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Lesson 12.2: The Active Participle (فَاعِلٌ) Next
Lesson 12: Part 1 ▶ Part 2: The Active Participle (فَاعِلٌ) Part 3 Dialogue Exercises Vocabulary

The "Doer" Noun — فَاعِلٌ

From every Arabic verb, you can instantly create a noun meaning "the one who does it." This is called the Active Participle (اسم الفاعل — Ism al-Fa'il). It appears thousands of times in the Quran!

The Formula — فَاعِلٌ Pattern

Root (كَتَبَ)
ك - ت - ب
3 root letters
Apply فَاعِلٌ pattern
كَاتِبٌ
Kaatibun = A Writer
The Pattern: Take the 3 root letters. Put an Alif (ا) after the 1st letter. Put a Kasra (ِ) under the 2nd letter. Add ـٌ at the end → فَاعِلٌ

Common Active Participles — You'll See These Everywhere!

كَتَبَ
He wrote
كَاتِبٌ
Kaatibun
A writer / one who writes
ذَهَبَ
He went
ذَاهِبٌ
Dhahibun
One who is going
عَلِمَ
He knew
عَالِمٌ
Aalimun
A scholar / one who knows
كَفَرَ
He disbelieved
كَافِرٌ
Kafirun
A disbeliever
آمَنَ
He believed
مُؤْمِنٌ
Mu'minun
A believer (irregular)
خَرَجَ
He left
خَارِجٌ
Kharijun
One who exits

Build the Active Participle! Tap to reveal.

جَالِسٌ
Jaalisun — one sitting
Make the فَاعِلٌ from: جَلَسَ (he sat)
Tap to reveal
خَارِجٌ
Kharijun — one going out
Make the فَاعِلٌ from: خَرَجَ (he left)
Tap to reveal
دَاخِلٌ
Dakhilun — one entering
Make the فَاعِلٌ from: دَخَلَ (he entered)
Tap to reveal
سَاجِدٌ
Saajidun — one prostrating
Make the فَاعِلٌ from: سَجَدَ (he prostrated)
Tap to reveal

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