Most common 30 verbs in Palestinian Arabic

Introduction

This list presents a core set of common Palestinian Arabic verbs conjugated only in the first person singular (I), in both present and past forms. The purpose of limiting the list to one grammatical person is pedagogical: it allows learners to focus on meaning, sound, and usage without the added cognitive load of full conjugation tables.

In spoken Arabic, the first person form is especially useful, as it is central to everyday communication and frequently used in personal statements, actions, and intentions. By mastering verbs in this form, students can begin speaking naturally and confidently from an early stage, while also developing a strong base for expanding to other conjugations later.

This approach supports faster memorization, clearer pronunciation, and a more intuitive understanding of how verbs function in real spoken Arabic.

Starting with verb in present tense at right side, and the same verb in past tense at left side like:

1

I went بَرُوح – رُحت I go

I go - I went

(barūḥ – ruḥt)

1. بَرُوح عالبيت
   barūḥ ʿa-l-bēt
   I go home.
   

2. بَرُوح عالشغل كل يوم
   barūḥ ʿa-sh-shughl kull yōm
   I go to work every day.
   

3. رُحت عالسوق
   ruḥt ʿa-s-sūq
   I went to the market.
   
   

2

بَشُوف – شُفت

I see - I saw

(bashūf – shuft)

1. بَشُوف صاحبي.
   bashūf ṣāḥbi
   I see my friend.
   

2. بَشُوف التلفزيون.
   bashūf it-tilfizyōn
   I watch TV.
   

3. شُفت الفيلم.
   shuft il-film
   I saw the movie.
   
   

3

بحكي – حكيت

I speak - spoke

(baḥki – ḥakēt)

1. بحكي عربي
   baḥki ʿarabi
   I speak Arabic.
   

2. بحكي مع أمي
   baḥki maʿ ʾimmi
   I talk with my mother.
   

3. حكيت مع صاحبي
   ḥakēt maʿ ṣāḥbi
   I spoke with my friend.
   
   

4

بَشتَغِل – اِشتَغَلت

I work - I worked

(bashtaghil – ishtaghalt)

1. بَشتَغِل هون
   bashtaghil hōn
   I work here.
   

2. بَشتَغِل كل يوم.
   bashtaghil kull yōm
   I work every day.
   

3. اِشتَغَلت مبارح.
   ishtaghalt mbāreḥ
   I worked yesterday.
   
   

5

بدرُس – دَرَست

I study - I studied

(badrus – darast)

1. بدرُس عربي
   badrus ʿarabi
   I study Arabic.
   

2. بدرُس بالبيت
   badrus bil-bēt
   I study at home.
   

3. دَرَست شوي
   darast shway
   I studied a little.
   
   

6

بطلَع – طلِعت

I leave - I left 

(baṭlaʿ – ṭiliʿt)

1. بطلَع من البيت
   baṭlaʿ min il-bēt
   I leave the house.
   

2. بطلَع بكِّير
   baṭlaʿ bakkīr
   I leave early.
   

3. طلِعت مع صاحبي
   ṭliʿt maʿ ṣāḥbi
   I went out with my friend.
   

7

برجَع – رجِعت

I return - I returned

(barjaʿ – rjiʿt)

1. برجَع عالبيت
   barjaʿ ʿa-l-bēt
   I return home.
   

2. برجَع متأخِّر
   barjaʿ mitʾakhkher
   I come back late.
   

3. رجِعت اليوم
   rjiʿt il-yōm
   I returned today.
   
   

8

بعمَل – عمِلت 

I do/make - I did/made

(baʿmal – ʿmilt)

1. بعمَل مَشاكِل.
   baʿmal mashaakel

 I make troubles.

1. بعمَل أكل
   baʿmal ʾakil
   I make food.
   
   

2. عمِلت اللي بقدر عليه
   ʿimilt illi baqdar ʿalēh
   I did what I could.
   
   

9

بقدَر – قدِرت

I can - I could

(baqdar – qdirṭ)

1. بقدَر أجي
   baqdar ʾāji
   I can come.
   

2. بقدَر أساعدك
   baqdar ʾasāʿdak
   I can help you.
   

3. قدِرت أخلّص
   ʾidirṭ ʾakhalliṣ
   I managed to finish.
   
   

10

بعرِف – عرِفت

I know - I knew

(baʿrif – ʿrift)

1. بعرِف هالشخص
   baʿrif ha-sh-shakhs
   I know this person.
   

2. بعرِف المكان
   baʿrif il-makān mnīh
   I know the place.
   

3. عرِفت الجواب
   ʿrift il-jawāb
   I knew the answer.
   
   

11

بَحِبّ – حَبِّيت

I like/love - liked/loved

(baḥibb – ḥabbēt)

1. بَحِبّ القهوة
   baḥibb il-qahwe
   I love coffee.
   

2. بَحِبّ أهلي
   baḥibb ʾahli
   I love my family.
   

3. حَبِّيت الفكرة
   ḥabbēt il-fikra
   I liked the idea.
   
   

12

باجي – اِجيت

I come - I came

(bāji – ijīt)

1. باجي اليوم
   bāji il-yōm
   I am coming today.
   

2. باجي بكرا
   bāji bukra
   I am coming tomorrow.
   

3. اجيت بكير
   ʾjīt bakkīr
   I came early.
   
   

13

بجِيب – جِبت

I bring - I brought

(bijīb – jibt)

1. بجِيب مي
   bijīb mayy
   I bring water.
   

2. بجِيب أكل
   bijīb ʾakil
   I bring food.
   

3. جِبت القهوة
   jibt il-ʾahwe
   I brought the coffee.
   

14

باخُذ – أَخَذت

I take - I took

(bākhud – ʾakhadt)

1. باخُذ استراحة
   bākhud istrāḥa
   I take a break.
   

2. باخُذ وقتي.
   bākhud waqtī
   I take my time.
   

3. أَخَذت الكتاب.
   ʾakhatht il-kitāb
   I took the book.
   
   

15

بعطِي – أعطِيت

I give - I gave

(baʿṭī – ʾaʿṭēt)

1. بعطِي جواب
   baʿṭī jawāb
   I give an answer.
   

2. بعطِي وقت
   baʿṭī waqt
   I give time.
   

3. أعطِيتَك المصاري
   ʾaʿṭētak il- maṣāri
   I gave money.
   
   

16

باكُل – أكَلت

I eat - I ate

(bākol – ʾakalt)

1. باكُل الفطور
   bākol il-fuṭūr
   I eat breakfast.

2. باكُل بالبيت
   bākol bil-bēt
   I eat at home.
   

3. أكَلت منيح
   ʾakalt mnīh
   I ate well.
   
   

17

بَشرَب – شرِبت

I drink - I drank

(bashrab – shribt)

1. بَشرَب مي
   bashrab mayy
   I drink water.
   

2. بَشرَب قهوة
   bashrab qahwe
   I drink coffee.
   

3. شرِبت شاي
   shribt shāy
   I drank tea.
   
   

18

بنام – نمت

I sleep - I slept

(banām – nimt)

1. بنام بكير
   banām bakkīr
   I sleep early.
   

2. بنام بالبيت
   banām bil-bēt
   I sleep at home.
   

3. نِمت منيح
   nimt mnīh
   I slept well.
   
   

19

بَصحى – صحِيت

I wake up - I woke up

(baṣ-ḥa – ṣ-ḥīt)

1. بَصحى بكير
   baṣḥa bakkīr
   I wake up early.

2. بَصحى السّاعة خمسة
   baṣḥa essa’a khamse

 I wake up at five

3. صحِيت تعبان
ṣḥīt taʿbān
I woke up tired.

20

بَقُوم – قُمت

I stand up/rise/wake up - I stood up/ rose/ woke up

(baqūm – qumt)

1. بَقُوم من النوم
   baʾūm min in-nōm
   I get up from sleep.
   

2. بَقُوم بكير
   baqūm bakkīr
   I get up early.
   

3. قُمت اليوم بدري
   qumt il-yōm badri
   I got up early today.
   
   

21

بَقُول – قُلت

I say - I said

(baʾūl – ʾult)

1. بَقُول الحقيقة
   baʾūl il-ḥaqīʾa
   I say the truth.
   

2. بَقُول رأيي
   baʾūl raʾyī
   I say my opinion.
   

3. قُلت الجواب
   ʾult il-jawāb
   I said the answer.

22

ببدأ – بدأت

I start - I started

(babdaʾ – badaʾt)

1. ببدأ اليوم
   babdaʾ il-yōm
   I start today.
   

2. ببدأ الشغل بكير
   babdaʾ ish-shughl bakkīr
   I start work early.
   

3. بدأت الدراسة
   badaʾt id-dirāse
   I started studying.
   
   

23

بخلِّص – خلَّصت

I finish - I finished

(bakhalliṣ – khallaṣt)

1. بخلِّص شغل
   bikhalliṣ shughl
   I finish work.
   

2. بخلِّص بسرعة
   bikhalliṣ bisurʿa
   I finish quickly.
   

3. خلَّصت اليوم
   khallaṣt il-yōm
   I finished today.
   

24

بودِّي – ودِّيت

I send - I sent

(bawaddi – waddēt)

1. بودِّي الرسالة
   bawaddi ir-risāle
   I send the message.
   

2. بودِّي الطلب
   bawaddi iṭ-ṭalab
   I send the order.
   

3. ودِّيت الغَرض
   waddēt il-gharaḍ
   I sent the item.
   
   

25

بدَوِّر على – دَوَّرت على

I look for - I looked for

(badawwir ʿala – dawwart ʿala)

1. بدَوِّر على شغل
   badawwir ʿala shughl
   I look for work.
   

2. بدَوِّر على المفاتيح.
   badawwir ʿala il-mafātīḥ
   I look for the keys.
   

3. دَوَّرت على صاحبي.
   dawwart ʿala ṣāḥbi
   I looked for my friend.
   
   

26

بردّ على – ردِّيت على

I reply to - I replied to

(bardd ʿala – raddēt)

1. بردّ على الرسالة
   barudd ʿala ir-risāle
   I reply to the message.
   

2. بردّ على السؤال
   bardd ʿala is-suʾāl
   I answer the question.
   

3. ردِّيت عليه.
   raddēt ʿalēh
   I replied to him.
   
   

27

بطلُب – طَلبت

I order - I ordered

(baṭlub – ṭalabt)

1. بطلُب أكل.
   baṭlub ʾakil
   I order food.
   

2. بطلُب مساعدة
   baṭlub musāʿade
   I ask for help.
   

3. طَلبت قهوة
   ṭalabt ʾahwe
   I ordered coffee.
   

28

بسافِر – سافَرت

I travel - I traveled

(basāfir – sāfart)

1. بسافِر بكرا
   basāfir bukra
   I travel tomorrow.
   

2. بسافِر لحالي
   basāfir laḥāli
   I travel alone.
   

3. سافَرت الأسبوع الماضي
   sāfart il-usbūʿ il-māḍi
   I traveled last week.
   

29

بوصَل – وصِلت

I arrive - I arrived

(bawṣal – wiṣilt)

1. بوصَل بكير
   bawṣal bakīr
   I arrive early.
   

2. بوصَل عالبيت
   bawṣal ʿa-l-bēt
   I arrive home.
   

3. وصِلت متأخر
   wiṣilt mitʾakhkhar
   I arrived late.
   

30

بتطلَّع على – تطلَّعت على

 I look at - I looked at

(batṭallaʿ ʿala – taṭallaʿt ʿala)

1. بتطلَّع على النّاس
   batṭallaʿ ʿala in-naas
   I look at the people
   

2. بتطلَّع على الصورة
   batṭallaʿ ʿala iṣ-ṣūra
   I look at the picture.
   

3. تطلَّعت على الشارع
   tṭallaʿt ʿala ish-shāriʿ
   I looked at the street.
   
   

31

بفكِّر بـ / في – فكَّرت بـ / في

I think about - I thought about

(bifakkir b- / fī – fakkart b- / fī)

1. بفكِّر فيك
   bifakkir fīk
   I think about you.
   

2. بفكِّر بالشُّغل
   bifakkir bish-shughl
   I think about work.
   
   

3. فكَّرت بالمَوضُوع
   fakkart bil-mawḍūʿ
   I thought about the issue.
   
   

32

بَنسى – نسيت

I forget - I forgot 

(bansā – nisīt)

1. بَنسى بسرعة.
   bansā bsurʿa
   I forget quickly.
   

2. بَنسى الأسماء
   bansā il-asmāʾ
   I forget names.
   

3. نسيت المَوعِد
   nisīt il-mawʿid
   I forgot the appointment.