Learn Arabic › A2 › خاف
خاف
to fear /ˈxaː.fa/
verbA2#1164 most common
Also: to be afraid, to dread, to be scared
Example sentences
أنا أخاف من الكلاب.
I am afraid of dogs.
الطفل خاف من الظلام في الليل.
The child was afraid of the dark at night.
لا تخف، سأبقى معك حتى الصباح.
Do not be afraid, I will stay with you until morning.
كانت تخاف من السفر بمفردها قبل أن تعتاد عليه.
She used to fear traveling alone before she got used to it.
خفنا أن يضيع الأطفال في الزحام فأمسكنا بأيديهم.
We feared the children would get lost in the crowd, so we held their hands.
لطالما خاف الساسة من غضب الشعب أكثر مما خافوا من خصومهم.
Politicians have always feared the people's anger more than they feared their rivals.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | أَخَافُ | خِفْتُ | سَأَخَافُ |
| 2sg | تَخَافُ | خِفْتَ | سَتَخَافُ |
| 3sg | يَخَافُ | خَافَ | سَيَخَافُ |
| 1pl | نَخَافُ | خِفْنَا | سَنَخَافُ |
| 2pl | تَخَافُونَ | خِفْتُمْ | سَتَخَافُونَ |
| 3pl | يَخَافُونَ | خَافُوا | سَيَخَافُونَ |
Word family
خوفfear
خائفafraid, scared
مخيفfrightening, scary
أخافto frighten, to scare
تخويفintimidation, scaring
Etymology
خاف comes from the triliteral Semitic root خ-و-ف (kh-w-f), which carries the meaning of fear and dread. It is a form I hollow verb, so its middle weak consonant, waw, surfaces as the long vowel heard in خاف. The same root gives the common noun خوف, meaning fear itself.
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