ABSTRACT
The Arabic imperfect tense, https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315620091/d5f07bf9-fccb-48ca-88bd-ee90d2df29de/content/inline864.tif"/> expresses an incomplete, continuous or habitual action or ongoing state. It usually refers to the present, in which case it is translated by the English (simple or progressive) present tense: for example https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315620091/d5f07bf9-fccb-48ca-88bd-ee90d2df29de/content/inline865.tif"/> yašrabu,'he drinks' or'he is drinking'. It may, however, refer to the past or future, in which case it is translated by the English (simple or progressive) imperfect or future (sometimes present), respectively. It is thus to be emphasized that the Arabic imperfect tense is not like the English imperfect, which almost always refers to the past. (See also chapter 14 on the perfect tense.)
