The Art of Hiding the Doer: Passive Voice (Majhul)
u-i (past) or u-a (present) to focus on the object and hide the doer.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the action by changing vowel patterns in the verb.
- Change the first vowel to a damma (u) and the penultimate to a kasra (i). Example: kutiba (was written).
- The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
- The original doer is omitted or introduced with 'min qibal' (by).
Overview
The passive voice is a grammatical structure that shifts the focus of a sentence. Instead of highlighting the doer of an action, it emphasizes the action itself or the receiver of the action. In Arabic, this grammatical construct is known as الْمَبْنِيُّ لِلْمَجْهُولِ (al-mabniyyu lil-majhūli), which literally translates to "that which is built for the unknown." This name directly reflects its primary function: to discuss an event where the actor is either unknown, unimportant, or intentionally withheld.
Understanding the passive voice is crucial for comprehending a wide range of Arabic communication, from daily news reports to historical texts and even casual conversation. It allows for concise expression when the agent of an action is implicit or irrelevant. For instance, instead of saying سَرَقَ اللِّصُّ الْمَالِ (saraqa al-liṣṣu al-māla - "The thief stole the money"), you can simply state سُرِقَ الْمَالُ (suriqa al-mālu - "The money was stolen").
This shift in emphasis is fundamental to its usage and meaning.
Historically, the passive voice has been a cornerstone of Arabic rhetoric and legal discourse, enabling precision and objectivity. It allows speakers and writers to describe events without necessarily assigning responsibility, which can be particularly useful in sensitive contexts or when discussing general truths. Its internal formation via vowel changes is a testament to the morphological richness of the Arabic language, where core meaning resides in the consonant root and grammatical function is often conveyed through vocalization.
How This Grammar Works
- The verb's internal vowel pattern changes to a specific passive structure. This is the primary morphological marker of the passive voice in Arabic, acting as an inflectional modification.
- The direct object (
مَفْعُولٌ بِهِ-mafʿūlun bihi) of the active sentence transforms into the subject (فَاعِلٌ-fāʿilun) of the passive sentence. This new subject is called the نائب الفاعل (na'ib al-fa'il), which means "deputy" or "proxy" of the doer. Thena'ib al-fa'iltakes the nominative case (مَرْفُوعٌ-marfūʿ, usually ending in damma or its equivalent), just like an active subject. The original doer (the active subject) is either omitted entirely or implied. The verb then agrees with thisna'ib al-fa'ilin gender and number.
كَتَبَ أَحْمَدُ الرِّسَالَةَ (kataba aḥmadu ar-risālata - "Ahmed wrote the letter"). Here, أَحْمَدُ (aḥmadu) is the doer (subject) in the nominative case (-u), and الرِّسَالَةَ (ar-risālata) is the receiver (direct object) in the accusative case (-a). In the passive, this becomes كُتِبَتِ الرِّسَالَةُ (kutibati ar-risālatu - "The letter was written").الرِّسَالَةُ (ar-risālatu), which was accusative in the active sentence, is now nominative as the na'ib al-fa'il. The verb كُتِبَتِ (kutibati) is now feminine singular to agree with الرِّسَالَةُ (ar-risālatu), and the doer (أَحْمَدُ) is completely absent. This grammatical shift fundamentally reconfigures the sentence's focus and agency.Formation Pattern
fu'ila).
ُ - u sound).
ِ - i sound).
ل in فَعَلَ) retains its fatha (َ - a sound) in the masculine singular form, or its original conjugation ending for other pronouns.
ك-ت-ب (k-t-b - to write):
كَتَبَ (kataba - he wrote)
كَ (kāf) takes fatha
تَ (tā') takes fatha
بَ (bā') takes fatha (indicating the pronoun هُوَ - he/it)
كُتِبَ (kutiba - it was written)
كُ (kāf) takes damma
تِ (tā') takes kasra
بَ (bā') takes fatha (still indicating هُوَ - he/it, now referring to the na'ib al-fa'il)
فُعِلَ pattern:
فَتَحَ (fataḥa - he opened) → فُتِحَ (futiḥa - it was opened).
فُتِحَ الْبَابُ. (futiḥa al-bābu. - "The door was opened.")
أَكَلَ (akala - he ate) → أُكِلَ (ukila - it was eaten).
أُكِلَتِ التُّفَّاحَةُ. (ukilati at-tuffāḥatu. - "The apple was eaten.") (Note the feminine تاء التأنيث)
شَرِبَ (shariba - he drank) → شُرِبَ (shuriba - it was drunk).
شُرِبَ الْقَهْوَةُ. (shuriba al-qahwatu. - "The coffee was drunk.")
فُعِلَ (fu'ila) is the base form for 'he' or 'it' (masculine singular). The verb will then be conjugated to agree with the gender and number of the na'ib al-fa'il (the new subject). For instance, if the na'ib al-fa'il is feminine singular, a تاء التأنيث الساكنة (tā' at-ta'nīth as-sākinah - silent feminine T) will be added at the end: كُتِبَتِ الرِّسَالَةُ (kutibati ar-risālatu - "The letter was written").
yuf'alu).
يَ-, تَ-, أَ-, نَ-) takes a damma (ُ - u sound).
َ - a sound).
ل in يَفْعَلُ) retains its original vowel, usually a damma (ُ) for the indicative mood (مَرْفُوعٌ - marfūʿ).
ك-ت-ب (k-t-b - to write) again:
يَكْتُبُ (yaktubu - he writes/is writing)
يَ (yā') takes fatha (present tense prefix)
كْ (kāf) has sukun
تُ (tā') takes damma
بُ (bā') takes damma (indicative mood ending)
يُكْتَبُ (yuktabu - it is written/being written)
يُ (yā') takes damma (passive present tense prefix)
كْ (kāf) has sukun (remains the same)
تَ (tā') takes fatha
بُ (bā') takes damma (indicative mood ending)
يُفْعَلُ pattern:
يَفْتَحُ (yaftaḥu - he opens/is opening) → يُفْتَحُ (yuftaḥu - it is opened/being opened).
يُفْتَحُ الْبَابُ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ. (yuftaḥu al-bābu kulla ṣabāḥin. - "The door is opened every morning.")
يَأْكُلُ (ya'kulu - he eats/is eating) → يُؤْكَلُ (yu'kalu - it is eaten/being eaten).
يُؤْكَلُ الْأَرُزُّ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْبُلْدَانِ. (yu'kalu al-aruzzu fī kathīrin mina al-buldāni. - "Rice is eaten in many countries.")
يَشْرَبُ (yashrabu - he drinks/is drinking) → يُشْرَبُ (yushrabu - it is drunk/being drunk).
تُشْرَبُ الْمَاءُ بِاسْتِمْرَارٍ. (tushrabu al-mā'u bi-istimrārin. - "Water is drunk continuously.")
يُفْعَلُ (yuf'alu) is for 'he' or 'it' (masculine singular). The prefix and suffixes will change to agree with the na'ib al-fa'il in gender and number. For example, تُكْتَبُ الرِّسَالَةُ (tuktabu ar-risālatu - "The letter is being written") for a feminine singular na'ib al-fa'il.
Conjugation Table
| Pronoun | Active Verb (كَتَبَ) |
Passive Verb (كُتِبَ) |
English Translation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :---------- | :------------------------------- | :------------------------------- | :-------------------------------- | ||
هُوَ (he) |
كَتَبَ (kataba) |
كُتِبَ (kutiba) |
it was written (masculine) | ||
هِيَ (she) |
كَتَبَتْ (katabat) |
كُتِبَتْ (kutibat) |
it was written (feminine) | ||
أَنْتَ (you m.) |
كَتَبْتَ (katabta) |
كُتِبْتَ (kutibta) |
you were written (m. singular) | ||
أَنْتِ (you f.) |
كَتَبْتِ (katabti) |
كُتِبْتِ (kutibti) |
you were written (f. singular) | ||
أَنَا (I) |
كَتَبْتُ (katabtu) |
كُتِبْتُ (kutibtu) |
I was written | ||
نَحْنُ (we) |
كَتَبْنَا (katabnā) |
كُتِبْنَا (kutibnā) |
we were written | ||
هُمَا (they m. dual) |
كَتَبَا (katabā) |
كُتِبَا (kutibā) |
they (m. dual) were written | ||
هُمَا (they f. dual) |
كَتَبَتَا (katabatā) |
كُتِبَتَا (kutibatā) |
they (f. dual) were written | ||
هُمْ (they m. pl.) |
كَتَبُوا (katabū) |
كُتِبُوا (kutibū) |
they (m. plural) were written | ||
هُنَّ (they f. pl.) |
كَتَبْنَ (katabna) |
كُتِبْنَ (kutibna) |
they (f. plural) were written | ||
أَنْتُمَا (you dual) |
كَتَبْتُمَا (katabtumā) |
كُتِبْتُمَا (kutibtumā) |
you (dual) were written | ||
أَنْتُمْ (you m. pl.) |
كَتَبْتُمْ (katabtum) |
كُتِبْتُمْ (kutibtum) |
you (m. plural) were written | ||
أَنْتُنَّ (you f. pl.) |
كَتَبْتُنَّ (katabtunna) |
كُتِبْتُنَّ (kutibtunna) |
you (f. plural) were written | ||
| Pronoun | Active Verb (يَكْتُبُ) |
Passive Verb (يُكْتَبُ) |
English Translation | ||
| :---------- | :-------------------------------- | :-------------------------------- | :---------------------------------- | ||
هُوَ (he) |
يَكْتُبُ (yaktubu) |
يُكْتَبُ (yuktabu) |
it is/will be written (masculine) | ||
هِيَ (she) |
تَكْتُبُ (taktubu) |
تُكْتَبُ (tuktabu) |
it is/will be written (feminine) | ||
أَنْتَ (you m.) |
تَكْتُبُ (taktubu) |
تُكْتَبُ (tuktabu) |
you are/will be written (m. sing) | ||
أَنْتِ (you f.) |
تَكْتُبِينَ (taktubīna) |
تُكْتَبِينَ (tuktabīna) |
you are/will be written (f. sing) | ||
أَنَا (I) |
أَكْتُبُ (aktubu) |
أُكْتَبُ (uktabu) |
I am/will be written | ||
نَحْنُ (we) |
نَكْتُبُ (naktubu) |
نُكْتَبُ (nuktabu) |
we are/will be written | ||
هُمَا (they m. dual) |
يَكْتُبَانِ (yaktubāni) |
يُكْتَبَانِ (yuktabāni) |
they (m. dual) are/will be written | ||
هُمَا (they f. dual) |
تَكْتُبَانِ (taktubāni) |
تُكْتَبَانِ (tuktabāni) |
they (f. dual) are/will be written | ||
هُمْ (they m. pl.) |
يَكْتُبُونَ (yaktubūna) |
يُكْتَبُونَ (yuktabūna) |
they (m. plural) are/will be written | ||
هُنَّ (they f. pl.) |
يَكْتُبْنَ (yaktubna) |
يُكْتَبْنَ (yuktabna) |
they (f. plural) are/will be written | ||
أَنْتُمَا (you dual) |
تَكْتُبَانِ (taktubāni) |
تُكْتَبَانِ (tuktabāni) |
you (dual) are/will be written | ||
أَنْتُمْ (you m. pl.) |
تَكْتُبُونَ (taktubūna) |
تُكْتَبُونَ (tuktabūna) |
you (m. plural) are/will be written | ||
أَنْتُنَّ (you f. pl.) |
تَكْتُبْنَ (taktubna) |
تُكْتَبْنَ (tuktabna) |
you (f. plural) are/will be written |
When To Use It
- 1When the Doer is Unknown (الْفَاعِلُ مَجْهُولٌ - Al-fāʿilu majhūlun): This is the most straightforward and common application. If you genuinely do not know who performed the action, the passive voice is the natural choice. It allows you to report an event without requiring information you don't possess.
سُرِقَتْ سَيَّارَتِي.(suriqat sayyāratī.- "My car was stolen.") - The speaker doesn't know who stole the car, only that the act occurred.فُقِدَ الْكِتَابُ.(fuqida al-kitābu.- "The book was lost.") - The person who lost it is unknown, or the focus is solely on the book's disappearance.اُكْتُشِفَتْ حَقَائِقُ جَدِيدَةٌ.(uktushifat ḥaqā'iqu jadīdatun.- "New facts were discovered.") - The discoverer is not specified, perhaps because it was a collective effort or the individual is not important.
- 1When the Doer is Obvious or Implied (الْفَاعِلُ مَعْلُومٌ ضِمْنًا - Al-fāʿilu maʿlūmun ḍimnan): Sometimes, the doer is so universally understood or contextually clear that explicitly stating them would be redundant, unnecessary, or even awkward. The passive voice streamlines the sentence by removing superfluous information.
صُلِّيَتِ الْجَنَازَةُ.(ṣulliyati al-janāzatu.- "The funeral prayer was performed.") - It is implicitly understood that Muslims performed the prayer, making the active subject redundant.يُعْبَدُ اللهُ.(yuʿbadu Allāhu.- "God is worshipped.") - The worshipper is inherently understood to be believers; the focus is on the object of worship.تُنْظَفُ الشَّوَارِعُ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ.(tunaẓẓafu ash-shawāriʿu kulla ṣabāḥin.- "The streets are cleaned every morning.") - We know the municipality workers do it, but the focus is on the action and its regularity, not the specific individuals.
- 1When You Wish to Conceal the Doer (إِخْفَاءُ الْفَاعِلِ - Ikhfā'u al-fāʿili): The passive voice offers a way to be deliberately vague about who is responsible for an action. This can be for various reasons: diplomacy, avoiding blame, maintaining an objective tone, or simply to generalize. This usage is particularly common in professional and formal contexts.
اُرْتُكِبَتْ أَخْطَاءٌ.(urtukibat akhṭā'un.- "Mistakes were committed.") - This statement avoids directly blaming anyone, often used in official reports or apologies.لُوحِظَ تَأْخِيرٌ فِي الْمَشْرُوعِ.(lūḥiẓa ta'khīrun fī al-mashrūʿi.- "A delay was observed in the project.") - The observer is not named, contributing to a formal and impersonal tone.تَمَّتْ مُنَاقَشَةُ الْقَضِيَّةِ.(tammat munāqashatu al-qaḍiyyati.- "The issue was discussed.") - The individuals who discussed it are not specified, focusing solely on the fact that the discussion took place.
- 1To Emphasize the Action or the Receiver (التَّرْكِيزُ عَلَى الْفِعْلِ أَوِ الْمَفْعُولِ بِهِ - At-tarkīzu ʿalā al-fiʿli awi al-mafʿūli bihi): Even if the doer is known, the passive voice can be used to foreground the result or the object of the action, making it the central point of the sentence. This is about narrative focus and what information is deemed most important to convey first.
بُنِيَ الْمَتْحَفُ فِي عَامِ 1990.(buniya al-matḥafu fī ʿāmi 1990.- "The museum was built in 1990.") - The primary information is about the museum and its construction date, not the specific architects or construction workers.تُقَدَّمُ الْخِدْمَاتُ الْجَيِّدَةُ لِلْزَبَائِنِ.(tuqaddamu al-khidmātu al-jayyidatu lil-zabā'ini.- "Good services are provided to customers.") - The emphasis is on the quality of the services being offered, rather than who offers them.
Real Conversations
The passive voice is frequently used in everyday Arabic, particularly in contexts where the actor is secondary to the event. You'll hear it in snippets of conversation, news headlines, and formal announcements. It’s a natural part of concise and context-dependent expression, often reflecting a cultural preference for stating outcomes or facts over individual agency in certain situations. While less common in highly personal narratives at the A1 level, its presence is notable in general communication.
- News Reports: News media extensively employs the passive voice to maintain objectivity, report facts, or when the specific agent is less relevant than the event itself or is yet to be identified.
- عُثِرَ عَلَى هَاتِفٍ مَفْقُودٍ. (ʿuthira ʿalā hātifin mafqūdin. - "A lost phone was found.") – A common headline or report about discovered items.
- فُتِحَ تَحْقِيقٌ فِي الْحَادِثِ. (futiḥa taḥqīqun fī al-ḥādithi. - "An investigation into the incident was opened.") – Typical reporting on official procedures, where the initiators (police, authorities) are implied.
- Social Media/Casual Updates: People often use it to talk about events that happen to them or around them without assigning direct agency, especially when the event is a general truth or an unfortunate circumstance.
- تَأَخَّرَتْ رِحْلَتِي. (ta'akhkharat riḥlatī. - "My flight was delayed.") – A very common expression; you don't typically blame the airline by name in such a casual statement.
- نُشِرَتْ صُورَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ. (nushirat ṣūratun jadīdatun. - "A new photo was published/posted.") – Often used when content is posted by an administrator, a system, or simply when the focus is on the content itself.
- Official Announcements/Instructions: To convey information generally applicable or from an unnamed authority, or to set universal rules. This ensures clarity and avoids specifying an agent for each rule.
- يُمْنَعُ التَّدْخِينُ هُنَا. (yumnaʿu at-tadkhīnu hunā. - "Smoking is forbidden here.") – A ubiquitous sign in public places.
- تُطْلَبُ الْمُوَافَقَةُ قَبْلَ الدُّخُولِ. (tuṭlabu al-muwāfaqatu qabla ad-dukhūli. - "Approval is requested before entry.") – Found in official guidelines or at entry points.
- Complaining/Explaining without Direct Blame: The passive voice can subtly shift responsibility away from the speaker, or simply describe an event neutrally when the cause is secondary.
- كُسِرَ الْكُوبُ. (kusira al-kūbu. - "The cup was broken.") – This is a common way to describe an accident without directly saying "I broke the cup," especially if it was unintentional.
- ضَاعَتْ مَفَاتِيحِي. (ḍāʿat mafātīḥī. - "My keys were lost.") – A very natural expression of misplacement, where the focus is on the loss, not who caused it. This verb ضَاعَ (ḍāʿa) can function as both active (he got lost) and passive (it was lost) depending on context, making it inherently suited for such situations.
The passive voice is integral to the natural flow of Arabic, allowing speakers to convey information efficiently and with appropriate focus. Learning to recognize and use it will significantly enhance your understanding and fluency, bringing you closer to native-like expression.
Common Mistakes
- 1Using a "By" Phrase (لا يوجد "بواسطة" أو "من قِبَل"): This is arguably the most frequent and critical mistake for English speakers learning Arabic. In English, you can say "The book was written by Naguib Mahfouz." In Arabic, you cannot use a prepositional phrase like
بواسطة(biwāsiṭati- "by means of") orمن قِبَل(min qibali- "by") to introduce the actual doer after a passive verb. This is a fundamental structural difference.
- Incorrect:
كُتِبَ الْكِتَابُ بِوَاسِطَةِ نَجِيب مَحْفُوظ.(kutiba al-kitābu biwāsiṭati najīb maḥfūẓ.- "The book was written by Naguib Mahfouz.") - Correct: If you must name the doer, you must revert to the active voice:
كَتَبَ نَجِيبُ مَحْفُوظٌ الْكِتَابَ.(kataba najību maḥfūẓun al-kitāba.- "Naguib Mahfouz wrote the book.") - Why it's wrong: The very definition of
مَبْنِيٌّ لِلْمَجْهُولِis "built for the unknown doer." If you then explicitly name the doer, the grammatical purpose of the passive is defeated, and it becomes a contradiction in terms within Arabic grammar. This is a crucial rule to internalize for A1 learners.
- 1Incorrect Vowel Changes (أخطاء في التشكيل): Especially for A1 learners, precise vocalization (tashkeel) is challenging. Misplacing a damma, kasra, or fatha can completely change the verb's meaning from passive to active, or even render it nonsensical. This highlights the importance of learning and applying the
فُعِلَandيُفْعَلُpatterns exactly.
- Confusing
كُتِبَ(kutiba) withكَتَبَ(kataba): The subtleusound on the first radical versus anasound is the key differentiator in the past tense. Pronouncing them incorrectly will lead to misunderstanding. - Forgetting the
fathaon the second-to-last radical in the present tense: Many learners mistakenly keep a damma, leading toيُكْتُبُ(incorrect passive form) instead of the correctيُكْتَبُ(yuktabu). Theuon the prefix andaon the second-to-last radical are hallmarks of the present passive. - Solution: Practice with full tashkeel. Exaggerate the vowel sounds initially to train your ear and mouth. Listen to native speakers and try to imitate the passive patterns.
- 1Using Passive with Intransitive Verbs: The passive voice can only be formed from transitive verbs (
أَفْعَالٌ مُتَعَدِّيَةٌ-afʿālun mutaʿaddiyatun), which are verbs that take a direct object. Intransitive verbs (أَفْعَالٌ لَازِمَةٌ-afʿālun lāzimatun), which do not take a direct object, cannot form a true passive voice in Arabic because there is no direct object to become thena'ib al-fa'il.
- Incorrect: You cannot say "it was sat" or "it was slept" in Arabic because verbs like
جَلَسَ(jalasa- to sit) orنَامَ(nāma- to sleep) are intransitive. - Why it's wrong: The grammatical function of the
na'ib al-fa'ilis to replace the direct object. If there is no direct object in the active sentence, there can be nona'ib al-fa'ilin the passive, rendering the formation impossible.
- 1Incorrect Gender/Number Agreement with
na'ib al-fa'il: Just like an active verb agrees with its subject, a passive verb must agree in gender and number with itsna'ib al-fa'il. Learners sometimes forget to apply this agreement correctly.
- Incorrect:
كُتِبَ الرِّسَالَةُ.(kutiba ar-risālatu.- ifالرِّسَالَةُis feminine and singular, the verb should also be feminine and singular). - Correct:
كُتِبَتِ الرِّسَالَةُ.(kutibati ar-risālatu.- "The letter was written.") Here,كُتِبَتْ(kutibat) agrees with the feminineالرِّسَالَةُ(ar-risālatu). - Solution: Always identify the
na'ib al-fa'ilfirst, determine its gender and number, and then conjugate the passive verb accordingly.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
- 1Passive Verbs vs. Active Verbs (
الْفِعْلُ الْمَجْهُولُvs.الْفِعْلُ الْمَعْلُومُ):
- Active Voice (
الْفِعْلُ الْمَعْلُومُ): The subject performs the action. The focus is on the doer. - Example:
سَرَقَ اللِّصُّ الْمَالِ.(saraqa al-liṣṣu al-māla.- "The thief stole the money.") (Doer:اللِّصُّ- the thief) - Passive Voice (
الْفِعْلُ الْمَجْهُولُ): Thena'ib al-fa'ilreceives the action. The focus is on the action or the receiver, and the doer is unknown/unimportant. - Example:
سُرِقَ الْمَالُ.(suriqa al-mālu.- "The money was stolen.") (na'ib al-fa'il:الْمَالُ- the money, doer unknown).
- 1Passive Verbs vs. Passive Participles (
الْفِعْلُ الْمَجْهُولُvs.اسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ):
- Passive Verb (
الْفِعْلُ الْمَجْهُولُ): Indicates an ongoing or completed action without a named agent. - Example:
يُكْتَبُ الدَّرْسُ.(yuktabu ad-darsu.- "The lesson is being written.") (Describes the action of writing.) - Example:
كُسِرَ الزُّجَاجُ.(kusira az-zujāju.- "The glass was broken.") (Describes the action of breaking.) - Passive Participle (
اسْمُ الْمَفْعُولِ- Ism al-Mafʿūl): Is a noun derived from a verb, signifying that which receives the action, often translated as an adjective (e.g., "written," "broken"). It describes a state or a characteristic. - Example:
الدَّرْسُ مَكْتُوبٌ.(ad-darsu maktūbun.- "The lesson is written.") (Describes the state of the lesson.) - Example:
الزُّجَاجُ مَكْسُورٌ.(az-zujāju maksūrun.- "The glass is broken.") (Describes the state of the glass.)
مَفْعُولٌ (mafʿūlun) is the standard pattern for Form I passive participles. Learners should recognize that مَكْتُوبٌ (maktūbun) is not a verb, but an adjective-like noun, and it does not conjugate like a verb. Understanding this difference is vital for advanced sentence construction.- 1Form I Passive vs. Other Verb Forms' Passives:
فُعِلَ/يُفْعَلُ of Form I. For example, Form II passive past is فُعِّلَ (fuʿʿila), and its present is يُفَعَّلُ (yufaʿʿalu).- The existence of these different patterns is part of Arabic's systematic morphology, where each verb form carries specific semantic nuances (e.g., intensiveness, causativity) that are also reflected in its passive counterpart. At A1, focus solely on Form I, but be aware that more complex patterns exist for future learning.
Progressive Practice
Mastering the passive voice requires consistent and targeted practice. Start with foundational exercises and gradually move to more complex applications to solidify your understanding and usage.
Vowel Change Drills:
- Take a list of common Form I active verbs (e.g., كَتَبَ, فَتَحَ, أَكَلَ, شَرِبَ, قَرَأَ - qara'a - to read, فَهِمَ - fahima - to understand). Convert them to their passive past (فُعِلَ) and passive present (يُفْعَلُ) forms, writing out the full tashkeel.
- Example: قَرَأَ (qara'a) → قُرِئَ (quri'a) (past passive); يَقْرَأُ (yaqra'u) → يُقْرَأُ (yuqra'u) (present passive).
- Do this verbally as well, emphasizing the correct vowel sounds. Record yourself and compare it to native pronunciation.
Active to Passive Transformation:
- Start with simple active sentences (subject-verb-object) and convert them into passive sentences.
- Steps:
Identify the active verb.
Identify the direct object (مَفْعُولٌ بِهِ). This will become your new na'ib al-fa'il.
Change the active verb to its passive form (فُعِلَ or يُفْعَلُ).
Ensure the passive verb agrees in gender and number with the new na'ib al-fa'il.
Change the na'ib al-fa'il from accusative to nominative case.
Remove the original active subject.
- Example: كَتَبَ الطَّالِبُ الْوَاجِبَ. (kataba aṭ-ṭālibu al-wājiba. - "The student wrote the homework.")
→ كُتِبَ الْوَاجِبُ. (kutiba al-wājibu. - "The homework was written.")
Passive Identification:
- Read simple Arabic texts (news articles, basic stories) and highlight all instances of passive verbs. Explain why the passive voice was used in each case (doer unknown, obvious, concealed, or focus shift).
- This helps train your eye and ear to recognize the patterns in context, which is vital for comprehension.
Sentence Completion:
- Provide incomplete sentences where a passive verb is clearly required and ask to fill in the correct passive form.
- Example: (فَتَحَ) _______ الْبَابُ بِوَاسِطَةِ الرِّيَاحِ. (Incorrect بواسطة usage, but for the sake of practice focusing on the verb: فُتِحَ)
- Correct example: _______ (أَكَلَ) الطَّعَامُ. (ukila aṭ-ṭaʿāmu. - "The food was eaten.")
Role-Playing/Dialogue:
- Practice short dialogues where you respond to questions using the passive voice. For instance, if asked "Who broke the glass?" (مَنْ كَسَرَ الزُّجَاجَ؟), respond "The glass was broken." (كُسِرَ الزُّجَاجُ.).
- This helps integrate the passive voice into spontaneous communication.
Quick FAQ
- Q: Can all verbs be made passive?
No, only transitive verbs (أَفْعَالٌ مُتَعَدِّيَةٌ) that take a direct object can form a true passive voice. Intransitive verbs (أَفْعَالٌ لَازِمَةٌ) cannot, as there would be no direct object to become the na'ib al-fa'il.
- Q: Is the passive voice formal or informal?
It is common in both. While often used in formal contexts like news (قُتِلَ - qutila - "was killed") and academic writing, it's also present in daily speech for expressing events where the doer is unknown or unimportant, such as فُقِدَ هَاتِفِي. (fuqida hātifī. - "My phone was lost.").
- Q: How do I express "by someone" if I absolutely need to specify the doer?
You must revert to the active voice. Arabic passive voice does not allow explicit mention of the doer with phrases like بواسطة or من قِبَل. If the agent is crucial, formulate the sentence actively: سرق اللص المال. (saraqa al-liṣṣu al-māla. - "The thief stole the money.").
- Q: Does the passive verb always have a damma on the first letter?
For Form I verbs, yes. The pattern for past passive starts with damma on the first radical (فُعِلَ), and the pattern for present passive starts with damma on the present tense prefix (يُفْعَلُ). This u sound is a consistent marker for Form I passive verbs.
- Q: What happens to the direct object in a passive sentence?
The direct object of the active sentence becomes the na'ib al-fa'il (subject's proxy) in the passive sentence. It takes the nominative case (مَرْفُوعٌ) and the verb then agrees with it in gender and number. This is a fundamental transformation.
- Q: Why is it called
المبني للمجهول?
It literally means "built for the unknown." This name perfectly encapsulates its core function: the grammatical construction is designed specifically for situations where the doer (الفاعل) is either unknown, deliberately not mentioned, or otherwise considered unimportant, thus leaving them "unknown" in the sentence's structure.
- Q: Are there exceptions to these rules for Form I?
While the فُعِلَ/يُفْعَلُ patterns are highly regular for sound Form I verbs, verbs with weak letters (e.g., verbs containing و, ا, ي) undergo specific modifications to these patterns to accommodate the weak letter. However, at the A1 level, focusing on sound verbs will build a solid foundation. You will encounter these variations in more advanced stages of learning.
Passive Voice Past Tense (Form I)
| Pronoun | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
|
Huwa
|
Kataba
|
Kutiba
|
|
Hiya
|
Katabat
|
Kutibat
|
|
Anta
|
Katabta
|
Kutibta
|
|
Anti
|
Katabti
|
Kutibti
|
|
Ana
|
Katabtu
|
Kutibtu
|
|
Nahnu
|
Katabna
|
Kutibna
|
Meanings
The passive voice is used to describe an action where the agent (doer) is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally hidden.
Unknown Agent
When the person performing the action is not known.
“سُرِقَ المَالُ (The money was stolen).”
“وُجِدَ المِفْتَاحُ (The key was found).”
Focus on Object
When the result or the object is more important than the actor.
“طُبِخَ الطَّعَامُ (The food was cooked).”
“بُنِيَ المَنْزِلُ (The house was built).”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
u-i-a pattern
|
Kutiba al-darsu
|
|
Negative
|
Ma + u-i-a
|
Ma kutiba al-darsu
|
|
Question
|
Hal + u-i-a
|
Hal kutiba al-darsu?
|
|
Present
|
u-a pattern
|
Yuktabu al-darsu
|
|
Future
|
Sa + u-a
|
Sayuktabu al-darsu
|
|
Agent
|
Passive + min qibal
|
Kutiba min qibal al-mudarris
|
Formality Spectrum
أُتِمَّ التَّقْرِيرُ (Work)
تَمَّ إِنْهَاءُ التَّقْرِيرِ (Work)
خَلَّصْنَا التَّقْرِيرَ (Work)
خَلَّصْنَا الشُّغْلَ (Work)
The Passive Shift
Purpose
- Unknown Agent Hidden doer
- Object Focus Emphasis
Vowels
- u-i-a Past
- u-a Present
Examples by Level
كُتِبَ الدَّرْسُ
The lesson was written.
أُكِلَ الطَّعَامُ
The food was eaten.
فُتِحَ البَابُ
The door was opened.
سُرِقَ المَالُ
The money was stolen.
يُكْتَبُ الدَّرْسُ
The lesson is being written.
يُؤْكَلُ الطَّعَامُ
The food is being eaten.
يُفْتَحُ البَابُ
The door is being opened.
يُسْرَقُ المَالُ
The money is being stolen.
قُرِئَ الكِتَابُ بِاهْتِمَامٍ
The book was read with interest.
تَمَّ بِنَاءُ المَدْرَسَةِ
The school was built.
عُرِفَ الحَقِيقَةُ
The truth was known.
وُجِدَ الحَلُّ
The solution was found.
يُعْتَقَدُ أَنَّهُ مُذْنِبٌ
It is believed that he is guilty.
تُقَدَّمُ القَهْوَةُ فِي الصَّبَاحِ
Coffee is served in the morning.
يُحْتَرَمُ القَانُونُ
The law is respected.
تُنُوقِشَتِ المَسْأَلَةُ
The issue was discussed.
يُشَارُ إِلَى أَنَّ الأَسْعَارَ ارْتَفَعَتْ
It is pointed out that prices have risen.
تُتَّخَذُ الإِجْرَاءَاتُ اللَّازِمَةُ
The necessary measures are being taken.
يُتَوَقَّعُ نُمُوٌّ اقْتِصَادِيٌّ
Economic growth is expected.
تُعَدُّ هَذِهِ القَضِيَّةُ حَسَّاسَةً
This issue is considered sensitive.
يُسْتَشَفُّ مِنَ النَّصِّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ حَزِينًا
It is inferred from the text that he was sad.
تُؤْثَرُ عَنِ العَرَبِ حِكَمٌ كَثِيرَةٌ
Many proverbs are attributed to the Arabs.
يُسْتَعَاضُ عَنِ القَدِيمِ بِالجَدِيدِ
The old is replaced by the new.
تُسْتَنْبَطُ الأَحْكَامُ مِنَ القُرْآنِ
Rulings are derived from the Quran.
Easily Confused
Both can look similar to passive.
Learners forget to change vowels.
Often used as a passive substitute.
Common Mistakes
Kataba al-darsu
Kutiba al-darsu
Kutiba al-darsa
Kutiba al-darsu
Kutiba Ahmad
Kutiba al-darsu
Kutib al-darsu
Kutiba al-darsu
Yaktubu al-darsu
Yuktabu al-darsu
Yuktiba al-darsu
Yuktabu al-darsu
Yuktabu al-darsa
Yuktabu al-darsu
Kutibat al-babu
Kutiba al-babu
Kutiba al-bintu
Kutibat al-bintu
Kutiba min Ahmad
Kutiba min qibal Ahmad
Yustakhdamu al-adawat
Tustakhdamu al-adawat
Yustakhdamu al-kitab
Yustakhdamu al-kitabu
Yustakhdamu min qibal al-nas
Yustakhdamu min qibal al-nasi
Sentence Patterns
___ (passive verb) ___ (subject).
___ (present passive) ___ (subject).
___ (passive) ___ (subject) min qibal ___. (agent)
Yutawaqqa'u an ___ (passive verb) ___ (subject).
Real World Usage
قُتِلَ ثَلَاثَةُ أَشْخَاصٍ
تُعَدُّ هَذِهِ الدِّرَاسَةُ مُهِمَّةً
تَمَّ نَشْرُ الصُّورَةِ
تَمَّ الإِرْسَالُ
يُتَوَقَّعُ مِنَ المُرَشَّحِ...
تَمَّ تَجْهِيزُ الطَّلَبِ
The "U" Sound Start
No "By" Allowed
by Ahmad literally. If you know it was Ahmad, start the sentence with Ahmad...Polite Deflection
You broke the vase,they say
The vase was broken.
Smart Tips
Use passive to sound objective.
Use passive to avoid guessing.
Use passive to focus on steps.
Use passive to soften the blow.
Pronunciation
Damma (u)
Rounded lips, short sound.
Kasra (i)
Smile, short sound.
Statement
Kutiba al-darsu ↓
Falling intonation for facts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'U-I' for the Past (You-I) and 'U-A' for the Present (You-Are).
Visual Association
Imagine a ghost holding a pen (the doer is invisible). The pen is writing the book by itself.
Rhyme
Past is U-I, Present is U-A, hide the doer, keep the day.
Story
The king's crown was stolen. The guards didn't know who. 'Suriqa al-taj' (The crown was stolen). The thief remained a mystery.
Word Web
Challenge
Look around your room and describe 3 things using the passive voice (e.g., 'The light was turned on').
Cultural Notes
Passive is preferred in news to maintain neutrality.
Passive is often replaced by 'it-' prefix or 'tam' + masdar.
Similar to Egyptian, uses 'in-' or 'tam'.
Rooted in Semitic morphological patterns.
Conversation Starters
Hal kutiba al-darsu?
Hal yuktabu al-kitabu?
Hal tu'tabaru hadhihi al-qadiyya muhimma?
Hal yutawaqqa'u nujuh al-mashru'?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ al-darsu.
Find and fix the mistake:
Kutiba al-darsa.
Choose the passive verb.
___ al-darsu.
Can you say 'Kutiba al-darsu Ahmad'?
A: Man kataba al-darsa? B: ___.
Order: al-darsu / kutiba / min qibal / al-mudarrisi.
Passive of 'Kataba' for 'Hiya'.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ al-darsu.
Find and fix the mistake:
Kutiba al-darsa.
Choose the passive verb.
___ al-darsu.
Can you say 'Kutiba al-darsu Ahmad'?
A: Man kataba al-darsa? B: ___.
Order: al-darsu / kutiba / min qibal / al-mudarrisi.
Passive of 'Kataba' for 'Hiya'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe news ___ (is heard) every night. (Root: S-M-A)
was broken / The glass / yesterday
Select the word that is in the Passive voice.
Pair the active verbs with their passive counterparts.
It was known.
Suriqa al-sayyāra. (The car was stolen).
To make 'Qatala' (he killed) passive, we change vowels to get ___.
Yuhzamu al-farīq. (The team is being defeated).
Connect the vowel pattern to the correct tense.
The milk / was drunk
Translate: Wujida
When would you use 'Nuqila' (was transferred)?
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
To hide the doer or focus on the object.
Use u-i-a pattern.
Use u-a pattern.
Yes, use 'min qibal'.
Very common in formal Arabic.
Forgetting the nominative case.
Similar concept, different formation.
Yes, all forms have passive.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Se vende / Fue vendido
Arabic is morphological; Spanish is syntactic.
Il est mangé
French uses auxiliary verbs.
Es wird gegessen
German is analytical.
Taberareru
Japanese is agglutinative.
Majhul
None.
Bei
Chinese is isolating.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Past Passive: The "It was done" Pattern (U-I-A)
Overview Arabic, like many languages, offers a grammatical construction to shift focus from the **performer of an action...
Arabic Passive Present: The 'Yu- ... -a-' Pattern
Overview In Arabic, mastering the **passive voice** is crucial for expressing actions where the performer is unknown, un...
Related Videos
Related Grammar Rules
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Arabic Passive Voice: 'It Was Done' (Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)
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Passive Voice: Hiding the Doer (Majhul)
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Arabic Passive Present: The 'Yu- ... -a-' Pattern
Overview In Arabic, mastering the **passive voice** is crucial for expressing actions where the performer is unknown, un...
Past Passive: The "It was done" Pattern (U-I-A)
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