200 Common Arabic Verbs

Welcome to Nashrah Arabic! One of the most powerful ways to accelerate your Arabic language journey is to build a strong vocabulary of verbs. Verbs are the engines of the sentence, and knowing them will allow you to express yourself clearly and confidently.

To make your learning easier, we’ve compiled a list of 200 common Arabic verbs that you will encounter in daily conversations, media, and literature. Each verb is presented in three ways:

The Arabic Verb: Written in Arabic script.
The Transliteration: How to pronounce it using Roman/Latin letters. (This is a great tool for beginners!).
The English Translation: The core meaning.

A Quick Note on Arabic Verbs: Most Arabic verbs are based on a root system of three or four letters. The verbs listed here are in their basic past tense form (for the pronoun “he” – هُوَ). This is the standard form you will find in a dictionary and is the foundation for conjugating into other tenses and forms.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

The Essential List: 200 Common Arabic Verbs

No.	Arabic Verb	Transliteration	English Meaning
1	فَعَلَ	Fa’ala	To do
2	ذَهَبَ	Dhahaba	To go
3	أَكَلَ	Akala	To eat
4	شَرِبَ	Shariba	To drink
5	قالَ	Qāla	To say
6	رَأَى	Ra’ā	To see
7	سَمِعَ	Sami’a	To hear
8	عَرَفَ	‘Arafa	To know
9	جَلَسَ	Jalasa	To sit
10	وَقَفَ	Waqafa	To stand
11	نَامَ	Nāma	To sleep
12	اِسْتَيْقَظَ	Istayqatha	To wake up
13	عَمِلَ	‘Amila	To work
14	دَرَسَ	Darasa	To study
15	قَرَأَ	Qara’a	To read
16	كَتَبَ	Kataba	To write
17	تَكَلَّمَ	Takallama	To speak
18	سَأَلَ	Sa’ala	To ask
19	أَجَابَ	Ajāba	To answer
20	فَهِمَ	Fahima	To understand
21	عَادَ	‘Āda	To return
22	ذَكَرَ	Dhakara	To remember
23	نَسِيَ	Nasiya	To forget
24	أَعْطَى	A’ṭā	To give
25	أَخَذَ	Akhadha	To take
26	حَضَرَ	Hadara	To bring / To attend
27	شَرَى	Sharā	To buy
28	بَاعَ	Bā’a	To sell
29	دَفَعَ	Dafa’a	To pay
30	فَتَحَ	Fataha	To open
31	غَلَقَ	Ghalaqa	To close
32	بَدَأَ	Bada’a	To begin
33	اِنْتَهَى	Intahā	To finish
34	لَعِبَ	La’iba	To play
35	ضَحِكَ	Dahika	To laugh
36	بَكَى	Bakā	To cry
37	غَنَّى	Ghannā	To sing
38	رَقَصَ	Raqasa	To dance
39	سَافَرَ	Sāfara	To travel
40	زَارَ	Zāra	To visit
41	جَاءَ	Jā’a	To come
42	سَكَنَ	Sakana	To live / To reside
43	شَعَرَ	Sha’ara	To feel
44	أَحَبَّ	Ahabba	To love
45	كَرِهَ	Kariha	To dislike / To hate
46	ظَنَّ	Thanna	To think (believe)
47	فَكَّرَ	Fakkara	To think (ponder)
48	حَاوَلَ	Hawala	To try
49	نَجَحَ	Najaha	To succeed
50	فَشِلَ	Fashila	To fail
51	رَكِبَ	Rakiba	To ride
52	سَاقَ	Sāqa	To drive
53	مَشَى	Mashā	To walk
54	رَكَضَ	Rakada	To run
55	سَبَحَ	SabaHa	To swim
56	قَفَزَ	Qafaza	To jump
57	وَصَلَ	WaSala	To arrive
58	غَادَرَ	Ghādara	To leave / To depart
59	اِسْتَمَعَ	Istama’a	To listen
60	نَظَرَ	Nathara	To look
61	رَأَى	Ra’ā	To see
62	شَمَّ	Shamma	To smell
63	لَمَسَ	Lamasa	To touch
64	ذَاقَ	Dhāqa	To taste
65	طَبَخَ	Tabakha	To cook
66	شَوَى	Shawā	To grill
67	غَسَلَ	Ghasala	To wash
68	نَظَّف	Naththafa	To clean
69	كَنَسَ	Kanasa	To sweep
70	حَصَلَ	Hasala	To get / To obtain
71	اِحْتَاجَ	Ihtāja	To need
72	أَرَادَ	Arāda	To want
73	مَلَكَ	Malaka	To own / To possess
74	خَسِرَ	Khasira	To lose
75	رَبِحَ	RabiHa	To win
76	اِخْتَارَ	Ikhtāra	To choose
77	غَيَّرَ	Ghayyara	To change
78	بَقِيَ	Baqiya	To stay / To remain
79	اِنْتَظَرَ	Intathara	To wait
80	تَحَرَّكَ	Taharaka	To move
81	تَوَقَّفَ	Tawaqqafa	To stop
82	سَاعَدَ	Sā’ada	To help
83	عَالَجَ	‘ālaja	To treat / To cure
84	زَالَ	Zāla	To remove
85	وَضَعَ	Wada’a	To put / To place
86	رَفَعَ	Rafa’a	To raise / To lift
87	خَفَضَ	Khafada	To lower
88	بَنَى	Banā	To build
89	هَدَمَ	Hadama	To demolish
90	صَنَعَ	Sana’a	To make / To manufacture
91	إِلْتَقَى	Iltiqā	To meet
92	تَعَرَّفَ	Ta’arrafa	To get to know / To meet
93	زَوَّجَ	Zawwaja	To marry (someone to another)
94	تَزَوَّجَ	Tazawwaja	To get married
95	وُلِدَ	Wulida	To be born
96	مَاتَ	Māta	To die
97	عَاشَ	‘āsha	To live (a life)
98	كَبُرَ	Kabura	To grow up
99	تَغَيَّرَ	Taghayyara	To change (oneself)
100	تَحَسَّنَ	Tahassana	To improve
101	سَمَحَ	SamaHa	To allow / To permit
102	مَنَعَ	Mana’a	To prevent
103	طَلَبَ	Talaba	To request / To order
104	أَمَرَ	Amara	To command
105	نَهَى	Nahā	To forbid
106	وَعَدَ	Wa’ada	To promise
107	كَذَبَ	Kadhaba	To lie
108	صَدَقَ	Sadaqa	To tell the truth
109	اِعْتَذَرَ	I’tadhara	To apologize
110	سَامَحَ	SāmaHa	To forgive
111	شَكَرَ	Shakara	To thank
112	هَنَّأَ	Hanna’a	To congratulate
113	أَرْسَلَ	Arsala	To send
114	اِسْتَقْبَلَ	Istaqbala	To receive / To welcome
115	تَلَقَّى	Talaqqā	To receive
116	اِتَّصَلَ	IttaSala	To contact / To connect
117	تَحَدَّثَ	Tahaddatha	To talk / To chat
118	نَاقَشَ	Nāqasha	To discuss
119	وَافَقَ	Wāfaqa	To agree
120	رَفَضَ	RafaDa	To refuse
121	اِخْتَلَفَ	Ikhtalafa	To disagree
122	جَادَلَ	Jādala	To argue
123	صَرَخَ	Sarakha	To shout / To scream
124	هَمَسَ	Hamas	To whisper
125	بَشَّرَ	Bashshara	To give good news
126	أَنْذَرَ	Andhara	To warn
127	خَافَ	Khāfa	To fear
128	قَلَقَ	Qaliqa	To worry
129	اِطْمَأَنَّ	Itma’anna	To feel at ease / reassured
130	فَاجَأَ	Fāja’a	To surprise
131	اِنْدَهَشَ	Indahasha	To be surprised
132	تَعَلَّمَ	Ta’allama	To learn
133	عَلَّمَ	‘Allama	To teach
134	شَجَّعَ	Shajja’a	To encourage
135	حَثَّ	Haththa	To urge
136	نَصَحَ	Nasaha	To advise
137	اِقْتَرَحَ	Iqtaraha	To suggest
138	قَابَلَ	Qābala	To meet (an appointment)
139	حَافَظَ	Hafatha	To maintain / To preserve
140	حَمَى	Hama	To protect
141	دَافَعَ	Dāfa’a	To defend
142	هَاجَمَ	Hājama	To attack
143	هَرَبَ	Haraba	To escape / To flee
144	اِخْتَبَأَ	Ikhtaba’a	To hide (oneself)
145	أَخْفَى	Akhfā	To hide (something)
146	وَجَدَ	Wajada	To find
147	بَحَثَ	Bahatha	To search
148	فَقَدَ	Faqada	To lose (something)
149	كَسَرَ	Kasara	To break
150	صَلَحَ	SalaHa	To fix / To repair
151	لَبِسَ	Labisa	To wear / To put on (clothes)
152	خَلَعَ	Khala’a	To take off (clothes)
153	اِغْتَسَلَ	Ightasala	To shower
154	تَسَوَّكَ	Tasawwaka	To use a miswak / to clean teeth
155	تَعِبَ	Ta’iba	To get tired
156	اِسْتَرَاحَ	IstaraHa	To rest
157	مَرِضَ	MariDa	To get sick
158	شُفِيَ	Shufiya	To be cured / to recover
159	سَعَى	Sa’ā	To strive / To endeavor
160	خَطَّطَ	Khattata	To plan
161	حَقَّقَ	Haqqaqa	To achieve / To realize
162	حَلَّ	Halla	To solve / To resolve
163	سَأَلَ	Sa’ala	To ask
164	اِسْتَفْسَرَ	Istafsara	To inquire
165	أَشَارَ	Ashāra	To point
166	عَانَقَ	‘ānaqa	To hug
167	قَبَّلَ	Qabbala	To kiss
168	صَلَّى	Sallā	To pray
169	دَعَا	Da’ā	To pray (make a supplication) / To invite
170	صَامَ	Sāma	To fast
171	تَكَبَّرَ	Takabbar	To be arrogant
172	تَوَاضَعَ	TawāDa’a	To be humble
173	كَرُمَ	Karuma	To be generous
174	بَخِلَ	Bakhila	To be stingy
175	صَدَّقَ	Saddaqa	To believe
176	كَفَرَ	Kafara	To disbelieve
177	أَمِنَ	Amina	To be safe / To feel secure
178	شَكَّ	Shaqqa	To doubt / To suspect
179	تَأَكَّدَ	Ta’akkada	To make sure / To check
180	فَسَّرَ	Fassara	To explain
181	تَرْجَمَ	Tarjama	To translate
182	سَجَّلَ	Sajjala	To record / To register
183	حَاسَبَ	Hasaba	To calculate
184	عَدَّ	‘Adda	To count
185	زَادَ	Zāda	To increase
186	نَقَصَ	Naqasa	To decrease
187	قَارَنَ	Qārana	To compare
188	مَيَّزَ	Mayyaza	To distinguish
189	غَلَبَ	Ghalaba	To defeat / To overcome
190	اِنْهَزَمَ	Inhazama	To be defeated
191	تَحَكَّمَ	Tahakkama	To control
192	سَيْطَرَ	Saytara	To dominate / To control
193	تَحَرَّرَ	Tahrarra	To be liberated
194	اِسْتَعْمَلَ	Ista’mala	To use
195	شَغَّلَ	Shagghala	To operate / To turn on
196	أَطْفَأَ	Atfa’a	To turn off / To extinguish
197	اِشْتَرَكَ	Ishtaraka	To share / To participate
198	تَعَاوَنَ	Ta’āwana	To cooperate
199	تَنَافَسَ	Tanāfasa	To compete
200	فَازَ	Fāza	To win (a competition)