Conjugating the Future Tense
If you already know the present tense form, it’s easy to conjugate the future tense. You can just remove the “ka” and replace it with “ghaadee”.
There are four categories of verbs in Moroccan Arabic (Darija) and they are all congugated with the same prefixes and suffixes:
Person (Engish) | Person (Darija) | Future prefixes and suffixes |
---|---|---|
I | ‘anaa | ghaadee n … |
you (s, m) | ntaa | ghaadee t … |
you (s, f) | ntee | ghaadee t … ee |
he | howa | ghaadee ee …/ ghaadee y … |
she | heeya | ghaadee t … |
we | hnaa | ghaadee n … oo |
you (pl) | ntoomaa | ghaadee t … ou |
ils | homaa | ghaadee ee … oo/ ghaadee y … oo |
CCC & CC verbs
Most verbs in Moroccan Arabic (Darija) fall into the category of CCC verbs (Consonant, Consonant, Consonant), for example:
qt3
(to cut)
n3s
(to sleep)
shrb
(to drink – sh is one consonant in arabic script)
qllb
(to look for – “ll” is one letter with a shedda on it, in arabic script)
ftr
(have breakfast)
lbs
(get dressed)
gls
(sit down)
khrj
(go out)
etc.
Some verbs have the CC form (Consonant, Consonant), for example:
chdd
(to take)
Hll
(to open)
sdd
(to close)
kbb
(to pour)
etc.
Note: all of these are written with just two letters (two consonants) in Arabic script – with a shedda on the second consonant.
To conjugate CCC & CC verbs, we just add the future tense prefixes and suffixes:
Person (English) | Person (Darija) | Conjugation of the verb “shrb” |
---|---|---|
I | ‘anaa | ghaadee nshrb |
you (s, m) | ntaa | ghaadee tshrb |
you (s, f) | ntee | ghaadee tshrb ee |
he | howa | ghaadee eeshrb |
she | heeya | ghaadee tshrb |
we | hnaa | ghaadee nshrb oo |
vous (pl) | ntoomaa | ghaadee tshrb oo |
they | homaa | ghaadee eeshrb oo |
CCV et CVC verbs
There are some verbes that fall into the CCV category of verbs (Consonant, Consonant, Vowel), for example:
mshaa
(to go)
shraa
(to buy)
tlqaa
(to meet)
nqaa
(to clean)
etc.
There are also CVC verbs (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant), for example:
gaal
(to say)
kaan
(to bee)
baan
(to appear)
taar
(to fly)
etc.
To conjugate CCV and CVC verbs, some of the verbs keep the “aa” vowel, while other verbs have their “aa” vowel replaced by “ee” or “oo”. For example the verb “mshaa” becomes “mchee” and then we add the future tense prefixes and suffixes:
Person (English) | Person (Darija) | Conjugation of the verb “mshaa” |
---|---|---|
I | ‘anaa | ghaadee nmshee |
you (s, m) | ntaa | ghaadee tmshee |
you (s, f) | ntee | ghaadee tmshee ee |
he | howa | ghaadee eemshee |
she | heeya | ghaadee tmshee |
we | hnaa | ghaadee nmshee oo |
you (pl) | ntoomaa | ghaadee tmchee oo |
they | homaa | ghaadee eemchee oo |
Here is an example using the verb “gaal” CVC category. The verb “gaal” becomes “gool” and then we add the future tense prefixes and suffixes.:
Person (English) | Person (Darija) | Conjugation of the verb “gaal” |
---|---|---|
I | ‘anaa | ghaadee ngool |
you (s, m) | ntaa | ghaadee tgool |
you (s, f) | ntee | ghaadee tgool ee |
he | howa | ghaadee eegool |
she | heeya | ghaadee tgool |
we | hnaa | ghaadee ngool oo |
you (pl) | ntoomaa | ghaadee tgool oo |
ils | homaa | ghaadee eegool oo |
In our dictionary, we have indicated if the vowel changes by putting that change in brackets, for example: “mshaa (mchee) CCV” and “gaal (gool) CVC”.
Irregular verbs
There are just two irregular verbs in the future tense: “klaa” (to eat) and “khdaa” (to take). Here are their future tense conjugations:
Person (English) | Personne (Darija) | Conjugation of the verb “klaa” | Conjugation of the verb “khdaa” |
---|---|---|---|
I | ‘anaa | ghaadee nakol |
ghaadee nakhod |
you (s, m) | ntaa | ghaadee takol |
ghaadee takhod |
you (s, f) | ntee | ghaadee takol ee |
ghaadee takhod ee |
he | howa | ghaadee yakol |
ghaadee yakhod |
she | heeya | ghaadee takol |
ghaadee takhod |
we | hnaa | ghaadee nakl oo |
ghaadee nakhod oo |
you (pl) | ntoomaa | ghaadee takl oo |
ghaadee takhod oo |
ils | homaa | ghaadi yakl ou |
ghaadi yakhod ou |