Structure

The long vowel Alif (ا)  with the sukoon is attached to the first root letter (it becomes a long vowel waw وْ in the passive past tense)

(It’s like Form II in that the additional letter has a sukoon on it and follows the same vowel pattern)

فَعَلَ
 ⇩
فَاْعَلَ

Meaning & Function:

*Form III is usually transitive but is occasionally intransitive.

  1. It may imply mutuality or reciprocity of action – the action is shared with the object

he wrote كَتَبَ ⟶ he corresponded with كَاتَبَ
he stood up قَامَ  ⟶ he stood up (to something) قَاوَمَ
he sat جَلَسَ ⟶ he sat with s.o. جَالَسَ
he worked عَمَلَ ⟶ he dealt with s.o. عَامَلَ

  1. It may indicate something is being ‘attempted’

he killed قَتَلَ ⟶ he fought قَاتَلَ
he raced سَبَقَ ⟶ he competed سَابَقَ 
he defeated غَلَبَ ⟶  he tried to defeat غَالَبَ