The purpose of this paper is to explain the system of the verbs in Colloquial Arabic of Fez, focusing attention on the two verbs: bgha (to want) and xeSS (to need). These two verbs have been regarded as exceptional verbs in which the perfect form refers to present tense. The perfect form generally shows past tense. However, bgha (3rd person masculine singular, perfect) does not mean "he wanted" but "now he wants" and xeSS-u (3rd person masculine singular, perfect) does not mean "he needed" but "now he needs."

The most likely explanation is that the original meanings of bgha and xeSS-A B are considered as "he came to want" and "A came to need B (which A has not taken possession of yet)" respectively. In other words, bgha means that "he came to want, so now he wants" and xeSS means that "he came to need, so now he needs." The same may be said of other verbs such as cya (to tire oneself), that is, cyiit means "I did something tiring me, so I got tired. (Maybe tired now)."

The imperfect form largely shows habitual meaning. For example, ka-nbghi (1st person singular, imperfect) means that I always come to want habitually, that is, "I like." On the other hand, the transitive verb's active participle generally refers to the result of a certain action. "Sucaad ra-haa dart (3rd person feminine singular, perfect) l-iqaama fe l-berraad." means Sucaad put mint in the pot. This sentence explains which action she has completed objectively, while "Sucaad dayra (feminine singular, active participle) l-iqaama fe l-berraad." means that Sucaad has put mint in the pot and it remains there now, that is, this sentence says that the result of her action which is already completed continues.

The point is that the perfect form shows clearly that a certain action has already finished and that the imperfect one shows that a certain action has not finished yet but continues until now, while the transitive verbﾕs active participle mostly suggests that the result of a certain action remains until now. Thus the perfect form and the imperfect form have more objective and decided meaning than the active participle. For example, bgha means "to want" but baaghi (active participle) means "would like to," and also xeSS and ka-ixeSS means "to need, must" but xaaSS (active participle) has a little gentler or sometimes vague meaning. Added to these, the sentence "Haruko sakna (active participle) f Faas" is used when Haruko has moved to Fez (and does not seem to have left there), whereas "Haruko ka-tsken (3rd person feminine singular, imperfect) f Faas" means she surely lives in Fez now.

(The paper itself is written in Japanese.)