Active Participles — Standard Arabic Grammar

The active participle is a specific form derived from a verb. It functions as a noun or an adjective to indicate the entity performing an action or being in a specific state. In English, this concept often translates to words ending in "-er" (like "writer") or "-ing" (like "sleeping").

The "Doer" of the Action

One common use of the active participle is to turn a verb into a noun that describes a person's role or profession. It identifies the person who performs the verb.

⁧هُوَ كَاتِبٌ مَشْهُورٌ.⁩
huwa kātibun mashhūrun.huwa kātibun mashhūrun.huwa kātibun mashhuwrun.huwa katibun mashwrun.
He is a famous writer.
⁧أَنَا طَالِبٌ فِي الْجَامِعَةِ.⁩
anā ṭālibun fī al-jāmiʿati.anā ṭālibun fī al-d͟jāmiʿati.ʾanā ṭālibun fiy ʾal-ǧāmiʿati.ana ṭalibun fy al-jamiʿati.
I am a student at the university.

Formation: The Fāʿil Pattern

For most basic three-letter verbs, the active participle follows a strict sound pattern called (fāʿilfāʿilfāʿilfaʿil). To create this form, you elongate the vowel after the first letter of the root (adding an 'ā' sound) and add a short 'i' sound (kasra) to the second letter.

For example, the verb (kataba) - to write becomes (kātibkātibkātibkatib) - writer/writing.

⁧مَنْ هُوَ الْقَارِئُ؟⁩
man huwa al-qāriʾu?man huwa al-qāriʾu?man huwa ʾal-qāriʾu?man huwa al-qariʾu?
Who is the reader?

Expressing Continuous Action (Present Progressive)

While Arabic verbs have a present tense, that tense usually indicates habitual actions (what you do generally). To express what you are doing right now, especially with verbs of motion (going, traveling) or body position (sitting, standing), Arabic uses the active participle.

In this context, the participle acts like an adjective describing your current state.

⁧أَنَا ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى الْمَكْتَبِ.⁩
anā dhāhibun ilā al-maktabi.anā dhāhibun ilā al-maktabi.ʾanā dhāhibun ilā ʾal-maktabi.ana dhahibun ila al-maktabi.
I am going to the office (right now).
⁧أَيْنَ أَنْتَ مُسَافِرٌ؟⁩
ayna anta musāfirun?ayna anta musāfirun?ʾayna ʾanta musāfirun?ayna anta musafirun?
Where are you traveling?

Contrast this with the regular present tense verb, which implies a habit:

⁧أَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَكْتَبِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.⁩
adhhabu ilā al-maktabi kulla yawmin.adhhabu ilā al-maktabi kulla yawmin.ʾadhhabu ilā ʾal-maktabi kulla yawmin.adhabu ila al-maktabi kula yawmin.
I go to the office every day.

Gender Agreement

Because active participles function as nouns or adjectives, they must agree in gender with the person they describe. If the doer is female, you must add the feminine ending ⁧ة⁩ (tāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbuwṭahtaʾ marbwṭah).

⁧أُمِّي نَائِمَةٌ.⁩
ummī nāʾimatun.ummī nāʾimatun.ummiy nāʾimatun.umy naʾimatun.
My mother is sleeping.
⁧هِيَ جَالِسَةٌ عَلَى الْكُرْسِيِّ.⁩
hiya jālisatun ʿalā al-kursiyyi.hiya d͟jālisatun ʿalā al-kursiyyi.hiya ǧālisatun ʿalā ʾal-kursiyyi.hiya jalisatun ʿala al-kursiyi.
She is sitting on the chair.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Standard Arabic course

16 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “Active Participles” is about in bold:

هذه صديقتي آنا, وهي طالبة.
hặḏịhị ṣạdīqạtⁱ ī ʼānnā, wạ hịyạ ṭālịbạẗụṇ.hād͟hihi ṣadīqatⁱ ī ʾānnā, wa hiya ṭālibatun.hāḏihi ṣadiyqatⁱ iy ˈānnā, wa hiya ṭālibaẗú.hḏh ṣdyqtⁱ y ʾana, w hy ṭalbẗ.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
إنه نائم أيضا. هي ليست نائمة.
ʼịnnạhụ nāʼịmụṇ ʼạyḑạṇ. hịyạ lạysạt nāʼịmạẗạṇ.ʾinnahu nāʾimun ʾayḍan. hiya laysat nāʾimatan.ˌinnahu nāˌimú ˈayḍá. hiya laysat nāˌimaẗá.ˌinh naˌim ˈayḍa. hy lyst naˌimẗ.
He is also sleeping. She isn't.
Lesson 16

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