Conjugating standard Imperative Verbs (Active & Passive)

Read the bilingual lesson for Conjugating standard Imperative Verbs (Active & Passive) and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Structural Division of standard Imperative Verbs

◦ Standard command verbs (Fi'l Amr) are divided structurally into two categories: ◦ Direct Commands (امر حاضر معروف): Addressed directly to second person / addressed actors. These have no prefix and are derived using Hamzat-ul-Wasl. ◦ Indirect Commands (امر غائب، امر متکلم اور تمام مجہول صیغے): Directed to third person or first person actors, and all passive commands. These are constructed by prefixing the governing particle لِـ (Laam of Command with Kasrah).

2. Active Direct Command Table (امر حاضر معروف)

FormPosition اِفْعِلْSecond person singular masculine اِفْعِلَاSecond person dual masculine اِفْعِلُوْاSecond person plural masculine اِفْعِلِيْSecond person singular feminine اِفْعِلَاSecond person dual feminine اِفْعِلْنَSecond person plural feminine ◦ The active second person / addressed command table has exactly 6 conjugation forms (ṣīghahs). Note the suffix endings:

3. Active Third Person & First Person Command Table (امر غائب و متکلم معروف)

FormPosition لِيَفْعِلْThird person singular masculine لِيَفْعِلَاThird person dual masculine لِيَفْعِلُوْاThird person plural masculine لِتَفْعِلْThird person singular feminine لِتَفْعِلَاThird person dual feminine لِيَفْعِلْنَThird person plural feminine لِأَفْعِلْFirst person singular لِنَفْعِلْFirst person plural ◦ These 8 forms are prefixed with the governing particle لِـ (Laam of Command with Kasrah) which causes Jazm (jussive state) at the end, dropping ending Noons and placing Sukoon:

4. Passive Command Table (تمام مجہول صیغے)

Person/genderSingularDualPlural Third person masculineلِيُفْعَلْلِيُفْعَلَالِيُفْعَلُوْا Third person feminineلِتُفْعَلْلِتُفْعَلَالِيُفْعَلْنَ Second person masculineلِتُفْعَلْلِتُفْعَلَالِتُفْعَلُوْا Second person feminineلِتُفْعَلِيْلِتُفْعَلَالِتُفْعَلْنَ First personلِأُفْعَلْ—لِنُفْعَلْ ◦ All passive commands—whether second person, third person, or first person—are prefixed with the governing لِـ. Note that the prefix carries a Dhummah and the middle root letter carries a Fathah:

5. Deep-Dive Translation Practice with "Nasara"

◦ Dual forms end with an open Alif (اُنْصُرَا / لِيَنْصُرَا / لِتُنْصَرَا), while plural masculine forms drop the Noon-e-I'raabi (اُنْصُرُوْا / لِيَنْصُرُوْا / لِتُنْصَرُوْا).

Practice questions

Question 1: Choose the correct answer

Which structural category of the active command (Fi'l Amr Ma'roof) has no prefixed Laam of command?

  • Active third person
  • Active second person (direct command)
  • Active first person
  • All passive command forms

Question 2: Sort into the correct groups

Sort these imperative verbs into Direct Commands (no prefix) and Indirect Commands (prefixed with لِـ).

Question 3: Match the correct pairs

Match the active command verb to its natural English and Urdu translations.

Question 4: Choose the correct answer

What grammatical action does the prefixed Laam of command لِـ cause on the present verb?

  • It causes Nasb (Fathah)
  • It causes Jazm (Jussive)
  • It causes no change
  • It changes the prefix vowel to Dhummah

Question 5: Choose the correct answer

Select the correct standard command form for: "You (1 female) are helped / let you be helped" (Second Person Passive).

  • لِتُنْصَرِيْ
  • اُنْصُرِيْ
  • لِتُنْصَرْنَ

Question 6: Choose the correct answer

Parse the conjugation form لِيُفْعَلْنَ. What grammatical actor does it represent?

  • Plural Feminine Third Person Passive
  • Plural Feminine Second Person Passive
  • Plural Masculine Third Person Passive
  • Plural Feminine Third Person Active

Question 7: Match the correct pairs

Match the verb voice to its correct morphological prefix configuration in standard commands.

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