---
title: "اسْتَمَعَ (istamaʿa) meaning in Arabic: to listen"
description: "اسْتَمَعَ (istamaʿa) means “to listen”. Root س·م·ع, pattern اسْتَفْعَلَ, level A2: forms, related words and how to read it letter by letter, from the Fasaha dictionary."
canonical: "https://fasaha.app/w/istamaa"
language: "en"
direction: "ltr"
---

# اسْتَمَعَ

*istamaʿa* · **to listen**

اسْتَمَعَ (istamaʿa) is an Arabic verb meaning “to listen”. It is built on the root س·م·ع in the pattern اسْتَفْعَلَ. Fasaha’s library first uses it at level A2.

- Part of speech: Verb
- Root: س·م·ع
- Pattern: اسْتَفْعَلَ
- Level: A2

## Forms of اسْتَمَعَ

- Present: يَسْتَمِعُ

## Words from the root س·م·ع

Arabic builds families of words on one root. These share the root س·م·ع with اسْتَمَعَ; each opens its own entry.

- [سَامِع](https://fasaha.app/w/sami) — sāmiʿ, listener (B1)
- [سَمِعَ](https://fasaha.app/w/samia) — samiʿa, to hear (A1)
- [سَمَاع](https://fasaha.app/w/sama) — samāʿ, listening, hearing (A2)

## How to read اسْتَمَعَ, letter by letter

5 letters, read from right to left. The marks above and below the letters are the short vowels.

- ا — ألف (ʾalif): a long a, or a seat for hamza
- س — سين (sīn): s
- ت — تاء (tāʾ): t
- م — ميم (mīm): m
- ع — عين (ʿayn): a voiced squeeze of the throat, no English equivalent

## Questions about اسْتَمَعَ

### What is the root of اسْتَمَعَ?

The root of اسْتَمَعَ is س·م·ع. Words built on the same root include سَامِع (listener), سَمِعَ (to hear), سَمَاع (listening, hearing).

### What pattern does اسْتَمَعَ follow?

اسْتَمَعَ follows the pattern اسْتَفْعَلَ, with the root letters س·م·ع poured into it.

### What level is اسْتَمَعَ?

Fasaha first uses اسْتَمَعَ at level A2, on a scale from A0 (first words) to C2 (classical prose).


[All words in the Fasaha dictionary](https://fasaha.app/w)