Levantine Arabic/Verbs/Subjunctive

Formation The stem of the subjunctive is usally formed by changing the vowels of the past tense 3rd person singular. It can be predicted for form II-X verbs, however it must be learned for form I verbs. The given form is the 3rd person singular with the prefix “y-”, other persons are derived from it. Note that any stressed “i” in an emphatic environment can become “u” in North Levantine. Form Type Stem vowel(s) Past Subjunctive I regular a → a فتح fataḥ يفتح yiftaḥ a → i مسك masak يمسك yimsik a → u درس daras يدرس yidrus (N) / yudrus (S) i → a فهم fihim يفهم yifham i → i (rare) عرف ʕirif يعرف yaʕrif, yiʕrif defective i (N) / a (S) → i حكي ḥiki (N) / حكى ḥaka (S) يحكي yiḥki i → a نسي nisi ينسى yinsa a → a (rare) قرا 'ara يقرا yi'ra hollow a → i جاب jāb يجيب yjīb a → u شاف šāf يشوف yšūf a → a (rare) نام nām ينام ynām geminate a → i حسّ ḥass يحسّ yḥiss a → u حطّ ḥaṭṭ يحطّ yḥuṭṭ a → a (rare) ضلّ ḍall يضلّ yḍall II / Iq regular a → a-i علّم ʕallam يعلّم yʕallim defective a → a-i خلّى ḵalla يخلّي yḵalli III IV (rare) V / IIq VI VII VIII IX (rare) X Conjugation Usage Future tense