Arabic root

ك-ل-م

3 words from this root family

A1verb

يَتَكَلَّمُ

yatakallamu

he speaks / he talks

Example

هُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ ثَلَاثَ لُغَاتٍ.

huwa yatakallamu thalātha lughātin.

He speaks three languages.

Root: ك-ل-م Verbs Basics

Grammar

Form V verb. Root k-l-m gives: kalima (word), kalām (speech), mukālama (conversation).

A1verb

تَكَلَّمَ

takallama

to speak / to talk

Example

تكلّمَ المعلّمُ بالعربيةِ

takallama al-muʿallimu bil-ʿarabiyyati

The teacher spoke in Arabic

Root: ك-ل-م Verbs Communication

Grammar

Form V verb (تَفَعَّلَ). Past: takallama, Present: yatakallamu. Takes bi- or ma'a for 'speak with'.

B1noun

كَلِمَةٌ

kalimah

word

Example

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا

wa-tammat kalimatu rabbika ṣidqan wa-ʿadlā

And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice (6:115)

Root: ك-ل-م Quranic

Grammar

Feminine noun. Plural: كَلِمَاتٌ (kalimāt). Related: كَلَامٌ (speech), تَكَلَّمَ (to speak), مُتَكَلِّمٌ (speaker). God's kalimāt are infinite: 'If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord...' (18:109).

Culture

God's 'word' in the Quran can mean His decree (kun = 'Be'), His scripture, or Jesus who is called 'a word from Him' (kalimatun minhu). The kalimah also refers to the shahādah.