Expand Your Arabic Vocabulary with Everyday Verbs

Learning common Arabic action verbs is one of the fastest ways to improve your language skills. Indeed, these essential words frequently appear in daily conversations, books, and news. By knowing a solid collection of verbs, you can therefore express actions, ask questions, and understand spoken Arabic more easily.

In this lesson, you will learn ten useful Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) verbs that describe everyday actions related to clothing, transportation, movement, and speed.

Verb 1: يلبس (yalbas) – To Wear

The verb يلبس means “to wear” or “to put on clothes.” It is one of the first verbs every Arabic learner should know because it is used in everyday conversations.

Examples:

هو يلبس قميصًا جديدًا.

Huwa yalbas qamīṣan jadīdan.
He is wearing a new shirt.

ألبس معطفًا في الشتاء.

Albas miʿṭafan fī ash-shitāʾ.
I wear a coat in winter.

هي تلبس حذاءً أسود.

Hiya talbas ḥidhāʾan aswada.
She wears black shoes.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 2: ينزع (yanziʿ) – To Take Off

The verb ينزع means “to remove” or “to take off,” especially clothing or accessories.

Examples:

ينزع الحذاء عند الباب.

Yanziʿ al-ḥidhāʾ ʿinda al-bāb.
He takes off his shoes at the door.

أنزع سترتي لأن الجو حار.

Anziʿ sutaratī liʾanna al-jawwa ḥārr.
I take off my jacket because the weather is hot.

ينزع قبعته احترامًا.

Yanziʿ qubbaʿatahu iḥtirāman.
He takes off his hat out of respect.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 3: يغلق (yughliq) – To Close

يغلق means “to close” something such as a door, window, or book.

Examples:

يغلق الباب.

Yughliq al-bāb.
He closes the door.

أغلق النافذة.

Ughliq an-nāfidha.
Close the window.

يغلق الكتاب بعد القراءة.

Yughliq al-kitāb baʿda al-qirāʾa.
He closes the book after reading.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 4: يفتح (yaftaḥ) – To Open

The verb يفتح means “to open.” It is the opposite of يغلق.

Examples:

يفتح الباب.

Yaftaḥ al-bāb.
He opens the door.

أفتح النافذة صباحًا.

Aftaḥ an-nāfidha ṣabāḥan.
I open the window in the morning.

يفتح الحقيبة.

Yaftaḥ al-ḥaqība.
He opens the bag.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 5: ينزل (yanzil) – To Get Off or Get Down

ينزل means “to get off,” “to get down,” or “to descend.”

Examples:

ينزل من الحافلة.

Yanzil mina al-ḥāfila.
He gets off the bus.

أنزل السلم.

Anzil as-sullam.
I go down the stairs.

ينزل من السيارة.

Yanzil mina as-sayyāra.
He gets out of the car.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 6: يركب (yarkab) – To Ride or Get On

يركب means “to ride” or “to get on” a vehicle or an animal.

Examples:

يركب الحافلة.

Yarkab al-ḥāfila.
He gets on the bus.

يركب السيارة.

Yarkab as-sayyāra.
He gets into the car.

يركب الدراجة.

Yarkab ad-darrāja.
He rides the bicycle.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 7: يهرب (yahrub) – To Escape or Run Away

This verb means “to escape” or “to run away.”

Examples:

يهرب من الخطر.

Yahrub mina al-khaṭar.
He escapes from danger.

هرب اللص.

Haraba al-liṣṣ.
The thief escaped.

لا تهرب من المسؤولية.

Lā tahrub mina al-masʾūliyya.
Do not run away from responsibility.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 8: يلاحق (yulāḥiq) – To Chase

يلاحق means “to chase,” “to pursue,” or “to follow.”

Examples:

يلاحق الشرطي اللص.

Yulāḥiq ash-shurṭī al-liṣṣ.
The police officer chases the thief.

تلاحق القطة الفأر.

Tulāḥiq al-qiṭṭa al-faʾr.
The cat chases the mouse.

يلاحق حلمه.

Yulāḥiq ḥulmahu.
He pursues his dream.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 9: يبطئ (yubṭiʾ) – To Slow Down

The verb يبطئ means “to reduce speed” or “to slow down.”

Examples:

يبطئ السائق عند المدرسة.

Yubṭiʾ as-sāʾiq ʿinda al-madrasa.
The driver slows down near the school.

أبطئ قليلًا.

Ubṭiʾ qalīlan.
Slow down a little.

تبطئ السيارة قبل الإشارة.

Tubṭiʾ as-sayyāra qabla al-ishāra.
The car slows down before the traffic light.

Useful vocabulary:

Verb 10: يجري (yajrī) – To Run

يجري means “to run.” It can describe a person running or, in some contexts, something flowing, such as water.

Examples:

يجري في الحديقة.

Yajrī fī al-ḥadīqa.
He runs in the park.

الأطفال يجرون بسرعة.

Al-aṭfāl yajrūna bisurʿa.
The children run quickly.

أجري كل صباح.

Ajrī kulla ṣabāḥ.
I run every morning.

Useful vocabulary:

Grammar Focus: Learning Opposite Verbs

Some Arabic verbs naturally form pairs of opposite meanings. Learning them together helps you remember them more easily.

Studying verbs in pairs makes vocabulary easier to remember and helps you understand conversations more naturally.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Verb

Complete each sentence with the correct verb.

1. هو ______ الباب قبل النوم.
2. هو ______ الحافلة في الصباح.
3. السائق ______ عند المدرسة.
4. الطفل ______ في الحديقة.
5. الرجل ______ معطفه عندما دخل المنزل.

Answers:

1. يغلق
2. يركب
3. يبطئ
4. يجري
5. ينزع

Exercise 2: Match the Opposites

Everyday Conversation

سارة: هل ستذهب بالحافلة اليوم؟

Sarah: Hal satadhhab bil-ḥāfila al-yawm?
Sarah: Will you go by bus today?

أحمد: نعم، أركب الحافلة كل صباح.

Aḥmad: Naʿam, arkab al-ḥāfila kulla ṣabāḥ.
Ahmed: Yes, I take the bus every morning.

سارة: ومتى تنزل؟

Sarah: Wa matā tanzil?
Sarah: And when do you get off?

أحمد: أنزل عند الجامعة ثم أجري قليلًا إلى المبنى.

Aḥmad: Anzil ʿinda al-jāmiʿa thumma ajrī qalīlan ilā al-mabnā.
Ahmed: I get off at the university, then I run a little to the building.

Summary

Mastering common Arabic verbs is crucial for speaking Modern Standard Arabic confidently. In this lesson, we explored ten practical verbs covering clothing, transportation, movement, and daily routines. Therefore, consistent review, reading example sentences aloud, and creating your own sentences will help these verbs become a natural part of your Arabic vocabulary.

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