Passive Participle

Arabic is built on a system of three-letter roots. These roots are like the DNA of a word. When you place these three letters into a specific mold, you get a new meaning. The Passive Participle mold tells us that the action has been completed upon something. If the root is "to write," the mold makes it "written." If the root is "to open," the mold makes it "opened." It acts like an adjective most of the time. You can use it to describe a door, a person, or even a feeling. It follows the gender of the thing it describes. Just add a ta marbuta at the end for feminine words. It is like a grammar chameleon that blends into your sentences perfectly.

1. 1Creating this word is like following a simple recipe. For most basic verbs, the pattern is always maf'ūl. Follow these steps to build your own:
2. 2Take your three-letter root, for example, k-t-b (to write).
3. 3Put a ma- (مَـ) at the very beginning of the root.
4. 4Put the first root letter after the ma- and give it a sukūn (no vowel sound).
5. 5Put the second root letter and add a long "ū" sound (و) after it.
6. 6Finish with the third root letter.
7. 7So, k-t-b becomes maktūb (مَكتوب). It is that simple! You don't need a PhD to master this. Just remember the "Ma- - - ū -" rhythm. It sounds a bit like a song once you get going. Practice it with different roots to see the magic happen.

Use this pattern whenever you want to describe the state of an object. Are you at a restaurant and the table is "reserved"? Use maḥjūz. Did you find a "broken" chair in your new apartment? That is maksūr. You will also use it for common adjectives that we don't think of as "passive" in English. For example, the word for "famous" is mašhūr, which literally means "made well-known." It is also great for emotions. If someone is "happy" in a blessed way, they are mabrūk. You will use it when ordering food, like asking for "fried" (maqlī) eggs. It is everywhere in the real world. From street signs to job titles, it is a daily essential.

Do not use this pattern when you are the one doing the action. If you are the writer, you use a different pattern. The Passive Participle is only for the thing being written. Also, be careful with verbs that don't take an object. You can't really have a "slept" person in the same way you have a "written" book. If the verb cannot happen *to* something, the passive participle might not exist or might sound very weird. Don't force it if it doesn't make sense in English either. It is like trying to wear shoes on your hands—technically possible, but people will look at you funny.

The biggest trap is mixing up the Passive Participle with the Active Participle. Remember, maf'ūl is the victim of the action, not the hero. Another mistake is forgetting to match the gender. If you are talking about a "broken" car (sayyārah), you must say maksūrah. Don't forget that final a sound! Some people also forget the wāw (the long "ū") in the middle. Without that ū, the word loses its identity. It is like ordering a burger and getting just the bun. Lastly, don't confuse the ma- prefix with other grammar rules. In this specific pattern, that ma- is your best friend. Even native speakers might slip up on complex roots, so don't sweat the small stuff.

The main rival here is the Active Participle (fā'il). While maktūb means "written," kātib means "writer." See the difference? One is the object, the other is the subject. Think of it like a movie set. The fā'il is the actor, and the maf'ūl is the prop they are using. There is also the maf'al pattern used for places, like matbak (kitchen). Don't let the starting ma- fool you. Look for that long ū sound in the middle. That ū is the secret code for the Passive Participle. It is the easiest way to tell them apart at a glance.