From the above mentioned examples we note that “mā ما” has the same function and meaning of the particle “lā لا”. Therefore the present verb after “mā ما” keeps indicating the present tense, and its ending is not affected by “mā ما”, so it remains in the nominative case.
Making the present verb (indicating a future action) negative:
The particle
|
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
I will not return to my country after I finish my studies.
|
I will return to my country after I finish my studies.
| |
|
I will not live with my family after marriage
|
I will live with my family after marriage
|
- From the examples above, we note the following:
- The particle (lan "لن") is used to make the present verb (indicating a future action) negative.
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
He will not study
|
He will study
|
|
He will not return
|
He will return
|
- The verb after the particle (lan) becomes in the accusative case with a fatħah vowel-ending instead of the đammah vowel-ending.
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
I will not return
|
I will return
|
|
I will not dwell
|
I will dwell
|
Making the present verb (indicating a past action) negative:
- The particle (lam "لمْ") is used in making the present verb (indicating a past action) negative. “Lam” has three functions, as it makes the present verb negative and changes the tense of the verb from present to past, and finally it changes the verb form the nominative to the jussive case. The meaning of the verb after “lam” had to do with the past and has nothing to do with the present, although it is in the present form.
Picture
|
Past affirmative
|
Present negative using “lam”
|
Present affirmative
|
 |
Ali studied Arabic in Egypt
|
Ali did not study Arabic in Egypt
|
Ali studies Arabic in Egypt
|
 |
The student did his homework at school
|
The student did not write his homework at school
|
The student does his homework at school
|
 |
Ahmad watched TV yesterday
|
Ahmad did not watch TV every day
|
Ahmad watches TV every day
|
- If we look at the examples above, we find that the sentences were written in three different ways.
- The first with an affirmative present verb indicating the present tense, using the verbs"يَدْرُسُ، يَكْتُبُ، يُشَاهِدُ".
- The second with a negative present verb using the particle “lam” which indicates that the action did not happen (in the past tense): "لَمْ يَدْرُسْ، لَمْ يَكْتُبْ، لَمْ يُشاهِدْ"
- The third with the affirmative present verb that indicates the past verb: "دَرَسَ، كَتَبَ، شَاهَدَ"
- You shall note that the meaning in the second one is the same as the third, but in the negative.
- You may also notice that the affirmative present verb is signed with đammah on its last letter (for being in the nominative case), while the negative present verb after “lam” is signed with sukūn on its last letter (for being in the jussive case): "لَمْ يَدْرُسْ، لَمْ يَكْتُبْ، لَمْ يُشاهِدْ".
- This way, “lam” does the three functions we have already mentioned, that is:
- Make the negative.
- Change the verb tense from present to past.
- Change the case of the verb from the nominative to the jussive case.
After adding “lam”
|
Before adding “lam”
|
|
He did not study
|
He studies
|
|
He did not write
|
He writes
|
|
He did not watch
|
He watches
|
- In lesson 14 on the verb tenses, we discussed the present verb and learnt that it mainly expresses the present tense – i.e. an action being performed at the time of speaking. We noted that it can also express other tenses such as the future (action to be performed at a later time), using the particles (sa- and sawfa حَرْفُ السِّينِ وَسَوْفَ) before the present verb. Please see the examples below.
Future
|
Present
| |
Arabic
| ||
English
|
He will write tomorrow
|
He is writing now
|
Arabic
| ||
English
|
He is going to travel tomorrow
|
He is traveling today
|
- It is important to emphasize two different points before we go into detail. The particles we arediscussing below have the following purposes:
- To change the time period (tense) of the present tense verb – e.g. from present tense to future tense.
- To change the action to the negative.
- The exception to that rule is the particle لا which keeps the meaning as the present tense time period.
- The question now is: How do we make the present verb negative while referring to different time periods, i.e. the present, the future and the past?
- To answer this question will divide the discussion to the following points:
- Making the present verb (indicating the present tense) negative.
- Making the present verb (indicating a future action) negative.
- Making the present verb (indicating a past action) negative.
Making the present verb (indicating the present tense) negative:
The present verb can be negated and keeping its present tense by the use of two particles as follows:
- “lā لا”
Picture
|
Sentence
|
Tense
|
Verb
|
Particle
|
|
I do not like the guava juice
|
Present
|
Uħibbu
(Like)
| |
|
We do not write when the teacher is speaking
|
Present
|
Naktubu
(Write)
| |
|
Muna does not prefer coffee. She loves tea more.
|
Present
|
Tufađđilu
(Prefer)
|
- From the examples above, we note the following:
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
I do not like
|
I like
|
|
We do not write
|
We write
|
|
We do not prefer
|
We prefer
|
- “Mā ما”
Tense
|
Verb
|
Particle
|
Sentence
|
Present
|
Uħibbu
(Like)
|
I do not like the guava juice
| |
Present
|
Naktubu
(Write)
|
We do not write when the teacher is speaking
| |
Present
|
Tufađđilu
(Prefer)
|
Muna does not prefer coffee. She loves tea more.
|
- From the above mentioned examples we note that “mā ما” has the same function and meaning of the particle “lā لا”. Therefore the present verb after “mā ما” keeps indicating the present tense, and its ending is not affected by “mā ما”, so it remains in the nominative case.
Making the present verb (indicating a future action) negative:
The particle
|
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
I will not return to my country after I finish my studies.
|
I will return to my country after I finish my studies.
| |
|
I will not live with my family after marriage
|
I will live with my family after marriage
|
- From the examples above, we note the following:
- The particle (lan "لن") is used to make the present verb (indicating a future action) negative.
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
He will not study
|
He will study
|
|
He will not return
|
He will return
|
- The verb after the particle (lan) becomes in the accusative case with a fatħah vowel-ending instead of the đammah vowel-ending.
Sentence in the negative
|
Sentence in the affirmative
|
|
I will not return
|
I will return
|
|
I will not dwell
|
I will dwell
|
Making the present verb (indicating a past action) negative:
- The particle (lam "لمْ") is used in making the present verb (indicating a past action) negative. “Lam” has three functions, as it makes the present verb negative and changes the tense of the verb from present to past, and finally it changes the verb form the nominative to the jussive case. The meaning of the verb after “lam” had to do with the past and has nothing to do with the present, although it is in the present form.
Picture
|
Past affirmative
|
Present negative using “lam”
|
Present affirmative
|
|
Ali studied Arabic in Egypt
|
Ali did not study Arabic in Egypt
|
Ali studies Arabic in Egypt
|
|
The student did his homework at school
|
The student did not write his homework at school
|
The student does his homework at school
|
|
Ahmad watched TV yesterday
|
Ahmad did not watch TV every day
|
Ahmad watches TV every day
|
- If we look at the examples above, we find that the sentences were written in three different ways.
- The first with an affirmative present verb indicating the present tense, using the verbs"يَدْرُسُ، يَكْتُبُ، يُشَاهِدُ".
- The second with a negative present verb using the particle “lam” which indicates that the action did not happen (in the past tense): "لَمْ يَدْرُسْ، لَمْ يَكْتُبْ، لَمْ يُشاهِدْ"
- The third with the affirmative present verb that indicates the past verb: "دَرَسَ، كَتَبَ، شَاهَدَ"
- You shall note that the meaning in the second one is the same as the third, but in the negative.
- You may also notice that the affirmative present verb is signed with đammah on its last letter (for being in the nominative case), while the negative present verb after “lam” is signed with sukūn on its last letter (for being in the jussive case): "لَمْ يَدْرُسْ، لَمْ يَكْتُبْ، لَمْ يُشاهِدْ".
- This way, “lam” does the three functions we have already mentioned, that is:
- Make the negative.
- Change the verb tense from present to past.
- Change the case of the verb from the nominative to the jussive case.
After adding “lam”
|
Before adding “lam”
|
|
He did not study
|
He studies
|
|
He did not write
|
He writes
|
|
He did not watch
|
He watches
|
Making the past verb negative
- Now we will learn how to make the past verb negative and the particles used in this regard.
- We already discussed the negative of the present verb and the particles used to make it negative that is “la, lam and lan”. To make the past verb negative, we use the particle “mā ما”.
Picture
|
Negative sentence
|
Affirmative sentence
|
Particle
|
 |
Ahmad did not eat much. He, however, became fat.
|
Ahmad ate much and consequently became fat.
| |
 |
Uthman did not allocate his money in the right place
|
Uthman allocated his money for the benefit of the poor
| |
|
I did not watch TV yesterday
|
I watched TV for two hours yesterday
| |
 |
I have not traveled to Mecca for five years
|
I traveled to Mecca five years ago
|
- From the examples above, we note that:
- The past verb indicates one tense only, which is the past tense, unlike the case with the present verb that can be used to indicate the past, present and future depending on the particle used before the verb.
- The past verb is made negative through using one particle only, which is “mā ما” (مَا أَكَلَ، مَا وَضَعَ، مَا شَاهَدْتُ، ما سَافَرْتُ). This differs from the present verb that has three various particles used in making it negative (Part 2).
- The tense verb is indeclinable (Lesson 3). Some past verbs has a fatħah vowel-ending such as (أَكَلَ، وَضَعَ). Others have a sukūn vowel-ending such as (شَاهَدْتُ، سَافَرْتُ). We will discuss this in detail in Lesson 39 In-Shā’-Allâh (God-willing).
- The vowel-ending of the past verb does not change when it is preceded by a negation particle, contrary to the case with the present verb when it is preceded by (lan or lam).
Negative sentence
|
Affirmative sentence
|
|
Ahmad did not eat
|
Ahmad ate
|
|
Uthman did not allocate
|
Uthman allocated
|
|
I did not watch TV
|
I watched TV
|
|
I did not travel to Mecca
|
I travelled to Mecca
|
Making the nominal sentence negative - نَفْيُ الجُمْلة الاسْمِيَّةِ
· To make the nominal sentence negative, we use the particle “laysa ليس (not to be). The nominal sentence starts with a noun, not a verb.
Negative Nominal sentence
|
Affirmative Nominal sentence
|
|
The teacher is not a miser
|
The teacher is generous
|
|
The student is not lazy
|
The student is brilliant
|
|
The pen is not in the bag
|
The pen is in the bag
|
|
The weather is not hot
|
The weather is hot
|
|
The phone is not turned off
|
The phone is turned off
|
- From the examples above, we notice that all the sentences begin with a noun like: (الأُسْتاذُ، طَالِبُ العِلْمِ، القَلَمُ، الجَوُّ، الهَاتِفُ). These are called nominal sentences.
- There are two ways for making the nominal sentence negative:
- Using “laysa”
- Using “mā” which is also used to make both the present and past verbs negative.
Picture
|
Nominal sentence (Negative with “ma”)
|
Nominal sentence (Negative with “laysa”)
|
Affirmative nominal sentence
|
|
The teacher is not a miser
|
The teacher is not a miser
|
The teacher is generous
|
|
The student is not lazy
|
The student is not lazy
|
The student is brilliant
|
 |
The pen is not in the bag
|
The pen is not in the bag
|
The pen is in the bag
|
 |
The weather is not hot
|
The weather is not hot
|
The weather is hot
|
 |
The phone is not turned off
|
The phone is not turned off
|
The phone is turned off
|
Summary
- There are five particles used in the negation, as follows:
Change to verb
|
Example
|
Change of tense and state (positive / negative)
|
Particle
|
(The verb vowel-ending, the đammah, does not change)
|
I do not like the guava juice
|
Present affirmative
to Present negative | |
(The verb vowel-ending, the đammah, changes into the fatħah)
|
I will not live with my family
|
Present affirmative
to Future negative | |
(The verb vowel-ending, the đammah, changes into the sukūn)
|
Ahmad did not watch
|
Present affirmative
to Past negative | |
(The verb vowel-ending, the indeclension sign of the past, does not change)
|
Ahmad did not eat
I did not travel to Mecca
|
Past affirmative
to Past negative | |
(The verb vowel-ending, the đammah, does not change)
|
I do not like the guava juice.
|
Present affirmative
to Present negative | |
(The vowel-endings of the second noun, the predicate, changes from đammah to fatħah)
|
The teacher is not a miser
|
Nominal affirmative sentence
to Nominal negative sentence | |
(The vowel-endings of the second noun, the predicate, changes from đammah to fatħah)
|
The teacher is not a miser
|
Making the nominal sentence negative
|
Revision – مُرَاجَعَةٌ
English
|
Arabic
|
English
|
Arabic
|
The meeting
|
Attend
| ||
The conversation
|
I will marry
| ||
The phone is turned off
|
The food is tasty
| ||
Rain
|
Computer
| ||
Generous
|
Miser
| ||
Lazy
|
Brilliant
| ||
The displayed (stuff)
|
I watched
| ||
Cinema
|
Swam
| ||
Sport
|
Practice
| ||
Ocean
|
The sea
| ||
Juice
|
The lake
| ||
Cold
|
Hot
| ||
Faculty
|
Join
|
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