Arabic Imperative Verb: Direct and Indirect Commands

Introduction

The imperative is the verb form used to give a command. In Arabic, the imperative is of two types:

• Direct command
• Indirect command

The direct command is used with the second person.

Examples:

اِضْرِبْ	Strike
اُنْظُرْ	Look
اِشْرَبْ	Drink

Sometimes, the command is given to the third or first person. In this case, it is called the indirect command - الْأَمْرُ لِلْغَائِبِ و الْمُتَكَلِّمِ.

Examples:

لِيَضْرِبْ	Let him strike
لِأَنْصُرْ	Let me help
لِأَشْرَبْ	Let me drink

1. The direct command - أَمْرٌ لِلْمُخَاطَبِ

As mentioned earlier, the direct command is formed from the second person of the imperfect tense, both masculine and feminine. Let us now see how the second-person imperfect form is changed into the imperative form of the verb.

The verb فَعَلَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
تَفْعَلُ	تَفْعَلانِ	تَفْعَلُوْنَ
you do	you both do	you do

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
تَفْعَلِيْنَ	تَفْعَلانِ	تَفْعَلْنَ
you do	you both do	you do

Step 1: In the imperfect-tense table above, remove the second-person marker of the imperfect tense, “تَ”, as shown in the table below:

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
فْعَلُ	فْعَلانِ	فْعَلُوْنَ

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
فْعَلِيْنَ	فْعَلانِ	فْعَلْنَ

Step 2: Add a hamza in place of ت. If the second radical of the imperfect verb carries a fatḥah or kasrah, the prefixed hamza ا will carry a kasrah. If the second radical carries a ḍammah, the prefixed alif will also carry a ḍammah. Likewise, the prefixed hamza in the imperative never carries a fatḥah.

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِفْعَلُ	اِفْعَلانِ	اِفْعَلُوْنَ

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِفْعَلِيْنَ	اِفْعَلانِ	اِفْعَلْنَ

The prefixed hamza is called hamzat al-wasl - هَمْزِةُ الْوَصْلِ, le hamza est joint. Bien que présent dans l’écriture, il n’est pas lu. Il joint le mot précédent au mot suivant.

Step 3: The final letter of the masculine singular takes a sukūn. All the other nūn letters - ن - are dropped, except for the feminine plural. Therefore, the imperative is as follows:

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِفْعَلْ	اِفْعَلا	اِفْعَلُوْا
Do	Do, both of you	Do

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِفْعَلِيْ	اِفْعَلا	اِفْعَلْنَ
Do	Do, both of you	Do

The verb فَتَحَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِفْتَحْ	اِفْتَحَا	اِفْتَحُوْا
Open	Open, both of you	Open

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِفْتَحِيْ	اِفْتَحَا	اِفْتَحْنَ
Open	Open, both of you	Open

The verb ضَرَبَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِضْرِبْ	اِضْرِبَا	اِضْرِبُوْا
strike	strike, both of you	strike

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِضْرِبِيْ	اِضْرِبا	اِضْرِبْنَ
strike	strike, both of you	strike

The verb نَصَرَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اُنْصُرْ	اُنْصُرَا	اُنْصُرُوا
Help	Help, both of you	Help

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اُنْصُرِيْ	اُنْصُرَا	اُنْصُرْنَ
Help	Help, both of you	Help

Examples of direct imperative verbs used in the Holy Quran

وَأَنِ اعْبُدُونِي ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

And [did I not command you] to worship Me? This is a straight path. (36:61)

ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ ۖ هَـٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ

Strike [the ground] with your foot: here is cool water to wash with and to drink. (38:42)

وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ

And We said: “O Adam, dwell in Paradise, you and your wife.” (2:35)

2. Hamzated verbs in the imperative

Hamza as the first radical

The imperative is formed by removing the imperfect tense marker ت. The hamza as the first radical of the hamzated verb is also removed. No prefixed hamza is used to form the imperative of such verbs.

The verb أَكَلَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
كُلْ	كُلَا	كُلُوْا
Eat	Eat, both of you	Eat

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
كُلِيْ	كُلا	كُلْنَ
Eat	Eat, both of you	Eat

Examples of hamzated verbs in the imperative used in the Quran

فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا

So eat, drink, and be comforted. (19:26)

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ

Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and bless them, and pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is reassurance for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (9:103)

وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا

and eat from it freely wherever you wish. (2:35)

However, some hamzated verbs depart from this pattern and take hamzat al-wasl in the imperative form.

The verb أَذِنَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِئْذَنْ	اِئْذَنَا	اِئْذَنُوْا
Permit	Permit, both of you	Permit

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِئْذَنِي	اِئْذَنَا	اِئْذَنَّ
Permit	Permit, both of you	Permit

Hamzaas the second radical

The verb سَأَلَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
سَلْ - اِسْأَلْ	سَلَا - اِسْأَلَا	سَلُوْا- اِسْأَلُوْا
ask	ask, both of you	ask

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
سَلِي - اِسْأَلِيْ	سَلا - اِسْأَلا	سَلْنَ - اِسْأَلْنَ
ask	ask, both of you	ask

Le schéma du verbe سَأَلَ peut être formé avec ou sans hamzat al-wasl comme indiqué dans le tableau ci-dessus.

Examples of verbs with hamza as the second radical in the imperative

سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ

Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs We gave them! (2:211)

وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِي كُنَّا فِيهَا

And ask the town in which we were. (12:82)

Hamza as the third radical

The verb قَرَأَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِقْرَأْ	اِقْرَءَا	اِقْرَءُوْا
Read	Read, both of you	Read

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِقْرَئِي	اِقْرَءَا	اِقْرَئْنَ
Read	Read, both of you	Read

Examples of verbs with hamza as the third radical used in the Holy Quran

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

Read in the name of your Lord who created. (96:1)

3. The imperative form of weak verbs

Weak verbs: first radical و or ى

Lorsque le premier radical du verbe faible est و, le signe de the imperfect à the imperfect ت est supprimé et l’impératif est formé sans hamzat al-wasl.

The verb وَعَدَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
إِيْئَسْ	إِيْئَسا	إِيْئَسْنُوْا
weep	weep, both of you	weep

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
إِيْئَسِي	إِيْئَسَا	إِيْئَسْنَ
weep	weep, both of you	weep

Lorsque le verbe faible a le premier radical ى, l’impératif est formé en supprimant le signe de the imperfect à the imperfect ت et en ajoutant hamzat al-wasl.

The verb و عد in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
عِدْ	عِدَا	عِدُوْا
Promise	Promise, both of you	Promise

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
عِدِي	عِدَا	عِدْنَ
Promise	Promise, both of you	Promise

Hollow verbs in the imperative

Here, the imperative is formed without hamzat al-wasll et en supprimant le signe de the imperfect à the imperfect ت.

The verb قَالَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
قُلْ	قُولَا	قُولُوْا
say	Say, both of you	Say

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
قُولِي	قُولَا	قُلْنَ
say	Say, both of you	Say

The verb بَاعَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
بِعْ	بِيْعَا	بِيْعُوْا
Sell	sell, both of you	sell

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
بِيْعِي	بِيْعَا	بِعْنَ
Sell	sell, both of you	sell

Defective verbs

Ici, le signe de the imperfect de the imperfect, ت est supprimé et hamzat al-wasl is prefixed to the imperative mood. The weak letters of the verb are omitted in the masculine and feminine singular forms.

The verb دَعَا in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
أُدْعُ	أُدْعُوَا	أُدْعُوْا
Invite	invite, both of you	invite

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
أُدْعِي	أُدْعُوَا	أُدْعُوْنَ
Invite	invite, both of you	invite

The verb رَمَى in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
إِرْمِ	إِرْمِيَا	إِرْمُوْا
Throw	Throw, both of you	Throw

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
إِرْمِي	إِرْمِيَا	إِرْمِيْنَ
Throw	Throw, both of you	Throw

The verb لَقِيَ in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِلْقَ	اِلْقَيَا	اِلْقُوْا
meet	meet, both of you	meet

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
اِلْقِي	اِلْقَيَا	اِلْقَيْنَ
meet	meet, both of you	meet

The verb رَأَى in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
رَ	رَيَا	رَوْا
See	See, both of you	see

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
رَيْ	رَيَا	رَيْنَ
See	See, both of you	see

This is because رَأَى is a weak hamzated verb with an irregular pattern.

Examples of weak verbs in the imperative

كُلُوا وَارْعَوْا أَنْعَامَكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي النُّهَىٰ

“Eat and pasture your cattle.” Indeed, in that are signs for people of understanding. (20:54)

قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

Say: “Bring the Torah and recite it, if you are truthful.” (3:93)

ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction. (16:125)

4. The imperative form of doubly weak verbs

Here, the imperative is formed by removing the weak letter ى and the imperfect marker ت.

The verb وَقَى in the imperative

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
قِ	قِيَا	قُوْا
Protect	Protect, both of you	Protect

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
قِيْ	قِيِا	قِيْنَ
Protect	Protect, both of you	Protect

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Example used in the Holy Quran

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

And among them are those who say: “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (2:201)

The imperative for doubled verbs

The imperative is formed by prefixing hamzat al-wasl après avoir laissé tomber le signe de the imperfect à the imperfect ت.

The verb غَضَّ in the imperfect tense

Second person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
أُغْضُضْ	أُغْضُضَا	أُغْضُضُوا
lower the gaze	lower the gaze, both of you	lower the gaze

Second person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
أُغْضُضِ	أُغْضُضَا	أُغْضُضْنَ
lower the gaze	lower the gaze, both of you	lower the gaze

Example used in the Holy Quran

وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ

Be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys. (31:19)

5. The indirect imperative form

Introduction

L’ordre indirect est donnée au temps à the imperfect à la troisième et à la première personne. Cela se fait en ajoutant le préfixe لِ du jussif au temps de the imperfect à la troisième et à la première personne. Cela s’appelle the command lām - لَامُ الْأَمْرِ.

Indirect form of the imperative verb - فَعَلَ

Third person masculine

Singular	Dual	Plural
لِيَفْعَلْ	لِيَفْعَلَا	لِيَفْعَلُوْا
Let him do	Let both of them do	Let them do

Third person feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
لِيَفْعَلْ	لِيَفْعَلَا	لِيَفْعَلْنَ
Let her do	Let both of them do	Let them do

First person masculine and feminine

Singular	Dual	Plural
لِأَفْعَلْ	-	لِنَفْعَلْ
Let me do	-	Let us do

When the command lām لِ is prefixed to the imperfect tense, the final letter of the third-person singular and the first-person singular and plural takes a sukūn.

The ن of the dual and plural forms is dropped, except in the third-person feminine plural.

Example of the indirect imperative used in the Holy Quran

وَنَادَوْا يَا مَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُم مَّاكِثُونَ

And they will call: “O Mālik! Let your Lord put an end to us.” He will say: “Indeed, you will remain.” (43:77)

Note: when the command lām لِ est précédé d’un و ou d’un ف, la kasrah du لِ est changée en sukūn.

Examples of the indirect imperative used in the Holy Quran

فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَـٰذَا الْبَيْتِ

So let them worship the Lord of this House. (106:3)

قُلْ مَن كَانَ فِي الضَّلَالَةِ فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَدًّا ۚ

Say: “Whoever is in error, let the Most Merciful extend his term for a time.” (19:75)

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This free Arabic lesson is now complete. The next lesson, in shā’ Allah, will be about transitive and intransitive verbs in Arabic.

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