Language/Standard-arabic/Grammar/Differences-from-the-active-voice
As a Standard Arabic language teacher for over 20 years, I have encountered many students who struggle with understanding the differences between the active and passive voice. In this lesson, we will explore the differences between the two voices and when to use each one.
The passive voice in Arabic is often used to shift the focus of a sentence from the subject to the object. This means that the object becomes the subject of the sentence, while the original subject often becomes the object of a preposition. The passive voice is typically used when the speaker wants to put more emphasis on the object of the sentence or when the subject is unknown or unimportant.
Let us look at an example to understand this better:
- Active Voice: المعلم يشرح الدرس (al-mu'allim yusharrih al-dars)
- Passive Voice: الدرس يشرح من قبل المعلم (al-dars yusharrih min qabli al-mu'allim)
As you can see, the object (al-dars) becomes the subject in the passive voice, while the original subject (al-mu'allim) is introduced by the preposition (min qabli).
Here are some key differences between the active and passive voice in Arabic:
Verb Tense
In the active voice, the verb is conjugated based on the subject of the sentence. In the passive voice, the verb is conjugated based on the object of the sentence.
Word Order
In the active voice, the word order is typically subject-verb-object, while in the passive voice, it is often object-verb-subject.
Focus
The active voice typically puts more emphasis on the subject of the sentence, while the passive voice often puts more emphasis on the object.
Use of Prepositions
In the passive voice, prepositions are often used to introduce the original subject of the sentence, as we saw in the example above.
Examples
Here are some examples of sentences in both the active and passive voice in Arabic:
Active Voice
Standard Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
المدير يدير الاجتماع | al-mudir yudir al-ijtimaa | The manager runs the meeting. |
الأم يحب ابنها | al-umm yuhibb ibnaha | The mother loves her son. |
العمال يبنون المنزل | al-'umaal yabnuun al-manzil | The workers build the house. |
الأطفال يلعبون في الحديقة | al-atfaal yal'abuun fi al-hadiiqah | The children play in the garden. |
Passive Voice
Standard Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
الاجتماع يدير من طرف المدير | al-ijtimaa yudar min taraf al-mudir | The meeting is run by the manager. |
الابن محبوب من قبل والدته | al-ibn muhibb min qabli walidatihi | The son is loved by his mother. |
المنزل يتم بناؤه من قبل العمال | al-manzil yutamm bunauh min qabli al-'umal | The house is built by the workers. |
يلعب الأطفال في الحديقة | yal'ab al-atfaal fi al-hadiiqah | The children play in the garden. |
As you can see, the passive voice is used in these examples to shift the focus from the subject to the object of the sentence. It is also evident that prepositions play a significant role in introducing the original subject in the passive voice.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the differences between the active and passive voices is pivotal for mastering Arabic grammar. While the active voice puts the focus on the subject, the passive voice shifts the focus to the object of the sentence. These differences change the structure and word order of the sentence, making it essential to practice and read extensively in Arabic to become proficient in using both voices.
Sources
Other Lessons
- Masculine and feminine nouns
- Coordination words
- Be Polite
- THE IMPERFECT
- Adjectives
- NOMINATIVE SEPARATE PERSONAL PRONOUNS
- Arabic consonants
- Nouns
- THE USE OF THE AFFIXED PERSONAL PRONOUNS
- Adjective agreement and placement