Examples of the different forms of a sound verb (i.e. with no root weaknesses), from the root k-t-b ‘write’ (using ḥ-m-r ‘red’ for Form IX, which is limited to colors and physical defects):
| Form |
Past |
Meaning |
Non-past |
Meaning |
| I |
kataba
كتب |
‘he wrote’ |
yaktubu
يكتب |
‘he writes’ |
| II |
kattaba
كتب |
‘he made (someone) write’ |
yukattibu
يكتب |
‘he makes (someone) write’ |
| III |
kātaba
كاتب |
‘he corresponded with, wrote to (someone)’ |
yukātibu
يكاتب |
‘”he corresponds with, writes to (someone)’ |
| IV |
ʾaktaba
أكتب |
‘he dictated’ |
yuktibu
يكتب |
‘he dictates’ |
| V |
takattaba
تكتب |
nonexistent |
yatakattabu
يتكتب |
nonexistent |
| VI |
takātaba
تكاتب |
‘he corresponded (with someone, esp. mutually)’ |
yatakātabu
يتكاتب |
‘he corresponds (with someone, esp. mutually)’ |
| VII |
inkataba
انكتب |
‘he subscribed’ |
yankatibu
ينكتب |
‘he subscribes’ |
| VIII |
iktataba
اكتتب |
‘he copied’ |
yaktatibu
يكتتب |
‘he copies’ |
| IX |
(iḥmarra
احمر |
‘he turned red’ |
yaḥmarru
يحمر |
‘he turns red’) |
| X |
istaktaba
استكتب |
‘he asked (someone) to write’ |
yastaktibu
يستكتب |
‘he asks (someone) to write’ |