A1 · 初級 チャプター 22

Focusing on the Action: The Passive Voice

6 トータルルール
60 例文
6

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of focusing on the action itself by learning to hide the doer in Arabic.

  • Identify the passive voice in Arabic news and speech.
  • Apply the U-I-A vowel pattern to past tense verbs.
  • Construct present tense passive sentences using the Yu- ... -a- pattern.
Focus on the action, not the actor!

学べること

Ready for a cool trick in Arabic? This chapter is all about shifting your focus from *who* did an action to *what* happened! You're going to master the passive voice, called Al-Majhul in Arabic, which lets you describe events when the doer is either unknown, unimportant, or you just don't want to mention them. Imagine you're walking past a construction site and want to say,

The building *is being constructed*.
Or you hear some news and want to report,
The decision *was made*,
without knowing or caring who made it. This skill is gold for understanding everyday conversations, news, and even casual reports where the action itself is the star! Here's the cool part: Arabic makes this super intuitive! You'll learn specific, simple vowel pattern changes – like a secret code – that transform active verbs into passive ones. We'll start with past actions, where you'll see how changing vowels to a u-i sound (like turning 'fa'ala' into 'fu'ila') instantly makes the verb passive. Then we'll move to present actions, where a «yu-...-a-» pattern works its magic. Don't worry about complex grammar terms; it's all about recognizing and applying these easy-to-learn sound melodies. Even for longer, derived verbs, you'll discover simple tricks to shift the focus. By the end of this chapter, you won't just understand passive sentences; you'll be able to confidently form your own! You'll sound more natural, understand more news and conversations, and feel like a true Arabic speaker. This isn't just a grammar lesson; it's a superpower for expressing yourself more flexibly. You've got this!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Transform a simple active sentence into a passive one using correct vowel patterns.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Welcome to an exciting chapter in your A1 Arabic grammar journey! Today, we're diving into the fascinating world of the passive voice, known in Arabic as المبني للمجهول (Al-Mabni lil-Majhul), which literally translates to
the built for the unknown.
This powerful grammatical tool allows you to shift the focus of your sentences from *who* performed an action to *what* happened, making your Arabic sound more natural and sophisticated. Mastering the Arabic passive voice is crucial for understanding everyday conversations, news headlines, and formal reports, where the doer of an action might be unknown, unimportant, or deliberately left unmentioned.
Imagine you want to say
The door was opened
without knowing or caring who opened it. Or perhaps you're reporting
The decision was made
– the action itself is the star! This skill is a game-changer for your comprehension and expression in A1 Arabic.
The beauty of Al-Majhul lies in its intuitive system of vowel changes, which act like a secret code to transform active verbs into passive ones. You'll learn simple, consistent patterns that apply across different verb types, making this seemingly complex topic surprisingly accessible. Get ready to add a new superpower to your Arabic communication!

How This Grammar Works

The core idea behind Arabic Passive Voice: 'It Was Done' (Al-Mabni lil-Majhul) is to highlight the action and its recipient, rather than the actor. When a verb is made passive, the original subject (the doer) is either omitted or becomes less prominent, and the original direct object steps in to become the new subject, called the نائب الفاعل (Na'ib al-Fa'il), meaning
deputy of the doer.
This new subject will always be in the nominative case (ending in a dhamma or equivalent).
Let's break down
The Art of Hiding the Doer: Passive Voice (Majhul)
into its key patterns.
For past actions, we use the Past Passive: The It was done Pattern (U-I-A). This involves a simple vowel change for most three-letter (Form I) verbs:
  1. 1The first letter takes a dhamma (u-sound).
  2. 2The second-to-last letter takes a kasra (i-sound).
  3. 3The last letter retains its original vowel (usually a fatha for past tense).
Example:

Active: كَتَبَ (kataba - he wrote)

Passive: كُتِبَ (kutiba - it was written)

Sentence: كُتِبَ الدَّرْسُ (kutiba ad-darsu - The lesson was written). Here, الدَّرْسُ (ad-darsu) is the Na'ib al-Fa'il.

For present or future actions, we use the Arabic Passive Present: The 'Yu- ... -a-' Pattern. This also follows a consistent vowel change:
  1. 1The prefix (like يَ- or تَ-) takes a dhamma (u-sound).
  2. 2The second-to-last letter takes a fatha (a-sound).
  3. 3The last letter retains its original vowel (usually a dhamma for present tense).
Example:

Active: يَكتُبُ (yaktubu - he writes)

Passive: يُكتَبُ (yuktabu - it is written)

Sentence: يُكتَبُ الدَّرْسُ الآنَ (yuktabu ad-darsu al-'aana - The lesson is being written now).

Even for longer, derived verbs (Forms II-X), the principle remains similar, forming the Passive of Derived Arabic Verbs (Forms II-X). Generally, past passive forms will incorporate more 'u' and 'i' sounds, while present passive forms will have a 'u' prefix and an 'a' sound before the last consonant. For instance, from عَلَّمَ (ʿallama - he taught, Form II), the passive past is عُلِّمَ (ʿullima - he was taught), and the passive present is يُعَلَّمُ (yuʿallamu - he is taught).
Don't worry about memorizing all forms at A1; recognizing the 'u-i' and 'yu-...-a' patterns is your first big step!

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Wrong: كَتَبَ الدَّرْسُ (kataba ad-darsu) (He wrote the lesson.) - *Intended: The lesson was written.*
Correct: كُتِبَ الدَّرْسُ (kutiba ad-darsu) (The lesson was written.)
*Explanation:* To make the verb passive, the first letter must take a dhamma (كُ) and the second-to-last letter must take a kasra (تِ). The original subject is removed, and the direct object becomes the nominative Na'ib al-Fa'il.
  1. 1Wrong: يُكتِبُ الرِّسَالَةُ (yukribu ar-risalatu) (The letter is written.) - *Incorrect vowel on the second-to-last letter.*
Correct: يُكتَبُ الرِّسَالَةُ (yuktabu ar-risalatu) (The letter is written.)
*Explanation:* For the present passive, the second-to-last letter must take a fatha (تَ), not a kasra (تِ). The prefix (يُ-) is correct, but the internal vowel was wrong.
  1. 1Wrong: فُتِحَ البَابَ (futiha al-baaba) (The door was opened.) - *Incorrect case for the Na'ib al-Fa'il.*
Correct: فُتِحَ البَابُ (futiha al-baabu) (The door was opened.)
*Explanation:* The Na'ib al-Fa'il (البَابُ) must always be in the nominative case, indicated by a dhamma (ـُ) at the end, not the accusative case (ـَ).

Real Conversations

A

A

مَاذَا حَدَثَ لِلْبَابِ؟ (Maadha hadatha lil-baab?) (What happened to the door?)
B

B

فُتِحَ البَابُ مُنْذُ قَلِيلٍ. (Futiha al-baabu mundhu qaliilin.) (The door was opened a little while ago.)
A

A

هَلْ يُقْرَأُ الْكِتَابُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ؟ (Hal yuqra'u al-kitaabu kulla yawmin?) (Is the book read every day?)
B

B

نَعَم، يُقْرَأُ الْكِتَابُ فِي الصَّبَاحِ. (Na'am, yuqra'u al-kitaabu fi as-sabaah.) (Yes, the book is read in the morning.)

Quick FAQ

Q

What is the main difference between active and passive voice in A1 Arabic grammar?

The main difference is the focus. Active voice emphasizes the *doer* of the action (e.g.,

Ahmed wrote the letter
). Passive voice, or Al-Majhul, emphasizes the *action itself* and its recipient, often omitting or downplaying the doer (e.g.,
The letter was written
).

Q

Do all Arabic verbs have a passive form?

Most transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object) can be made passive. Intransitive verbs (verbs that don't take a direct object, like he slept) generally do not have a passive form, as there's no object to become the Na'ib al-Fa'il.

Q

How do I know when to use the passive voice in Arabic?

You should use the passive voice Arabic when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or you want to deliberately hide their identity. It's very common in news reports, formal announcements, and when discussing general truths where the actor is irrelevant.

Q

What happens to the direct object in a passive sentence?

In a passive sentence, the original direct object of the active sentence becomes the new subject, called the نائب الفاعل (Na'ib al-Fa'il). It takes the nominative case (marked by a dhamma or equivalent) and dictates the gender and number agreement for the passive verb.

Cultural Context

The Arabic passive voice (Al-Majhul) is very prevalent in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), especially in formal contexts like news reports, academic texts, and official statements. It allows speakers and writers to maintain objectivity or to politely avoid assigning blame or credit. While less frequent in very casual spoken dialects compared to MSA, understanding it is still essential for comprehending media and more formal conversations.
It’s also deeply rooted in classical Arabic, making it a fundamental aspect of the language's structure.

重要な例文 (8)

1

Suriqat maḥfaẓatī fī as-sūq.

私の財布が市場で盗まれました。

犯人を隠すテクニック:受動態(Majhul)
2

Yu'rafu hādhā al-maṭ'am bi-l-pītzā.

このレストランはピザで知られています。

犯人を隠すテクニック:受動態(Majhul)
3

Suriqa hātifī fī al-maṭār.

私の携帯が空港で盗まれました。

受動態:行為者を隠す(Majhul)
4

Yusmaḥu bi-al-taṣwīr hunā.

ここでは写真撮影が許可されています。

受動態:行為者を隠す(Majhul)
5

كُتِبَ الدَّرْسُ في الدَّفْتَرِ.

授業はノートに書かれました。

アラビア語の受動態:「〜された」(Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)
6

يُفْتَحُ البابُ كُلَّ صَباحٍ.

ドアは毎朝開けられます。

アラビア語の受動態:「〜された」(Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)
7

Wulidtu fi al-tis'inat.

私は1990年代に生まれました。

過去受動態:「それは~された」のパターン (U-I-A)
8

Suriqa hatifi.

私の電話が盗まれました。

過去受動態:「それは~された」のパターン (U-I-A)

ヒントとコツ (4)

💡

「ウ」の音で始まる

動詞が「ウー」の音で始まったら、受動態のサインです!これが一番大きなヒントですよ。 «أُكِلَت التُّفَّاحَة» («リンゴが食べられました。»)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 犯人を隠すテクニック:受動態(Majhul)
💡

「誰によって」の落とし穴

受動態の文で「〜によって」と行為者を特定しようとしないでください。誰が行動したかを知っているなら、能動態を使うのが自然でエレガントです。 «كُتِبَ الكِتابُ بِواسِطة أحمَد.» (これは自然ではありません。)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態:行為者を隠す(Majhul)
🎯

「ウ」の法則

アラビア語の動詞が「ウ」の音で始まる時(ドゥンマ)、それは99%の確率で受動態か、特別な動詞の形です。確認するには、終わりから2番目の母音を見ると確実です!«كُتِبَ»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: アラビア語の受動態:「〜された」(Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)
🎯

「生まれた」は特別!

「Wulida (彼は生まれた)」や「Wulidtu (私は生まれた)」は、一番よく使う受動態の動詞です。すぐに覚えましょう!「私は1990年代に生まれました。」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去受動態:「それは~された」のパターン (U-I-A)

重要な語彙 (5)

مَجْهول (Majhul) Unknown/Passive كُتِبَ (Kutiba) It was written يُكْتَبُ (Yuktabu) It is being written فِعْل (Fi'l) Verb/Action بُني (Buniya) It was built

Real-World Preview

building

At the Construction Site

Review Summary

  • Fu'ila (u-i-a)
  • Yu- ... -a-

よくある間違い

Students often forget to change the vowels, keeping the active voice. Remember to shift to the U-I-A pattern.

Wrong: Kataba al-kitab (He wrote the book - active)
正解: Kutiba al-kitab (The book was written - passive)

Ensure the first letter has a 'u' sound (Yu) and the middle has an 'a' sound.

Wrong: Yaktubu al-kitab (He writes the book)
正解: Yuktabu al-kitab (The book is being written)

Sometimes learners overthink derived verbs. Stick to the simple vowel shift rules taught.

Wrong: Buniya al-bayt (The house was built - wait, this is correct)
正解: Buniya al-bayt

このチャプターのルール (6)

Next Steps

You have mastered a key Arabic secret! Keep practicing those vowel melodies and you'll sound like a native in no time.

Listen to a news clip and identify one passive verb.

クイック練習 (10)

この受動態の文の間違いを直しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

Kusira al-bab min qibal Ali. (ドアはアリによって壊された。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kasara Ali al-bab.
アラビア語では、受動態の動詞と一緒に「〜によって(人)」を使うことはありません。アリがやったと知っているなら、能動態に戻す必要があります。「アリがドアを壊した」が正しいです。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去受動態:「それは~された」のパターン (U-I-A)

「それは飲まれる」の正しい受動態の形はどれですか?

Choose the correct Present Passive form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yushrabu
現在受動態は u-a パターン (yu-shra-bu) を使います。 Yashrabu は能動態の「彼が飲む」です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態:行為者を隠す(Majhul)

「書く」(كَتَبَ)を過去受動態に変えましょう。

____ الدَّرْسُ. (授業が書かれました。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: كُتِبَ
「كُتِبَ」は、最初の文字がドゥンマ、最後から2番目の文字がカスラになる過去受動態のパターンに従っています。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: アラビア語の受動態:「〜された」(Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)

正しい受動態の形を選んでください。

Which word means 'It is eaten'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: yu'kalu (يُؤكَلُ)
「Yu-」の接頭辞と、最後から2番目の「-a-」が必要です。「Ya'kulu」は能動態(彼が食べる)です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: アラビア語の受動態(現在形):Yu-と-a-のパターン

この受動態の文の間違いを修正しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

Kutiba al-risāla ams.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kutibat al-risāla ams.
Al-risāla (手紙) は女性名詞なので、動詞は性別が一致する必要があります。 kutiba ではなく kutibat です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態:行為者を隠す(Majhul)

「ドアが開けられた」という意味になるように文を完成させましょう。

___ al-bābu. (The door was opened)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Futiḥa
過去受動態のパターン u-i-a (fu-ti-ḥa) が必要です。 Fataḥa は能動態の「彼が開けた」で、 Yaftaḥu は現在能動態です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 受動態:行為者を隠す(Majhul)

動作者を隠している正しい文章はどれですか?

「リンゴが食べられました」と、誰が食べたか言わずに言いたい。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ukilat at-tuffāḥa (أُكِلَت التُّفَّاحَة)
選択肢2は受動態のパターン「Ukila」(女性名詞のリンゴなので「t」が付く)を使っています。選択肢1は少年が(能動態で)言及されています。選択肢3は「彼女が食べる」(能動態)です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 犯人を隠すテクニック:受動態(Majhul)

受動態の動詞の性別を修正しましょう。

كُتِبَ الرِّسالَةُ. (手紙が書かれました。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: كُتِبَت الرِّسالَةُ
「الرِّسالَةُ」(手紙)が女性名詞なので、動詞も女性形「كُتِبَت」にする必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: アラビア語の受動態:「〜された」(Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)

空欄に受動態の過去形を入れてください(彼が送った → それが送られた)。

الرِّسَالَةُ ___ (أَرْسَلَ) أَمْسِ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: أُرْسِلَتْ
第四形の過去受動態は「ウ-イ」の音になります。「risala」は女性名詞なので、語尾に「タ」がつきます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 派生動詞の受動態 (第2形〜第10形)

文を完成させてください。

The door ___ (is opened) every day. (Bāb = masc)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: yuftaḥu (يُفتَحُ)
男性形の受動態なので「Yu-」で始まります。「Tu-」は女性形の場合です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: アラビア語の受動態(現在形):Yu-と-a-のパターン

Score: /10

よくある質問 (6)

目的語は「昇進」します!「副主語」(Na'ib Fa'il)となり、ファトハ(a)の代わりにダンマ(u)の語尾を取ります。例えば Kutiba al-darsu です(darsaではありません)。
はい、使われます。母音は方言によって少し変わるかもしれませんが(エジプト方言、レバント方言など)、基本的な考え方は同じです。
「未知の」という意味です。文法用語の Al-Mabni li-l-Majhul は文字通り「未知のための構造」と訳され、行為者が謎だからです。
ほとんどは他動詞(目的語をとる動詞)です。「彼が座った」のような動詞を受動態にするのは、前置詞を付け加えないと難しいですが、それは上級者向けです。
それは、動詞が意味をなすために「Maf'ul Bihi」(目的語)を必要とする、ということです。例えば、「打つ」(ضَرَبَ)は「誰か」または「何か」を打つ必要があります。このような動詞だけが受動態にできますよ。
伝統的な文法ではダメです。単に「كُتِبَ الكِتابُ」(本は書かれました)と言います。もしアリーに言及したいなら、能動態を使って「كَتَبَ عَلِيٌّ الكِتابَ」(アリーが本を書きました)と言います。