The Internal Passive Voice (المبني للمجهول)
In Arabic, the passive voice is not formed by adding a helper verb like "was" or "is". Instead, you change the internal vowels of the verb itself.
This "internal passive" is highly frequent when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or implied by the context. It is especially useful for stating historical facts, such as writing a biography, or describing the locations of places.
Past Tense Passives: Origins and History
To make a past tense verb passive, the general rule is to change the first vowel to a damma (ـُ) and the vowel before the last root letter to a kasra (ـِ).
Two of the most common passive verbs are وُلِدَ (was born) and تُوُفِّيَ (passed away). When talking about where someone is from or where events happened, you will frequently pair these verbs with compass directions (شمال, جنوب, شرق, غرب).
| The poet was born in the south of the city. | ولد الشاعر في جنوب المدينة.wulida ash-shâ'iru fî janûbi al-madînati. |
| The famous writer passed away in the north of the country. | توفي الكاتب المشهور في شمال البلد.tuwuffiya al-kâtibu al-mash-hûru fî shamâli al-baladi |
Just like active verbs, past tense passive verbs take feminine endings when the subject receiving the action is feminine. For example, تُرْجِمَ (was translated) becomes تُرْجِمَتْ for a feminine noun like رواية (novel).
| This novel was translated into many languages. | ترجمت هذه الرواية إلى لغات كثيرة.turjimat hâdhihi r-riwâyatu ilâ lughâtin kathîrah |
| When was this mosque built in the east of the city? | متى بني هذا المسجد في شرق المدينة؟mata buniya hâdhâ-l-masjidu fî sharqi-l-madîna? |
Present Tense Passives: Locations and States
For the present tense, the passive is formed by changing the vowel on the present-tense prefix to a damma (ـُ) and the vowel before the last root letter to a fatha (ـَ).
An extremely common descriptive passive is يُوجَد (is found / is located). It functions similarly to "there is" or "is located" in English. If the noun being located is feminine, use تُوجَد.
| A large library is located in the west of the city. | توجد مكتبة كبيرة في غرب المدينة.tûjadu maktabatun kabîratun fî gharbil madînah |
| A cheap hotel is located in the south or west of the village. | يوجد فندق رخيص في جنوب أو غرب القرية.yûjadu funduqun rakhîsun fî janûbi aw gharbi l-qaryati |
Negating and Modifying Passives
Internal passive verbs follow the exact same grammar rules as active verbs when it comes to negation and mood changes.
If you negate the past using لم, you must use the present-tense passive verb and put it into the jussive mood (where the final vowel is dropped).
| The poet was not born in the north, but he was born in the south. | لم يولد الشاعر في الشمال، لكنه ولد في الجنوب.lam yûladi ash-shâ'iru fi ash-shamâli, lâkinnahu wulida fi al-janûbi |
Similarly, if you use أن (to / that) before a present-tense passive verb, the verb changes to the subjunctive mood (ending in a fatha ـَ).
| The writer wants his new novel to be translated. | يريد الكاتب أن تترجم روايته الجديدة.yurîdu al-kâtibu an tutarjama riwâyatuhu al-jadîdah |
