Afal

Afal is a term used in different linguistic and cultural contexts. In Arabic linguistics, al-ʾafʿāl (الأفعال) refers to verbs as a grammatical class. It is the plural of fiʿl (فعل), the word for “verb,” and is commonly employed in grammars and dictionaries to describe verb forms, conjugation, and how verbs behave in sentences.

Arabic verbs are built from triliteral or quadriliteral roots and are organized into patterns known as forms. The basic pattern for Form I is faʿala, and derived forms (Form II, Form III, and so on, up to Form X in traditional grammars) modify meaning and voice. Verbs in Arabic are inflected for person, number, gender, mood, and aspect, and they interact with subject pronouns and sentence structure. The term afāl thus denotes not only individual verbs but the broader system of root-based morphology and inflection that governs how verbs are formed and conjugated, as described in grammar reference works and dictionaries. Spelling and transliteration vary, with afāl, afal, and related variants used depending on transcription conventions.

Afal can also be encountered as a personal name or place name in various languages and regions. In such uses, the word is not tied to its Arabic grammatical sense and its meaning or significance depends on local language, history, and context. Because afal has multiple senses, the intended meaning is usually determined by surrounding information in a text.