There are two main verb tenses in Arabic:

Perfect tense(https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315620091/1e85dcd9-67fa-4282-a164-2a1659972fa7/content/inline634.tif"/> ᵓal-fiˤlu 1-māḍī) corresponds usually to the English past or perfect tense.

Imperfect tense (https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315620091/1e85dcd9-67fa-4282-a164-2a1659972fa7/content/inline635.tif"/> ᵓal-fiˤlu l-muḍāriҁu) corresponds usually to the English present or future tense (see chapter 17).