سابق

Arabic

Root
س ب ق (s b q)
10 terms

Etymology

Derived from the active participle of سَبَقَ (sabaqa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saː.biq/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

سَابِق • (sābiq) (feminine سَابِقَة (sābiqa), masculine plural سَابِقُون (sābiqūn) or سُبَّاق (subbāq), feminine plural سَابِقَات (sābiqāt) or سَوَابِق (sawābiq), elative أَسْبَق (ʔasbaq))

1. previous, preceding, prior

   حَلْقةُ البَرْنامَجِ السابِقةُ

   ḥalqatu l-barnāmaji s-sābiqatu

   the program’s previous episode

2. former

   الرَئِيسُ السابِقُ ― ar-raʔīsu s-sābiqu ― the former president

3. active participle of سَبَقَ (sabaqa).

Usage notes

• In certain expressions, the adjective is commonly prepositioned in a genitive construction, e.g. دُونَ سابِقِ إنْذارٍ (dūna sābiqi ʔinḏārin, “without prior warning”), دُونَ سابِقِ مَعْرِفةٍ (dūna sābiqi maʕrifatin, “without prior knowledge”).

Declension

Declension of adjective سَابِق (sābiq)

singular	masculine		feminine
	basic singular triptote		singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
informal	سَابِق sābiq	السَّابِق as-sābiq	سَابِقَة sābiqa	السَّابِقَة as-sābiqa
nominative	سَابِقٌ sābiqun	السَّابِقُ as-sābiqu	سَابِقَةٌ sābiqatun	السَّابِقَةُ as-sābiqatu
accusative	سَابِقًا sābiqan	السَّابِقَ as-sābiqa	سَابِقَةً sābiqatan	السَّابِقَةَ as-sābiqata
genitive	سَابِقٍ sābiqin	السَّابِقِ as-sābiqi	سَابِقَةٍ sābiqatin	السَّابِقَةِ as-sābiqati
dual	masculine		feminine
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
informal	سَابِقَيْن sābiqayn	السَّابِقَيْن as-sābiqayn	سَابِقَتَيْن sābiqatayn	السَّابِقَتَيْن as-sābiqatayn
nominative	سَابِقَانِ sābiqāni	السَّابِقَانِ as-sābiqāni	سَابِقَتَانِ sābiqatāni	السَّابِقَتَانِ as-sābiqatāni
accusative	سَابِقَيْنِ sābiqayni	السَّابِقَيْنِ as-sābiqayni	سَابِقَتَيْنِ sābiqatayni	السَّابِقَتَيْنِ as-sābiqatayni
genitive	سَابِقَيْنِ sābiqayni	السَّابِقَيْنِ as-sābiqayni	سَابِقَتَيْنِ sābiqatayni	السَّابِقَتَيْنِ as-sābiqatayni
plural	masculine		feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; basic broken plural triptote		sound feminine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
informal	سَابِقِين‎; سُبَّاق sābiqīn‎; subbāq	السَّابِقِين‎; السُّبَّاق as-sābiqīn‎; as-subbāq	سَابِقَات‎; سَوَابِق sābiqāt‎; sawābiq	السَّابِقَات‎; السَّوَابِق as-sābiqāt‎; as-sawābiq
nominative	سَابِقُونَ‎; سُبَّاقٌ sābiqūna‎; subbāqun	السَّابِقُونَ‎; السُّبَّاقُ as-sābiqūna‎; as-subbāqu	سَابِقَاتٌ‎; سَوَابِقُ sābiqātun‎; sawābiqu	السَّابِقَاتُ‎; السَّوَابِقُ as-sābiqātu‎; as-sawābiqu
accusative	سَابِقِينَ‎; سُبَّاقًا sābiqīna‎; subbāqan	السَّابِقِينَ‎; السُّبَّاقَ as-sābiqīna‎; as-subbāqa	سَابِقَاتٍ‎; سَوَابِقَ sābiqātin‎; sawābiqa	السَّابِقَاتِ‎; السَّوَابِقَ as-sābiqāti‎; as-sawābiqa
genitive	سَابِقِينَ‎; سُبَّاقٍ sābiqīna‎; subbāqin	السَّابِقِينَ‎; السُّبَّاقِ as-sābiqīna‎; as-subbāqi	سَابِقَاتٍ‎; سَوَابِقَ sābiqātin‎; sawābiqa	السَّابِقَاتِ‎; السَّوَابِقِ as-sābiqāti‎; as-sawābiqi

Antonyms

• لَاحِق (lāḥiq)
• تَالِي (tālī)

Descendants

• South Levantine Arabic: سابق
• → Azerbaijani: sabiq
• → Ottoman Turkish: سابق (sabık)
  • Turkish: sabık
• → Persian: سابق
  • → Bengali: সাবেক (sabek)
  • → Urdu: سابق (sābiq)
  • → Uzbek: sobiq
• → Uyghur: سابىق (sabiq)

Verb

سَابَقَ • (sābaqa) III (non-past يُسَابِقُ (yusābiqu), verbal noun سِبَاق (sibāq) or مُسَابَقَة (musābaqa))

1. to race

Conjugation

    Conjugation of سَابَقَ (III, sound, full passive, verbal nouns سِبَاق, مُسَابَقَة)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						سِبَاق, مُسَابَقَة sibāq, musābaqa
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُسَابِق musābiq
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُسَابَق musābaq
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	سَابَقْتُ sābaqtu	سَابَقْتَ sābaqta	سَابَقَ sābaqa		سَابَقْتُمَا sābaqtumā	سَابَقَا sābaqā		سَابَقْنَا sābaqnā	سَابَقْتُمْ sābaqtum	سَابَقُوا sābaqū
	f		سَابَقْتِ sābaqti	سَابَقَتْ sābaqat			سَابَقَتَا sābaqatā			سَابَقْتُنَّ sābaqtunna	سَابَقْنَ sābaqna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسَابِقُ ʔusābiqu	تُسَابِقُ tusābiqu	يُسَابِقُ yusābiqu		تُسَابِقَانِ tusābiqāni	يُسَابِقَانِ yusābiqāni		نُسَابِقُ nusābiqu	تُسَابِقُونَ tusābiqūna	يُسَابِقُونَ yusābiqūna
	f		تُسَابِقِينَ tusābiqīna	تُسَابِقُ tusābiqu			تُسَابِقَانِ tusābiqāni			تُسَابِقْنَ tusābiqna	يُسَابِقْنَ yusābiqna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسَابِقَ ʔusābiqa	تُسَابِقَ tusābiqa	يُسَابِقَ yusābiqa		تُسَابِقَا tusābiqā	يُسَابِقَا yusābiqā		نُسَابِقَ nusābiqa	تُسَابِقُوا tusābiqū	يُسَابِقُوا yusābiqū
	f		تُسَابِقِي tusābiqī	تُسَابِقَ tusābiqa			تُسَابِقَا tusābiqā			تُسَابِقْنَ tusābiqna	يُسَابِقْنَ yusābiqna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسَابِقْ ʔusābiq	تُسَابِقْ tusābiq	يُسَابِقْ yusābiq		تُسَابِقَا tusābiqā	يُسَابِقَا yusābiqā		نُسَابِقْ nusābiq	تُسَابِقُوا tusābiqū	يُسَابِقُوا yusābiqū
	f		تُسَابِقِي tusābiqī	تُسَابِقْ tusābiq			تُسَابِقَا tusābiqā			تُسَابِقْنَ tusābiqna	يُسَابِقْنَ yusābiqna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		سَابِقْ sābiq			سَابِقَا sābiqā				سَابِقُوا sābiqū
	f		سَابِقِي sābiqī							سَابِقْنَ sābiqna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	سُوبِقْتُ sūbiqtu	سُوبِقْتَ sūbiqta	سُوبِقَ sūbiqa		سُوبِقْتُمَا sūbiqtumā	سُوبِقَا sūbiqā		سُوبِقْنَا sūbiqnā	سُوبِقْتُمْ sūbiqtum	سُوبِقُوا sūbiqū
	f		سُوبِقْتِ sūbiqti	سُوبِقَتْ sūbiqat			سُوبِقَتَا sūbiqatā			سُوبِقْتُنَّ sūbiqtunna	سُوبِقْنَ sūbiqna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسَابَقُ ʔusābaqu	تُسَابَقُ tusābaqu	يُسَابَقُ yusābaqu		تُسَابَقَانِ tusābaqāni	يُسَابَقَانِ yusābaqāni		نُسَابَقُ nusābaqu	تُسَابَقُونَ tusābaqūna	يُسَابَقُونَ yusābaqūna
	f		تُسَابَقِينَ tusābaqīna	تُسَابَقُ tusābaqu			تُسَابَقَانِ tusābaqāni			تُسَابَقْنَ tusābaqna	يُسَابَقْنَ yusābaqna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسَابَقَ ʔusābaqa	تُسَابَقَ tusābaqa	يُسَابَقَ yusābaqa		تُسَابَقَا tusābaqā	يُسَابَقَا yusābaqā		نُسَابَقَ nusābaqa	تُسَابَقُوا tusābaqū	يُسَابَقُوا yusābaqū
	f		تُسَابَقِي tusābaqī	تُسَابَقَ tusābaqa			تُسَابَقَا tusābaqā			تُسَابَقْنَ tusābaqna	يُسَابَقْنَ yusābaqna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسَابَقْ ʔusābaq	تُسَابَقْ tusābaq	يُسَابَقْ yusābaq		تُسَابَقَا tusābaqā	يُسَابَقَا yusābaqā		نُسَابَقْ nusābaq	تُسَابَقُوا tusābaqū	يُسَابَقُوا yusābaqū
	f		تُسَابَقِي tusābaqī	تُسَابَقْ tusābaq			تُسَابَقَا tusābaqā			تُسَابَقْنَ tusābaqna	يُسَابَقْنَ yusābaqna

Hijazi Arabic

Root
س ب ق
3 terms

Etymology 1

From Arabic سَابَقَ (sābaqa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saː.baɡ/

Verb

سابق • (sābag) III (non-past يِسابق (yisābig))

1. to race

Conjugation

Conjugation of سابق

		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	سابقت (sābagt)	سابقت (sābagt)	سابق (sābag)		سابقنا (sābagna)	سابقتوا (sābagtu)	سابقوا (sābagu)
	f		سابقتي (sābagti)	سابقت (sābagat)
non-past	m	أسابق (ʔasābig)	تسابق (tisābig)	يسابق (yisābig)		نسابق (nisābig)	تسابقوا (tisābgu)	يسابقوا (yisābgu)
	f		تسابقي (tisābgi)	تسابق (tisābig)
imperative	m		سابق (sābig)				سابقوا (sābgu)
	f		سابقي (sābgi)

Etymology 2

From Arabic سَابِق (sābiq).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saː.biɡ/

Adjective

سابق • (sābig) (feminine سابْقة (sābga), common plural سابْقين (sabgīn))

1. ahead of
2. former

Persian

Dari	سابق
Iranian Persian
Tajik	собиқ

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic سَابِق (sābiq).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [sɑː.ˈβiq]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sɑː.bɪ́q]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sɑː.bɪ́q]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [sɑː.bɪ́q]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [sɔː.bíq]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [sɒː.béɢ̥]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [sɔ.bíq]

Readings
Classical reading?	sāḇiq
Dari reading?	sābiq
Iranian reading?	sâbeğ
Tajik reading?	sobiq

Adjective

سابق • (sâbeq)

1. former, precedent

Descendants

• → Bengali: সাবেক (sabek)
• → Urdu: سابق (sābiq)
• → Uzbek: sobiq

South Levantine Arabic

Root
س ب ق
2 terms

Etymology

From Arabic سَابَقَ (sābaqa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Urban) /saː.baʔ/, [ˈsæː.baʔ]
• IPA^(key): (Bedouin) /saː.baɡ/, [ˈsæː.baɡ]

• Audio (al-Lidd):

  (file)

Verb

سابق • (sābaʔ) III (present بسابق (bisābeʔ))

1. to race

Conjugation

Conjugation of سابق

		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	سابقت (sābaʔt)	سابقت (sābaʔt)	سابق (sābaʔ)		سابقنا (sābaʔna)	سابقتو (sābaʔtu)	سابقو (sābaʔu)
	f		سابقتي (sābaʔti)	سابقت (sābaʔat)
present	m	بسابق (basābeʔ)	بتسابق (bitsābeʔ)	بسابق (bisābeʔ)		منسابق (minsābeʔ)	بتسابقو (bitsābʔu)	بسابقو (bisābʔu)
	f		بتسابقي (bitsābʔi)	بتسابق (bitsābeʔ)
subjunctive	m	اسابق (asābeʔ)	تسابق (tsābeʔ)	يسابق (ysābeʔ)		نسابق (nsābeʔ)	تسابقو (tsābʔu)	يسابقو (ysābʔu)
	f		تسابقي (tsābʔi)	تسابق (tsābeʔ)
imperative	m		سابق (sābeʔ)				سابقو (sābʔu)
	f		سابقي (sābʔi)

Urdu

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Classical Persian سابق (sābiq), from Arabic سَابِق (sābiq).

Adjective

سابق • (sābiq) (Hindi spelling साबिक़)

1. former, prior, precedent, preceding, foregoing
2. pertaining to the past; bygone, ancient

   Synonym: قَدِیم (qadīm)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Classical Persian سابق (sābiq), from Arabic سَابِق (sābiq), agent noun of سَبَق (sabaq).

Noun

سابق • (sābiq) m (Hindi spelling साबिक़)

1. lecturer
2. teacher

References

• “سابق”, in اُردُو لُغَت (urdū luġat) (in Urdu), Ministry of Education: Government of Pakistan, 2017.
• “سابق”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2025.