Jane Wightwick is an experienced teacher of Arabic and author and publisher of Arabic-teaching materials. Mahmoud Gaafar worked for the United Nations and Radio Cairo and now authors print, radio and TV resources for the Arab world.

INTRODUCTION Part 1: Arabic root system and word patterns Overview of Arabic roots: three root sounds How to identify the root Word patterns Descriptive words (adjectives) * The 'kareem' pattern * The 'kasbaan' pattern * The 'maHmood' pattern * The 'kuwaiti' pattern Comparing: the 'ashraf' pattern Places: the 'madrasa' pattern Professions: the 'fallaaH' pattern Instruments: the 'muftaaH' pattern Experts: the 'shagh-gheel' pattern Part 2: Plurals External * -een ('fallaaHeen') * -aat ('sandawitchaat') Internal * The 'bunook' pattern * The 'ahraam' pattern * The 'kutub' pattern * The 'gimaal' pattern * The 'falaafil' pattern * The 'Oh la la!' pattern Part 3: Arabic verbs Present/future stems * shrab drink * fham understand * ktib write * dris study * ftaH open * lcab play * shoof see * rooH go * zoor visit * Tbukh cook Past stems * shirib drank * fihim understood * katab wrote * daras studied * fataH opened * licib played * shaaf/shuf saw * raaH/ruH went * zaar/zur visited * Tabakh cooked Verb varieties (forms) * Introduction * The 'fahhim' variety * The 'it' variety ('itkallim') * Recognizing other varieties * the 'muHammad' pattern Part 4: Two common roots r/k/b the 'riding' root * yirkab/rikib (to ride, eg bus, horse) * raakib (riding, passenger) * rakkeeb (expert rider) * markoob (a mount, donkey + archaic 'pair of shoes'!) * markib, maraakib (boat) * marakbi (boatman) * yirakkib (cause to ride, to mount, to fix), also cheat at cards * yitrakkib (to be fixed) kh/r/g the 'exiting' root * yukhrug/kharag (to exit, go out) * makhrag (exit, way out, place of exit) * khaarig (going out) * yitkharrag (to graduate) * mitkharrag min (a graduate of) * yistakhrag (to extract - to seek to take out?) * mustakhrig (extractor) * mustakhrag (extracted) * mukhrig (director [of film]) CONCLUSION