A1 Basic Verbs 10 min read Easy

Perfect Tense: Third Person Feminine (The 'She' Form)

To say 'She did it', simply take the 'He' form and snap a silent 't' (-at) onto the end.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To talk about what a female did in the past, add the suffix 'at' (ـَت) to the end of the root verb.

  • Identify the root (Form I) verb, e.g., 'kataba' (he wrote).
  • Remove the final vowel if necessary and add the 'at' suffix: 'katabat' (she wrote).
  • Ensure the stress remains on the correct syllable for natural flow.
Root Verb + ـَت (at) = She did it

Overview

Mastering the perfect tense in Arabic, especially the third-person feminine singular form, is fundamental for any learner at the A1 level. Unlike many Indo-European languages where a single past tense verb form might apply to all subjects (e.g., 'she went,' 'he went,' 'they went'), Arabic verbs are profoundly inflected. This means they systematically change their endings to reflect the grammatical properties of their subject, such as gender, number, and person.

This deep inflection ensures remarkable precision and often allows for the omission of explicit pronouns, as the verb form itself conveys this crucial information.

This specific rule centers on the form that translates to 'she did X' or 'it (feminine noun) did X,' known as the Third Person Feminine Singular Perfect Tense. It is marked by a unique suffix appended to the verb. Understanding this conjugation is not merely memorizing an ending; it is grasping a core principle of Arabic morphology that permeates the entire verbal system.

This form allows you to accurately describe past actions performed by individual women, by nouns that are grammatically feminine (even inanimate objects), and by non-human plural entities, making it indispensable for foundational communication.

From a linguistic perspective, the consistent application of this suffix highlights Arabic's rich synthetic nature, where grammatical relationships are expressed through internal changes to words rather than through separate auxiliary words. This contrasts sharply with analytic languages like English. For the A1 learner, this consistency is a gift: once you understand the pattern, you can apply it across a vast number of regular verbs, providing immediate communicative power and building a robust framework for more advanced conjugations.

How This Grammar Works

Arabic verbs are systematically built upon triliteral roots, which are typically three-consonant frameworks that carry the core meaning of a word. For instance, the root ك-ت-ب (k-t-b) conveys the idea of writing, while ش-ر-ب (sh-r-b) relates to drinking. From these roots, a variety of verb patterns, or forms (أوزان - awzān), are derived, each adding nuances to the root meaning.
Form I is the simplest and most common pattern, representing the basic, unaugmented meaning of the root. This is where most A1 learners begin their journey.
Every Arabic verb, in its most basic and uninflected past tense form, defaults to the Third Person Masculine Singular (هُوَ - huwa, meaning 'he'). This is the form you will typically encounter in dictionaries and vocabulary lists. For example, كَتَبَ (kataba) means 'he wrote,' and شَرِبَ (shariba) means 'he drank.' To transform this fundamental 'he' form into the 'she' form, Arabic employs an elegant and consistent mechanism: a direct suffix is added to the end of the verb.
This is not an optional addition; it is an integral part of the verb's structure, reflecting the grammatical gender of the subject.
The specific suffix for the third person feminine singular in the perfect tense is ـَتْ (-at). This suffix consists of the letter ت (Tā’) followed by a سُكون (sukūn), which is a diacritical mark indicating the absence of a vowel sound. The sukūn means the ت is pronounced as a sharp, unvocalized 't' sound.
This specific تَاءُ التَّأْنِيثِ السَّاكِنَةِ (tā’u at-ta’nīthi as-sākinah – the quiescent feminine Tā’) is the unequivocal marker of a feminine singular subject in the perfect tense. Its presence instantly signals that the action was performed by a singular female entity.
This system provides immense grammatical clarity. The listener immediately understands the gender of the actor from the verb's ending alone, even if the explicit subject noun or pronoun is delayed or omitted. For example, in فَتَحَتْ الْبَابَ (fataḥat al-bāba – She opened the door), the ـَتْ on فَتَحَتْ (fataḥat) clearly indicates 'she' is the subject, even before a noun like هِيَ (she) or مَرْيَم (Maryam) is used.
This contrasts sharply with English, which relies on explicit pronouns (e.g., 'she') alongside a verb form ('opened') that does not change for gender. The Arabic system, while requiring more memorization of verb forms, offers unparalleled economy of expression once mastered.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the perfect tense for a third-person feminine singular subject is remarkably consistent across the vast majority of regular Arabic verbs, particularly those following Form I patterns. The process involves a simple, predictable addition to the base 'he' form of the verb. This consistency is a key feature that makes this an accessible topic for A1 learners.
2
Here’s a step-by-step guide to forming the third-person feminine singular perfect tense:
3
Identify the 'He' Form (Third Person Masculine Singular): Begin with the basic perfect tense conjugation for the third-person masculine singular (هُوَ). This is the uninflected root form you will typically find in dictionaries, usually ending with a fatḥah (َ) on the last root letter. This form serves as the foundation for all other past tense conjugations.
4
Example: دَرَسَ (darasa) – 'He studied.' Here, دَرَسَ is derived from the root د-ر-س (d-r-s).
5
Append the Feminine Suffix (ـَتْ): To this 'he' form, you append the specific suffix ـَتْ (-at). This suffix is composed of the letter ت (Tā’) marked with a سُكون (sukūn). This تَاءُ التَّأْنِيثِ السَّاكِنَةِ attaches directly to the final letter of the verb. When attaching the ـَتْ, the fatḥah on the final consonant of the 'he' form is retained.
6
Example: دَرَسَ + ـَتْ.
7
Resulting 'She' Form (Third Person Feminine Singular): The two components combine seamlessly to produce the feminine singular perfect tense form. The sukūn on the ت is critical, indicating that the t sound is unvocalized and sharp.
8
Example: دَرَسَتْ (darasat) – 'She studied.'
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Let’s observe this pattern with several common Form I verbs. Pay close attention to the consistent addition of ـَتْ:
10
| He Form (هُوَ) | Root | Meaning | She Form (هِيَ) | Meaning | Example Sentence (She) |
11
| :---------------------- | :---------- | :---------- | :------------------------ | :------------ | :---------------------------------------------------------- |
12
| كَتَبَ (kataba) | ك-ت-ب | he wrote | كَتَبَتْ (katabat) | she wrote | كَتَبَتْ رِسَالَةً. (katabat risālah. – She wrote a letter.) |
13
| شَرِبَ (shariba) | ش-ر-ب | he drank | شَرِبَتْ (sharibat) | she drank | شَرِبَتْ الْقَهْوَةَ. (sharibat al-qahwah. – She drank coffee.) |
14
| ذَهَبَ (dhahaba) | ذ-ه-ب | he went | ذَهَبَتْ (dhahabat) | she went | ذَهَبَتْ إِلَى الْمَتْجَرِ. (dhahabat ilā al-matjar. – She went to the store.) |
15
| أَكَلَ (akala) | أ-ك-ل | he ate | أَكَلَتْ (akalat) | she ate | أَكَلَتْ التُّفَّاحَةَ. (akalat at-tuffāḥah. – She ate the apple.) |
16
| قَرَأَ (qara’a) | ق-ر-أ | he read | قَرَأَتْ (qara’at) | she read | قَرَأَتْ الْكِتَابَ. (qara’at al-kitāb. – She read the book.) |
17
| فَتَحَ (fataḥa) | ف-ت-ح | he opened | فَتَحَتْ (fataḥat) | she opened | فَتَحَتْ النَّافِذَةَ. (fataḥat an-nāfidhah. – She opened the window.) |
18
| لَعِبَ (laʿiba) | ل-ع-ب | he played | لَعِبَتْ (laʿibat) | she played | لَعِبَتْ كُرَةَ السَّلَّةِ. (laʿibat kurata as-sallah. – She played basketball.) |
19
| عَمِلَ (ʿamila) | ع-م-ل | he worked | عَمِلَتْ (ʿamilat) | she worked | عَمِلَتْ بِجِدٍّ. (ʿamilat bijidd. – She worked hard.) |
20
| فَهِمَ (fahima) | ف-ه-م | he understood | فَهِمَتْ (fahimat) | she understood | فَهِمَتْ الدَّرْسَ. (fahimat ad-dars. – She understood the lesson.) |
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Pronunciation Nuance: The Sukūn on ت
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The sukūn (ْ) over the ت in ـَتْ is of paramount importance for correct pronunciation in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). It signifies that the ت is a final, unvocalized consonant, essentially a sharp 't' sound with no short vowel (like a, i, or u) following it. This is particularly noticeable when the verb is at the end of a sentence or a phrase where a pause occurs. For example, قَرَأَتْ is pronounced qara'at (with a clear, stopped 't').
23
However, in connected speech, especially if the next word begins with a sukūn (often marked by الـ – al- for definite nouns), the sukūn on the ت of ـَتْ will transform into a kasrah (ِ). This is a rule of Arabic phonology to avoid two successive sukūns, which is generally not allowed. For example:
24
شَرِبَتْ الْقَهْوَةَ (sharibat al-qahwah) becomes شَرِبَتِ الْقَهْوَةَ (sharibati al-qahwah) when spoken fluidly. The ت now takes a kasrah for smooth transition, linking to the al- of الْقَهْوَةَ. This is a crucial detail for sounding native and understanding spoken Arabic, though often omitted in basic written tashkeel for simplicity.
25
While some colloquial dialects might slightly vocalize this ت (e.g., sounding like -et in Egyptian Arabic, as in katabet), in formal MSA, strict adherence to the sukūn (or its transformation to kasrah in connected speech) is expected. Understanding this distinction elevates your pronunciation from a beginner to a more accurate speaker of classical and formal Arabic.

When To Use It

Beyond simply referring to a female person, the third-person feminine singular perfect tense form (ـَتْ) is employed in Arabic in three primary grammatical contexts. This highlights the pervasive nature of grammatical gender in the language and its impact on verbal conjugation.
  1. 1Referring to a Singular Female Person: This is the most direct and intuitive application of this verb form. Whenever the subject performing a past action is a singular female individual, this specific verb conjugation is used. It explicitly marks the agent of the action as feminine.
  • أُمِّي اتَّصَلَتْ بِالْمَدْرَسَةِ. (Ummi ittaṣalat bil-madrasah. – My mother called the school.) Here, أُمِّي (my mother) is unequivocally feminine and singular, dictating the verb form اتَّصَلَتْ (ittaṣalat).
  • سَارَةُ وَصَلَتْ مُتَأَخِّرَةً. (Sāratu waṣalat muta’akhkhirah. – Sarah arrived late.) The proper noun سَارَةُ (Sarah) is a female name, thus وَصَلَتْ (waṣalat) is used.
  • الْمُعَلِّمَةُ شَرَحَتْ الدَّرْسَ جَيِّدًا. (Al-muʿallimatu sharaḥat ad-darsa jayyidan. – The teacher (f.) explained the lesson well.) الْمُعَلِّمَةُ (the teacher, feminine) triggers شَرَحَتْ (sharaḥat).
  1. 1Referring to Grammatically Feminine Singular Nouns (Non-Human): Arabic assigns grammatical gender to virtually all nouns, including inanimate objects, abstract concepts, and animals. This gender is often, but not always, indicated by the presence of a تَاء مَرْبُوطَة (tā’ marbūṭah, ة or ـَة) at the end of the noun. If a singular noun, regardless of whether it's human or not, is grammatically feminine, the verb referring to its past action will take the feminine singular form.
  • الطَّائِرَةُ هَبَطَتْ بِسَلَامٍ. (Aṭ-ṭā’iratu habaṭat bi-salām. – The plane landed safely.) The word الطَّائِرَةُ (plane) ends in ة, making it grammatically feminine, hence هَبَطَتْ (habaṭat).
  • السَّيَّارَةُ تَوَقَّفَتْ فَجْأَةً. (As-sayyāratu tawaqqafat faj’atan. – The car stopped suddenly.) Similarly, السَّيَّارَةُ (car) is feminine due to the ة ending, requiring تَوَقَّفَتْ (tawaqqafat).
  • Some nouns are inherently feminine without a تَاء مَرْبُوطَة. These often include paired body parts (e.g., أُذُنٌ – udhun, ear; عَيْنٌ – ʿayn, eye), certain elements (شَمْسٌ – shams, sun; نَارٌ – nār, fire), and many place names (cities, countries). For example: الشَّمْسُ شَرَقَتْ مُبَكِّرًا. (Ash-shamsu sharaqat mubakkiran. – The sun rose early.) الشَّمْسُ (the sun) is feminine, so the verb شَرَقَتْ (sharaqat) is used.
  1. 1Referring to Non-Human Plurals (The Collective Feminine): This is a particularly interesting and often initially confusing rule for learners. In Arabic, any plural noun that refers to non-human entities (e.g., animals, objects, abstract concepts) is typically treated grammatically as singular feminine. Consequently, the verb referring to its action must be conjugated in the third-person feminine singular form (ـَتْ). This rule applies regardless of the apparent gender of the singular form of the noun or how many items are in the plural.
  • الْكُتُبُ سَقَطَتْ مِنَ الرَّفِّ. (Al-kutubu saqaṭat mina ar-raff. – The books fell from the shelf.) Here, الْكُتُبُ (books) is a non-human plural (from كِتَابٌ – kitāb, a masculine singular noun). The verb سَقَطَتْ (saqaṭat) is in the feminine singular form.
  • الْأَبْوَابُ فُتِحَتْ. (Al-abwābu futiḥat. – The doors opened.) الْأَبْوَابُ (doors) is a non-human plural (from بَابٌ – bāb, a masculine singular noun). The verb فُتِحَتْ (futiḥat) is feminine singular.
  • الْأَشْجَارُ نَمَتْ بِسُرْعَةٍ. (Al-ashjāru namat bisurʿah. – The trees grew quickly.) الْأَشْجَارُ (trees) is a non-human plural (from شَجَرَةٌ – shajarah, a feminine singular noun). The verb نَمَتْ (namat) is feminine singular.
This

Past Tense Conjugation (She)

Root He (Masculine) She (Feminine) Meaning
ك ت ب
كَتَبَ
كَتَبَت
Write
د ر س
دَرَسَ
دَرَسَت
Study
ذ ه ب
ذَهَبَ
ذَهَبَت
Go
ش ر ب
شَرِبَ
شَرِبَت
Drink
ق ر أ
قَرَأَ
قَرَأَت
Read
ل ع ب
لَعِبَ
لَعِبَت
Play

Meanings

This rule is used to conjugate verbs in the past tense for the third-person feminine singular subject (she). It indicates a completed action performed by a female.

1

Completed Action

Describing an action finished in the past by a female.

“هي ذَهَبَت إلى المَدرَسَة (She went to school)”

“هي شَرِبَت القَهوَة (She drank the coffee)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Perfect Tense: Third Person Feminine (The 'She' Form)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Root + ـَت
كَتَبَت (She wrote)
Negative
ما + Root + ـَت
ما كَتَبَت (She did not write)
Question
هَل + Root + ـَت
هَل كَتَبَت؟ (Did she write?)
Short Answer (Yes)
نَعَم، كَتَبَت
Yes, she wrote
Short Answer (No)
لا، ما كَتَبَت
No, she did not write

Formality Spectrum

Formal
ذَهَبَت إلى السُّوق

ذَهَبَت إلى السُّوق (Daily errand)

Neutral
هي ذَهَبَت إلى السُّوق

هي ذَهَبَت إلى السُّوق (Daily errand)

Informal
رَاحَت للسُّوق

رَاحَت للسُّوق (Daily errand)

Slang
طَارَت للسُّوق

طَارَت للسُّوق (Daily errand)

Feminine Past Tense Map

She (Feminine)

Action

  • كَتَبَت She wrote

Movement

  • ذَهَبَت She went
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Examples by Level

1

هي كَتَبَت

She wrote

2

هي ذَهَبَت

She went

3

هي شَرِبَت

She drank

4

هي نَامَت

She slept

1

هَل دَرَسَت هِيَ؟

Did she study?

2

ما لَعِبَت في المَلعَب

She did not play in the playground

3

هي طَبَخَت العَشاء

She cooked dinner

4

هي اشْتَرَت كِتاباً

She bought a book

1

لَقَد سَافَرَت إلى مِصر

She has traveled to Egypt

2

هي شاهَدَت الفِيلم

She watched the movie

3

هي فَهِمَت الدَّرس

She understood the lesson

4

هي رَكَضَت بِسُرعَة

She ran quickly

1

هي قَرَّرَت أَن تَدرُس

She decided to study

2

هي حَاوَلَت أَن تَتَكَلَّم

She tried to speak

3

هي نَجَحَت في الامْتِحان

She succeeded in the exam

4

هي وَصَلَت في الوَقتِ المُحَدَّد

She arrived on time

1

هي أَنْهَت عَمَلَها بِإتْقان

She finished her work perfectly

2

هي اقْتَرَحَت حَلّاً جَدِيداً

She proposed a new solution

3

هي تَجَاوَزَت كُلَّ الصِّعاب

She overcame all difficulties

4

هي أَثْبَتَت كَفَاءَتَها

She proved her competence

1

هي اسْتَنْتَجَت نَتائِجَ مُهِمَّة

She deduced important results

2

هي تَبَنَّت وَجْهَةَ نَظَرٍ جَدِيدَة

She adopted a new perspective

3

هي بَلْوَرَت فِكْرَتَها

She crystallized her idea

4

هي اسْتَعادَت ثِقَتَها بِنَفْسِها

She regained her self-confidence

Easily Confused

Perfect Tense: Third Person Feminine (The 'She' Form) vs She vs. You (Feminine)

Both end in 't' sounds.

Perfect Tense: Third Person Feminine (The 'She' Form) vs She vs. I

Both are singular.

Perfect Tense: Third Person Feminine (The 'She' Form) vs Past vs. Present

Learners mix up tenses.

Common Mistakes

✗

هي كَتَب

✓

هي كَتَبَت

Missing the feminine suffix.
✗

هي كَتَبَتِ

✓

هي كَتَبَت

Adding an extra vowel.
✗

هي ذَهَبَ

✓

هي ذَهَبَت

Using masculine form.
✗

هي كَتَبْت

✓

هي كَتَبَت

Incorrect vowel placement.
✗

ما كَتَب

✓

ما كَتَبَت

Negating without feminine agreement.
✗

هَل كَتَب؟

✓

هَل كَتَبَت؟

Questioning without feminine agreement.
✗

هي كَتَبَتُ

✓

هي كَتَبَت

Incorrect case ending.
✗

هي كَتَبَتِي

✓

هي كَتَبَت

Confusing 'she' with 'you'.
✗

هي قَرَأَتْ

✓

هي قَرَأَت

Adding unnecessary sukun.
✗

هي كَتَبَتَ

✓

هي كَتَبَت

Adding extra fatha.
✗

هي أَنْهَتَت

✓

هي أَنْهَت

Double suffixing.
✗

هي اسْتَنْتَجَتَت

✓

هي اسْتَنْتَجَت

Double suffixing.
✗

هي بَلْوَرَتَت

✓

هي بَلْوَرَت

Double suffixing.

Sentence Patterns

هي ___ (verb) ___ (object).

هَل ___ (verb) هي؟

ما ___ (verb) هي اليَوم.

هي ___ (verb) بِسُرعَة.

Real World Usage

Texting very common

هي رَاحَت للسُّوق

Social Media common

هي زارَت باريس

Job Interview common

هي أَنْهَت المَشروع

Travel occasional

هي حَجَزَت الفُندُق

Food Delivery common

هي طَلَبَت الطَّعام

Academic Report common

هي قَدَّمَت البَحث

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💡

Listen for the 't'

When listening to native speakers, focus on the final 't' sound to identify the feminine subject.
⚠️

Don't over-conjugate

Only add the suffix once. Avoid double-suffixing like 'katabatat'.
🎯

Use context

If you forget the suffix, the context of the sentence will usually make it clear who you are talking about.
💬

Dialectal variation

Be aware that in casual speech, the 'at' suffix might sound slightly different depending on the region.

Smart Tips

Immediately think of adding 'at'.

هي كَتَب → هي كَتَبَت

Check for the 't' at the end.

هي ذَهَب → هي ذَهَبَت

Focus on the 't' sound.

هي شَرِب → هي شَرِبَت

Identify the suffix to understand the subject.

دَرَسَت → هي دَرَسَت

Pronunciation

katabat

The 'at' suffix

The 't' should be crisp and unvoiced.

Statement

هي كَتَبَت ↘

Falling intonation for statements.

Question

هَل كَتَبَت؟ ↗

Rising intonation for questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'at' as 'at the end'. She is 'at' the end of the verb.

Visual Association

Imagine a girl named 'At' standing at the end of every verb you see.

Rhyme

For the girl, add 'at', and that is that!

Story

Sarah is a busy student. Yesterday, she studied (darasat), she wrote (katabat), and she drank (sharibat) coffee. She did it all!

Word Web

كَتَبَتذَهَبَتشَرِبَتدَرَسَتلَعِبَتقَرَأَت

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about what a female friend did yesterday.

Cultural Notes

In many dialects, the 'at' suffix is often shortened or modified in casual speech.

Standard usage is common in formal settings.

Often uses 'it' instead of 'at'.

The feminine suffix 'at' is a Proto-Semitic feature.

Conversation Starters

“

ماذا فَعَلَت أُختُك؟

“

هَل قَرَأَت صَدِيقَتُك الكِتاب؟

“

كَيْفَ نَجَحَت في العَمَل؟

“

هَل اقْتَرَحَت حَلّاً لِلمُشكِلَة؟

Journal Prompts

Write about what your mother did yesterday.
Describe a female friend's achievements.
Narrate a story about a historical female figure.
Analyze a female character's actions in a movie.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank for 'She wrote'.

هي ___ (ك ت ب)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: كَتَبَت
The feminine suffix is 'at'.
Which is the correct negative form? Multiple Choice

هي ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ما كَتَبَت
Use 'ma' for past negation.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

هي ذَهَبَ إلى المَدرَسَة.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي ذَهَبَت إلى المَدرَسَة
Needs feminine suffix.
Reorder the sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي كَتَبَت الرِّسالَة
Subject-Verb-Object order.
Translate 'She drank coffee'. Translation

She drank coffee.

Answer starts with: هي ...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي شَرِبَت القَهوَة
Feminine past tense.
Conjugate 'to study' for 'she'. Conjugation Drill

دَرَسَ -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: دَرَسَت
Add 'at'.
Match the verb to its meaning. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She wrote, She went, She drank
Correct mapping.
Build a sentence with 'she', 'read', 'book'. Sentence Building

Build: هي, قَرَأَت, كِتاباً

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي قَرَأَت كِتاباً
Correct word order.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank for 'She wrote'.

هي ___ (ك ت ب)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: كَتَبَت
The feminine suffix is 'at'.
Which is the correct negative form? Multiple Choice

هي ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ما كَتَبَت
Use 'ma' for past negation.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

هي ذَهَبَ إلى المَدرَسَة.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي ذَهَبَت إلى المَدرَسَة
Needs feminine suffix.
Reorder the sentence. Sentence Reorder

كَتَبَت / الرِّسالَة / هي

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي كَتَبَت الرِّسالَة
Subject-Verb-Object order.
Translate 'She drank coffee'. Translation

She drank coffee.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي شَرِبَت القَهوَة
Feminine past tense.
Conjugate 'to study' for 'she'. Conjugation Drill

دَرَسَ -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: دَرَسَت
Add 'at'.
Match the verb to its meaning. Match Pairs

Match: كَتَبَت, ذَهَبَت, شَرِبَت

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She wrote, She went, She drank
Correct mapping.
Build a sentence with 'she', 'read', 'book'. Sentence Building

Build: هي, قَرَأَت, كِتاباً

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: هي قَرَأَت كِتاباً
Correct word order.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Conjugate the verb 'to drink' (shariba) for 'She'. Fill in the Blank

___ (She drank) al-mā' (the water).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sharibat
Match the pronoun to the correct verb form. Match Pairs

Match the pairs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {"Huwa (He)":"Dhahaba","Hiya (She)":"Dhahabat"}
Fix the verb gender. Error Correction

My mother (ummī) ṭabakha (cooked) dinner.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ummī ṭabakhat dinner.
Which subject fits the verb? Multiple Choice

___ ʿamilat (worked) hard today.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Layla
Arrange the words to say 'Fatima left.' Sentence Reorder

Fatima / kharajat (left) / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kharajat Fatima.
Complete the verb. Fill in the Blank

Al-sayyāra (The car) ___ (stopped) here.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: waqafat
Translate 'She understood'. Translation

She understood (from 'fahima').

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Fahimat
Select the correct form. Multiple Choice

Huda ___ (asked) a question.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sa'alat
Fill in the blank. Fill in the Blank

Samira ___ (returned) home.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: raja'at
Why is this wrong? Error Correction

Huwa katabat al-dars.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Change 'Huwa' to 'Hiya' or 'katabat' to 'kataba'.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

It is the standard feminine marker in Arabic past tense.

Yes, plural feminine is different.

Yes, it is standard in all registers.

The suffix might cause changes to the root.

Mostly, but pronunciation varies.

Use 'ma' before the verb.

No, it is very regular.

Forgetting the suffix.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

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Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Ella + verb (third person)

Spanish doesn't change the verb ending based on gender.

French moderate

Elle + verb (third person)

French verb endings are gender-neutral.

German low

Sie + verb (third person)

German lacks gender-specific verb suffixes.

Japanese none

Kanojo wa + verb (past)

Japanese is agglutinative and gender-neutral.

Arabic high

هي + verb + at

N/A

Chinese low

Ta + verb + le

Chinese has no gendered verb conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Arabic Past Tense: He Did (kataba)
Next
Arabic Past Tense: The Kataba Pattern (-tu, -ta, -at)

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