Impersonal Passive Voice for General Arabic

### Overview

Ever wanted to talk about something that happened without blaming anyone? Or maybe you just don't know *who* ate the last cookie, only that it was eaten? Welcome to the Passive Voice in Arabic (Al-Mabni lil-Majhul). It's like the "Ghost Mode" of grammar—the action is there, but the doer has vanished into thin air. It’s perfect for when the result matters more than the person who did it.

### How This Grammar Works

In English, we use extra words like "was" or "is" (e.g., "The cake was eaten"). Arabic is way more efficient. It doesn't add words; it just changes the "costume" (vowels) of the verb you already know.

Think of it as remixing a song. Same lyrics (letters), different beat (vowels).

### Formation Pattern

Here is the secret formula to turn a regular verb into a passive one. You don't need a degree in linguistics, just good ears.

1. The Past Tense Remix (What happened):

• Start with a Damma (u sound) on the first letter.
• Put a Kasra (i sound) on the letter before the last one.
• *Example:* kataba (he wrote) → kutiba (it was written).

2. The Present Tense Remix (What is happening):

• Start with a Damma (u sound) on the prefix.
• Put a Fatha (a sound) on the letter before the last one.
• *Example:* yaktubu (he writes) → yuktabu (it is written).

### When To Use It

• Rules and Signs: "Smoking is prohibited" (yumna'u al-tadkhīn).
• Mystery: "My wallet was stolen" (suriqat maḥfaẓatī)—you don't know the thief!
• Politeness: "A mistake was made" (instead of "You made a mistake").
• General Facts: "It is known that..." (yu'rafu anna...).

### When Not To Use It

• Don't use it if you want to mention the doer.
• In English, we say "The book was written by Naguib Mahfouz."
• In Arabic, this sounds super awkward. If you know who did it, just use the active voice: "Naguib Mahfouz wrote the book."

### Contrast With Similar Patterns

• The "We" Impersonal: Sometimes people say "We drink tea" to mean "People drink tea." That's active. Passive is strictly about the object becoming the star of the show.
• Reflexive Verbs: infataḥa (it opened by itself) vs. futiḥa (it was opened by someone). The passive implies *someone* did it, even if they are invisible.

### Common Mistakes

• The "By" Trap: Trying to translate "by [person]" using min qibal. It's technically grammatical in modern news media, but it screams "I am translating from English!" to a native speaker. Just avoid it.
• Vowel Amnesia: Forgetting to change the vowels completely changes the meaning. kataba (he wrote) vs kutiba (it was written). One vowel change can save you a lot of confusion!

### Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use this with every verb?

Mostly yes, as long as the verb takes an object (transitive). You can't say "It was sat" easily.

Q: Is this formal?

It's used in everyday speech for simple things ("It's allowed," "It's broken"), but yes, it sounds slightly more professional or news-y in complex sentences.