Arabic Passive Voice: 'It Was Done' (Al-Mabni lil-Majhul)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the action by changing the verb's internal vowel pattern.
- For past tense, change the first vowel to 'u' and the second-to-last to 'i' (e.g., 'kataba' becomes 'kutiba').
- The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence (Na'ib al-Fa'il).
- The original doer is omitted or mentioned using a preposition like 'min qibal' (by).
Overview
Arabic, like many languages, employs a grammatical construction called the passive voice, known in Arabic as المبني للمجهول (al-mabni lil-majhul), literally meaning 'built for the unknown.' This construction allows you to shift focus from the doer of an action (the subject) to the action itself or the recipient of the action (the object). It is an indispensable tool when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or deliberately being concealed. For instance, instead of saying كتب الرجل الرسالة (The man wrote the letter), you might say كُتِبَت الرسالة (The letter was written), placing the emphasis squarely on the letter and its state, not the man who wrote it.
At the A1 level, understanding the passive voice begins with recognizing its core mechanism: internal vowel changes within the verb itself. Arabic verbs undergo specific حركات (harakat, i.e., short vowel marks) modifications to transform from active to passive forms. You do not add new words or particles to create the passive voice for simple verbs; rather, you "re-vowel" the existing verb.
A crucial initial rule is that only transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object) can be made passive. If a verb cannot act upon something, that 'something' cannot become the focus of a passive sentence. This grammatical feature is highly systematic and, once learned, unlocks a significant aspect of Arabic expression.
Conjugation Table
| Active (فاعل) | Passive (مفعول) | Pronoun (ضمير) | Meaning (Active) | Meaning (Passive) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :--------------- | :---------------- | :------------- | :---------------- | :------------------ | ||
فَتَحَ (fataha) |
فُتِحَ (futiha) |
هو (he) | He opened | It was opened | ||
فَتَحَتْ (fatahat) |
فُتِحَتْ (futihata) |
هي (she) | She opened | It was opened (f.) | ||
كَتَبْتَ (katabta) |
كُتِبْتَ (kutibta) |
أنتَ (you m.) | You wrote | You were written | ||
كَتَبْتِ (katabti) |
كُتِبْتِ (kutibti) |
أنتِ (you f.) | You wrote | You were written (f.) | ||
أَكَلْتُ (akaltu) |
أُكِلْتُ (ukiltu) |
أنا (I) | I ate | I was eaten | ||
كَتَبُوا (katabū) |
كُتِبُوا (kutibū) |
هم (they m.) | They wrote | They were written | ||
فَتَحْنَا (fatahna) |
فُتِحْنَا (futihna) |
نحن (we) | We opened | We were opened | ||
| Active (فاعل) | Passive (مفعول) | Pronoun (ضمير) | Meaning (Active) | Meaning (Passive) | ||
| :----------------- | :------------------ | :------------- | :------------------ | :------------------- | ||
يَكْتُبُ (yaktubu) |
يُكْتَبُ (yuktabu) |
هو (he) | He writes | It is written | ||
تَشْرَبُ (tashrabu) |
تُشْرَبُ (tushrabu) |
هي (she) | She drinks | It is drunk (f.) | ||
تَفْتَحُ (taftahu) |
تُفْتَحُ (tuftahu) |
أنتَ (you m.) | You open | You are opened | ||
تَأْكُلِينَ (ta'kulīna) |
تُؤْكَلِينَ (tu'kalīna) |
أنتِ (you f.) | You eat | You are eaten (f.) | ||
أَشْرَحُ (ashrahu) |
أُشْرَحُ (ushrahu) |
أنا (I) | I explain | I am explained | ||
يَفْهَمُونَ (yafhamūna) |
يُفْهَمُونَ (yufhamūna) |
هم (they m.) | They understand | They are understood | ||
نَرَى (nara) |
نُرَى (nura) |
نحن (we) | We see | We are seen |
How This Grammar Works
فاعل (fa'il) or doer is the primary agent, performing the action. For example, in شَرِبَ الوَلَدُ الماءَ (The boy drank the water), الولد (the boy) is the فاعل.الماء (the water), is acted upon.- 1The original
فاعل(doer) is entirely removed from the sentence. Arabic grammar does not typically allow for aby someonephrase (بواسطةorمن قبل) in the same way English does for the passive voice. If the doer is important, the active voice must be used. - 2The direct object of the active sentence (
المفعول به,al-maf'ūl bihi) is promoted to the role of the new subject. This new subject is called theنائب الفاعل(na'ib al-fa'il), meaning 'deputy doer' or 'substitute subject.' Crucially, theنائب الفاعلtakes the nominative case (مرفوع), just like an active subject. Thus,الماءَ(water, accusative) becomesالماءُ(water, nominative) in the passive sentenceشُرِبَ الماءُ(The water was drunk). This shift in case marking is a clear indicator of the grammatical restructuring.
جلس (jalasa, to sit) or ذهب (dhahaba, to go), does not take a direct object. Without a direct object, there is no noun to promote to the position of نائب الفاعل, making passive construction impossible.Formation Pattern
حركات) of the verb's root letters. This internal change, known as الإعلال والقلب (al-i'lal wal-qalb, 'vowel alteration and inversion'), is a hallmark of Arabic morphology. For A1 learners, focusing on Form I verbs will provide the foundational understanding.
ضمّة (damma) (u sound).
كسرة (kasra) (i sound).
فَتَحَ (fataha, he opened):
ف): فَ (f) becomes فُ (fu).
ت): تَ (ta) becomes تِ (ti).
ح): حَ (ha) remains حَ (ha).
فُتِحَ (futiha, it was opened). This pattern is consistent: قَتَلَ (qatal, he killed) becomes قُتِلَ (qutila, he was killed); دَرَسَ (darasa, he studied) becomes دُرِسَ (durisa, it was studied). Notice the final fatha is usually preserved unless suffixes are added for agreement (e.g., كُتِبَتْ).
يـ, تـ, أـ, نـ) receives a ضمّة (damma) (u sound).
فتحة (fatha) (a sound).
يَكْتُبُ (yaktubu, he writes):
يـ): يَـ (ya) becomes يُـ (yu).
ت): تُـ (tu) becomes تَـ (ta).
ب): ـبُ (bu) remains ـبُ (bu).
يُكْتَبُ (yuktabu, it is written). Other examples include يَشْرَبُ (yashrabu, he drinks) becoming يُشْرَبُ (yushrabu, it is drunk) and تَفْتَحُ (taftahu, she opens) becoming تُفْتَحُ (tuftahu, it is opened).
ضمّة on the first letter of a past passive verb or the present tense prefix, combined with the second-to-last vowel change, allows for immediate identification of the passive construction.
When To Use It
- When the Doer is Unknown or Irrelevant: This is the most common reason for employing the passive. If you genuinely don't know who performed an action, or if the identity of the agent is unimportant to the message, the passive voice is ideal. For instance,
سُرِقَ الهاتف البارحة(suriqa al-hatif al-bariha, The phone was stolen yesterday). The focus is on the phone and the theft, not the unknown thief.
- To Emphasize the Action or Outcome: Often, the result of an action is more significant than the person who caused it. News reports, for example, frequently use the passive voice to highlight events.
اُفْتُتِحَ مطار جديد في المدينة(uftutiha matar jadid fi al-madina, A new airport was opened in the city). Here, the opening of the airport is the main point.
- For Objectivity and Formality: In formal writing, scientific descriptions, official announcements, or journalistic reports, the passive voice often lends an air of impartiality and objectivity. It removes personal agency, making statements sound more factual or universally true.
يُفْهَمُ من هذا البحث أنَّ...(yufhamu min hadha al-bahth anna..., It is understood from this research that...). This phrasing sounds authoritative.
- To Be Polite or Avoid Blame: In social contexts, using the passive voice can soften a statement or avoid directly assigning blame. If a mistake was made, saying
كَسُرَ الكوب(kusira al-kūb, The cup was broken) is less confrontational thanكسرْتَ الكوب(You broke the cup). It allows for a subtle cultural nuance of indirectness, which can be perceived as more gracious.
- General Statements and Rules: When expressing general truths, established facts, or regulations, the passive voice is frequently preferred.
يُمنَعُ التدخين في الأماكن العامة(yumna'u al-tadkhīn fi al-amākin al-'amma, Smoking is forbidden in public places). This emphasizes the rule itself rather than who enforces it.
Common Mistakes
لماذا (why) they occur can accelerate your mastery.- Using Intransitive Verbs in the Passive: This is arguably the most frequent mistake. Remember, the passive voice requires a direct object in the active sentence to become the
نائب الفاعل. Intransitive verbs, likeذَهَبَ(dhahaba, he went) orنَامَ(nāma, he slept), cannot be made passive. You cannot sayذُهِبَ(it was gone) orنِيمَ(it was slept) in standard Arabic. These constructions are grammatically illogical because there's noمفعول به(object) to receive the action and subsequently become the new subject. Always check if the verb can take an object before attempting to make it passive.
- Confusing Past and Present Passive Vowel Patterns: Learners often mix up the U-I pattern for the past tense (
فُتِحَ) with the U-A pattern for the present tense (يُفْتَحُ). This can lead to misinterpretations or ungrammatical forms likeيُفْتِحُ. Pay close attention to the second-to-last vowel:كسرة(i) for past,فتحة(a) for present. Consistent drilling of these distinct patterns is essential.
- Explicitly Mentioning the Doer with
بواسطةorمن قبل: While English often uses
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 when the actor is unknown, irrelevant, or when you want to emphasize the action itself.
Focus on Action
Emphasizing the result of an action.
“أُكِلَ الطَّعامُ (The food was eaten).”
“فُتِحَ البابُ (The door was opened).”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb(u-i) + Subject
|
kutiba al-darsu
|
|
Negative
|
ma + Verb(u-i) + Subject
|
ma kutiba al-darsu
|
|
Question
|
hal + Verb(u-i) + Subject?
|
hal kutiba al-darsu?
|
|
Feminine
|
Verb(u-i) + t + Subject
|
kutibat al-risalatu
|
|
Present
|
Verb(u-a) + Subject
|
yuktabu al-darsu
|
|
Past Plural
|
Verb(u-i) + u + Subject
|
kutibu al-durus
|
Formality Spectrum
أُنجِزَ التَّقرِيرُ (Work)
تَمَّ إنجازُ التَّقرِيرِ (Work)
خَلَّصنا التَّقرِير (Work)
خَلَّصنا التَّقرِير (Work)
Passive Voice Flow
Past Tense
- kutiba was written
Present Tense
- yuktabu is written
Examples by Level
كُتِبَ الدَّرسُ
The lesson was written.
أُكِلَ التُّفاحُ
The apple was eaten.
فُتِحَ البابُ
The door was opened.
سُرِقَ المالُ
The money was stolen.
يُكتَبُ الدَّرسُ
The lesson is being written.
يُؤكَلُ الطَّعامُ
The food is being eaten.
يُفتَحُ البابُ
The door is being opened.
يُسأَلُ الطَّالِبُ
The student is being asked.
قُرِئَ الكِتابُ بِعِنايَةٍ
The book was read carefully.
تَمَّ بَناءُ المَنزِلِ
The house was built.
عُرِفَ الحَقُّ
The truth was known.
وُجِدَ المِفتاحُ
The key was found.
يُعَدُّ هَذا القَرارُ مُهِمّاً
This decision is considered important.
تُناقَشُ القَضِيَّةُ الآنَ
The case is being discussed now.
أُعلِنَ عَنِ النَّتائِجِ
The results were announced.
يُتَوَقَّعُ حُضُورُ الجَميعِ
Everyone's attendance is expected.
يُشارُ إِلَى هَذِهِ النُّقطَةِ بِكَثرَةٍ
This point is frequently referred to.
تُتَّخَذُ الإِجراءاتُ القانُونِيَّةُ
Legal measures are being taken.
يُعْتَقَدُ أَنَّهُ مُذْنِبٌ
It is believed that he is guilty.
تُقَدَّرُ الجُهُودُ المَبذُولَةُ
The efforts made are appreciated.
يُستَحسَنُ التَّرَوِّي فِي هَذا الأَمرِ
It is recommended to be patient in this matter.
تُؤوَّلُ النُّصُوصُ بِطُرُقٍ مُختَلِفَةٍ
The texts are interpreted in different ways.
يُستَشفُّ مِن كَلامِهِ التَّردُّدُ
Hesitation is inferred from his words.
تُصاغُ القَوانِينُ بِدِقَّةٍ
Laws are drafted with precision.
Easily Confused
Learners confuse passive (done by unknown) with reflexive (done to self).
Learners use active voice when passive is required.
Learners think 'tam' is the only way to make passive.
Common Mistakes
kataba al-darsu
kutiba al-darsu
kutiba al-darsa
kutiba al-darsu
kutiba al-bintu
kutibat al-bintu
kutiba-hu
kutiba
yuktaba al-darsu
yuktabu al-darsu
tam kutiba
tam katb
yuktabu al-darsa
yuktabu al-darsu
yaktubu al-darsu
yuktabu al-darsu
kutib al-darsu
kutiba al-darsu
kutibat al-darsu
kutiba al-darsu
yustahsan al-tarawee
yustahsan al-tarawee
yutawaqqa'a
yutawaqqa'u
tunaqash al-qadiyya
tunaqashu al-qadiyya
Sentence Patterns
___ (Verb) ___ (Subject).
هل ___ (Verb) ___ (Subject)?
يُتَوَقَّعُ أَن ___ (Verb) ___ (Subject).
تُناقَشُ ___ (Subject) بِـ ___ (Adverb).
Real World Usage
أُعلِنَ عَنِ الفائِزِ
تُتَّخَذُ الإِجراءاتُ
يُشارُ إِلَى هَذِهِ النُّقطَةِ
تَمَّ نَشرُ الصُّورَةِ
خَلَّصنا الشُّغل
يُتَوَقَّعُ مِنِّي الكَثِيرُ
Focus on the Vowels
Don't Forget Case
Use 'Tam' for Ease
Formal vs Informal
Smart Tips
Use internal passive to sound objective.
Use passive to avoid guessing.
Use passive to focus on steps.
Use passive to stay neutral.
Pronunciation
Vowel length
Ensure the 'u' and 'i' are short unless the root dictates otherwise.
Declarative
kutiba al-darsu ↘
Neutral statement of fact.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the 'U' as 'Under' the spotlight, and the 'I' as the 'Internal' change.
Visual Association
Imagine a letter being written by an invisible hand. The focus is only on the pen and the paper, never the person.
Rhyme
For the past, make the first a 'u', and the second-to-last an 'i' too.
Story
The king ordered a decree. He didn't care who wrote it, just that it was written. So, the scribe became invisible, and the decree became the focus.
Word Web
Challenge
Find 5 verbs in your textbook and convert them to the passive voice in 5 minutes.
Cultural Notes
Used heavily in news and formal media to maintain neutrality.
Often avoids the internal passive in favor of 'tam' + masdar.
Similar to Egyptian, prefers 'tam' for passive constructions.
The passive voice in Arabic is a Proto-Semitic feature, relying on internal vowel modification.
Conversation Starters
هل كُتِبَ التَّقرِيرُ؟
ماذا يُؤكَلُ في بَلَدِكَ؟
هَل يُتَوَقَّعُ المَطَرُ غَداً؟
كَيْفَ تُصاغُ القَوانِينُ؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ al-darsu.
___ al-bab.
Find and fix the mistake:
kutiba al-darsa
daraba al-rajulu al-walada
Passive voice uses 'to be'.
A: Did they find the key? B: Yes, ___.
al-darsu / kutiba
Passive of 'saraqa' (he stole).
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ al-darsu.
___ al-bab.
Find and fix the mistake:
kutiba al-darsa
daraba al-rajulu al-walada
Passive voice uses 'to be'.
A: Did they find the key? B: Yes, ___.
al-darsu / kutiba
Passive of 'saraqa' (he stole).
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesThe apple was eaten.
Can you use 'Dahaba' in the passive voice?
____ الماءُ. (The water is being drunk.)
Order these: [البَيْتُ] [بُنِيَ]
يُكْتِبُ الكِتابُ. (The book is being written.)
Match these:
____ الرِّسالَةُ.
Look at the first letter of 'Yuktabu'. What is the vowel?
Translate to Arabic.
كُتُبَ الوَلَدُ الرِّسالَةَ. (Trying to say: The letter was written.)
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
To focus on the action or when the actor is unknown.
Change vowels to u-i for past.
Yes, but 'tam' is more common.
The deputy subject.
It takes practice but is logical.
Check your case markers.
No, no auxiliary verbs.
Always, especially in writing.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Se passive
Arabic is morphological; Spanish is syntactic.
Être passive
Arabic doesn't use an auxiliary verb.
Werden passive
Arabic is much more compact.
Reru/rareru passive
Arabic is internal; Japanese is suffixal.
Al-Mabni lil-Majhul
N/A
Bei construction
Arabic doesn't need a marker word.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
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