A1 general 3 دقیقه مطالعه

Impersonal Passive Voice for General Arabic

Change the vowels to u-i (past) or u-a (present) to hide the subject and focus on the result.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Hide the doer, focus on action.
  • Past: `u` first, `i` before last.
  • Present: `u` first, `a` before last.
  • Never use 'by' to add the doer.

Quick Reference

Tense Active (Doer is here) Passive (Doer is gone) Pattern Change
Past kataba (he wrote) kutiba (it was written) a-a-a → u-i-a
Past shariba (he drank) shuriba (it was drunk) a-i-a → u-i-a
Past fataḥa (he opened) futiḥa (it was opened) a-a-a → u-i-a
Present yaktubu (he writes) yuktabu (it is written) ya...u → yu...a...u
Present yasmaḥu (he allows) yusmaḥu (it is allowed) ya...u → yu...a...u
Present ya'kulu (he eats) yu'kalu (it is eaten) ya...u → yu...a...u

مثال‌های کلیدی

3 از 8
1

يُسْمَحُ بِالدُخولِ هُنا

Entry is permitted here.

2

كُتِبَ الدَّرْسُ

The lesson was written.

3

سُرِقَت السَّيارةُ

The car was stolen.

🎯

Listen for the 'U'

If you hear a verb start with an 'Oo' sound (like **Ku**tiba or **Yu**ktabu), your Passive Voice radar should go off. It's the hallmark of the unknown doer.

⚠️

The 'By' Trap

Resist the urge to translate 'by' directly. If you find yourself trying to say 'min qibal' (from the side of), stop! Flip the sentence back to active voice. Your Arabic friends will thank you.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Hide the doer, focus on action.
  • Past: `u` first, `i` before last.
  • Present: `u` first, `a` before last.
  • Never use 'by' to add the doer.

Overview

### 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.

Reference Table

Tense Active (Doer is here) Passive (Doer is gone) Pattern Change
Past kataba (he wrote) kutiba (it was written) a-a-a → u-i-a
Past shariba (he drank) shuriba (it was drunk) a-i-a → u-i-a
Past fataḥa (he opened) futiḥa (it was opened) a-a-a → u-i-a
Present yaktubu (he writes) yuktabu (it is written) ya...u → yu...a...u
Present yasmaḥu (he allows) yusmaḥu (it is allowed) ya...u → yu...a...u
Present ya'kulu (he eats) yu'kalu (it is eaten) ya...u → yu...a...u
🎯

Listen for the 'U'

If you hear a verb start with an 'Oo' sound (like **Ku**tiba or **Yu**ktabu), your Passive Voice radar should go off. It's the hallmark of the unknown doer.

⚠️

The 'By' Trap

Resist the urge to translate 'by' directly. If you find yourself trying to say 'min qibal' (from the side of), stop! Flip the sentence back to active voice. Your Arabic friends will thank you.

💬

God is the Doer

In older religious texts, the passive is often used out of respect to not name God directly as the cause of negative things, or because it's obvious He is the Creator (`khuliqa al-insān` - man was created).

💡

The Lazy Grammar

Think of the passive voice as the 'lazy' way to speak. You don't have to bother identifying the person responsible. 'The dishes were washed.' Who did it? Doesn't matter, they are clean!

مثال‌ها

8
#1 yusmaḥu bi-l-dukhūl hunā

يُسْمَحُ بِالدُخولِ هُنا

Focus: yusmaḥu

Entry is permitted here.

A very common sign you'll see in public places.

#2 kutiba al-darsu

كُتِبَ الدَّرْسُ

Focus: kutiba

The lesson was written.

Classic classroom example.

#3 suriqat al-sayyārah

سُرِقَت السَّيارةُ

Focus: suriqat

The car was stolen.

We use 't' at the end because 'car' is feminine.

#4 yughlaqu al-bāb

يُغْلَقُ البابُ

Focus: yughlaqu

The door is (being) closed.

Present tense usage.

#5 yuqālu inna al-ṭaqsa jamīl

يُقالُ إِنَّ الطَّقْسَ جَميلٌ

Focus: yuqālu

It is said that the weather is beautiful.

Uses 'yuqālu' (it is said) for general opinions.

#6 lā yu'rafu al-sabab

لا يُعْرَفُ السَّبَبُ

Focus: yu'rafu

The reason is not known.

Negative passive is very useful.

#7 futiḥa al-matjaru (Correct) / fataḥa al-matjaru (Wrong context)

فُتِحَ المَتْجَرُ

Focus: futiḥa

The shop was opened.

If you say 'fataḥa', people wait to hear WHO opened it.

#8 al-kitābu kutiba min qibal Aḥmad (Wrong) → Aḥmad kataba al-kitāb (Correct)

أَحْمَدُ كَتَبَ الكِتابَ

Focus: kataba

Ahmed wrote the book.

Don't use passive if you mention Ahmed!

خودت رو بسنج

Convert the verb 'to drink' (shariba) to the past passive form.

___ al-mā'u (The water was drunk).

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: shuriba

We need the u-i vowel pattern for past passive: shuriba.

Choose the correct form for 'It is understood'.

___ al-amru (The matter is understood).

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: yufhamu

For present passive, we use the prefix 'yu-' and fatha before the end: yufhamu.

Select the correct phrase for 'Smoking is forbidden'.

___ al-tadkhīn.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: yumna'u

We are stating a rule, so we use the present passive 'yumna'u'.

🎉 امتیاز: /3

ابزارهای بصری یادگیری

Active vs. Passive Showdown

Active Voice (Ma'lūm)
Sara kasarat al-kūb Sara broke the cup
Passive Voice (Majhūl)
Kusira al-kūb The cup was broken

Should I Use Passive?

1

Do you know who did the action?

YES ↓
NO
Use Passive (Majhūl)
2

Is the doer important to mention?

YES ↓
NO
Use Passive (Majhūl)
3

Is it a general rule?

YES ↓
NO
Use Active Voice
4

Like 'Smoking is prohibited'?

YES ↓
NO
Check context

Where You'll See Passive Voice

🛑

Street Signs

  • • Forbidden
  • • Allowed
📰

News Reports

  • • It was announced
  • • It was decided
🤝

Polite Speech

  • • It was requested
  • • It is hoped
🕵️

Mystery Events

  • • It was stolen
  • • It was found

سوالات متداول

20 سوال

It is called Al-Mabni lil-Majhul, which literally translates to 'Built for the Unknown'. It sounds dramatic, but it just means the subject is missing.

Mostly yes, but it works best with transitive verbs (verbs that take an object). Verbs like 'to go' or 'to sleep' are harder to make passive unless you add a preposition.

Irregular verbs (like qāla - to say) get a bit tricky. qāla becomes qīla (it was said). For A1, focus on the regular sound verbs first!

Yes! The object gets a promotion. It takes the place of the subject and gets a Damma (u) ending. Daraba Zaydun **Amran** (Amr is object) → Duriba **Amrun** (Amr is now the substitute subject).

It's less common in casual street chat than in English, but you'll hear set phrases like yusmaḥ (allowed) or mafrūḍ (supposed to) all the time.

Great question! It's wulidtu. This is a classic passive verb usage. You didn't birth yourself, you *were born*.

Majhul is passive (Unknown doer), and Ma'lum is active (Known doer). Ma'lum is the default way of speaking.

Yes, but they refer to the thing receiving the action. If you say ḍuribtu, it means 'I was hit', not 'I hit'.

In modern media (news, papers), you will see it. But in good, traditional style and daily conversation, it's considered poor style. Avoid it to sound more authentic.

Context is key! If you see 'The apple ate...', you know apples don't eat. So you read it as 'The apple *was eaten*' (ukilat).

The verb must match the gender of the *new* subject (the object that got promoted). Kutiba al-kitāb (masc) vs Kutibat al-risālah (fem).

Yes! Sa-yuktabu (It will be written). Just add the future prefix sa- to the present passive form.

Not exactly. 'It is possible' is usually yumkin. That's an active verb meaning 'it is possible/it enables'. Passive is strictly about an action being done to something.

Just like active verbs! Use mā for past (mā kutiba - it wasn't written) and lā for present (lā yuktabu - it isn't written).

Because the middle letter is a weak vowel (Alif). When we try to put a Damma/Kasra on it, it slides into a 'Ya' sound. Qāla → Qīla.

That's the grammar term for the object that takes the subject's place. It means 'Deputy Subject'. It acts like the boss because the real boss (subject) is gone.

No, you can't really command a passive verb directly. You command *someone* to do something. So Imperative is only for Active voice.

Yes, extensively! It's used to focus on the event itself or when the doer is obvious (God) or unknown.

No, the very last letter's vowel depends on grammar mood (like cases), not the passive voice itself. The internal vowels change for passive.

Take simple sentences like 'He opened the door' and flip them: 'The door was opened'. Do this with objects around you!

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