Arabic reference
كَانَ
kāna
to be
Irregular · 6 form tables
Modern Standard Arabic. Thirteen subject rows distinguish person, number and gender. Arabic forms retain their vowel marks; readings and English meanings appear alongside them.
Audio requires a compatible voice in your browser.
Active
Perfect
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| anā (I) | kuntuI was; I have been |
| naḥnu (we) | kunnāwe were; we have been |
| anta (you, one man) | kuntayou (one man) were; you (one man) have been |
| anti (you, one woman) | kuntiyou (one woman) were; you (one woman) have been |
| antumā (you two) | kuntumāyou two were; you two have been |
| antum (you, men) | kuntumyou (plural, masculine) were; you (plural, masculine) have been |
| antunna (you, women) | kuntunnayou (plural, feminine) were; you (plural, feminine) have been |
| huwa (he) | kānahe was; he has been |
| hiya (she) | kānatshe was; she has been |
| humā (they two, masculine) | kānāthey two (masculine) were; they two (masculine) have been |
| humā (they two, feminine) | kānatāthey two (feminine) were; they two (feminine) have been |
| hum (they, men) | kānūthey (masculine) were; they (masculine) have been |
| hunna (they, women) | kunnathey (feminine) were; they (feminine) have been |
Present
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| anā (I) | akūnuI am |
| naḥnu (we) | nakūnuwe are |
| anta (you, one man) | takūnuyou (one man) are |
| anti (you, one woman) | takūnīnayou (one woman) are |
| antumā (you two) | takūnāniyou two are |
| antum (you, men) | takūnūnayou (plural, masculine) are |
| antunna (you, women) | takunnayou (plural, feminine) are |
| huwa (he) | yakūnuhe is |
| hiya (she) | takūnushe is |
| humā (they two, masculine) | yakūnānithey two (masculine) are |
| humā (they two, feminine) | takūnānithey two (feminine) are |
| hum (they, men) | yakūnūnathey (masculine) are |
| hunna (they, women) | yakunnathey (feminine) are |
Subjunctive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| anā (I) | akūna(that) I am |
| naḥnu (we) | nakūna(that) we are |
| anta (you, one man) | takūna(that) you (one man) are |
| anti (you, one woman) | takūnī(that) you (one woman) are |
| antumā (you two) | takūnā(that) you two are |
| antum (you, men) | takūnū(that) you (plural, masculine) are |
| antunna (you, women) | takunna(that) you (plural, feminine) are |
| huwa (he) | yakūna(that) he is |
| hiya (she) | takūna(that) she is |
| humā (they two, masculine) | yakūnā(that) they two (masculine) are |
| humā (they two, feminine) | takūnā(that) they two (feminine) are |
| hum (they, men) | yakūnū(that) they (masculine) are |
| hunna (they, women) | yakunna(that) they (feminine) are |
Jussive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| anā (I) | akunI am (jussive) |
| naḥnu (we) | nakunwe are (jussive) |
| anta (you, one man) | takunyou (one man) are (jussive) |
| anti (you, one woman) | takūnīyou (one woman) are (jussive) |
| antumā (you two) | takūnāyou two are (jussive) |
| antum (you, men) | takūnūyou (plural, masculine) are (jussive) |
| antunna (you, women) | takunnayou (plural, feminine) are (jussive) |
| huwa (he) | yakunhe is (jussive) |
| hiya (she) | takunshe is (jussive) |
| humā (they two, masculine) | yakūnāthey two (masculine) are (jussive) |
| humā (they two, feminine) | takūnāthey two (feminine) are (jussive) |
| hum (they, men) | yakūnūthey (masculine) are (jussive) |
| hunna (they, women) | yakunnathey (feminine) are (jussive) |
Imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| anta (you, one man) | kunbe! (one man) |
| anti (you, one woman) | kūnībe! (one woman) |
| antumā (you two) | kūnābe! (you two) |
| antum (you, men) | kūnūbe! (plural, masculine) |
| antunna (you, women) | kunnabe! (plural, feminine) |
Future
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| anā (I) | saʾakūnuI will be |
| naḥnu (we) | sanakūnuwe will be |
| anta (you, one man) | satakūnuyou (one man) will be |
| anti (you, one woman) | satakūnīnayou (one woman) will be |
| antumā (you two) | satakūnāniyou two will be |
| antum (you, men) | satakūnūnayou (plural, masculine) will be |
| antunna (you, women) | satakunnayou (plural, feminine) will be |
| huwa (he) | sayakūnuhe will be |
| hiya (she) | satakūnushe will be |
| humā (they two, masculine) | sayakūnānithey two (masculine) will be |
| humā (they two, feminine) | satakūnānithey two (feminine) will be |
| hum (they, men) | sayakūnūnathey (masculine) will be |
| hunna (they, women) | sayakunnathey (feminine) will be |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Arabic entries.