Compare the Three Patterns

Three Past-Tense Patterns: فَعَلَ، فَعِلَ، فَعُلَ

Pattern
Middle vowel
Lesson example
Meaning

فَعَلَ
fatḥah (ـَ)
خَلَقَ
he created

فَعِلَ
kasrah (ـِ)
عَلِمَ
he knew

فَعُلَ
ḍammah (ـُ)
كَرُمَ
he became noble

Look at the middle root letter: لَ / لِ / لُ in the model pattern.