The Passive Voice (المَبْنِيّ لِلمَجْهُول)
Learn how to form the passive voice in Arabic by changing the internal vowels of verbs in both the past and present tenses.
Passive Voice in the Past Tense
Arabic forms the passive voice (المَبْنِيّ لِلمَجْهُول - literally 'built for the unknown') by changing the internal vowels of the verb, NOT by adding a separate auxiliary verb like English 'was/were.' For Form I past tense, the pattern changes from فَعَلَ to فُعِلَ: • All vowels before the last root letter become damma (ـُ) • The vowel on the last root letter becomes kasra (ـِ) The subject of a passive verb is called نَائِب الفَاعِل (deputy of the subject) and takes the nominative case, just like a regular subject. Important: In Arabic, the agent (doer) is typically NOT mentioned in passive constructions. If you want to mention the doer, active voice is preferred.
2 more sections and 5 practice questions
"The Passive Voice (المَبْنِيّ لِلمَجْهُول)" is one of 38 grammar lessons in Fahm Premium, each with worked examples and self-checking practice. The first 3 grammar lessons are free to try.
- Passive Voice in the Present Tense
- Passive Voice in Derived Forms (II-X)
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Frequently asked questions
What is The Passive Voice in Arabic?
Learn how to form the passive voice in Arabic by changing the internal vowels of verbs in both the past and present tenses.
How do you use The Passive Voice in Arabic?
Arabic forms the passive voice (المَبْنِيّ لِلمَجْهُول - literally 'built for the unknown') by changing the internal vowels of the verb, NOT by adding a separate auxiliary verb like English 'was/were.'
What are common examples of The Passive Voice in Arabic?
Examples from this lesson include "kutiba ad-darsu" (The lesson was written), "futiha al-bābu" (The door was opened), "ukila at-ta'āmu" (The food was eaten) and "quri'a al-kitābu" (The book was read).