The Active Participle (Ism al-Faa'il) – Beginners Grammar 13.1

Arabic Grammar for Beginners · Lesson 13.1

قَوَاعِدُ اللُّغَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّةِ لِلْمُبْتَدِئِينَ

Section 13.0 – Introduction To The Derivatives الْمُشْتَقَّاتُ

 

As we mentioned in chapter 3, There are two classes of Nouns in general. There are words that are made with certain rules using the root alphabets. These are called the Derivates or اَلْمُشْتَقَّاتُ al-mush-taq-qaa-tu. And then there are Nouns which do not follow any rules and we are dependent on the way native speakers use them. These are called Rigid or جَامِدٌ jaa-mi-dun. This chapter covers the Derivatives اَلْمُشْتَقَّاتُ al-mush-taq-qaa-tu and some of the derivates. There are 9 derivatives commonly used. Following section describe these nouns. This is a subject that one should carefully study and remember, because when you find nouns in the Qur'an, you have to figure out which class it belongs.

 

Section 13.1 - Derivative 1 Subject Noun اِسْمُ الْفَاعِلِ

ismul-faa-‘ili

 

Actor/Subject Noun is a derivative of a root that defines the Actor/Subject in an act. For example, words like the one who is listening, reading, speaking, working, helping, drinking etc. The scale of فَاعِلٌ faa-‘i-lun, is always used for this Noun as the name implies. For example, ضَارِبٌ daa-ri-bun meaning the one who hit.

Below is a list of Verbs and Actor/Subject Nouns used in Qur’an extensively:

 

Verb English	Verb Arabic	Subject Noun English	Subject Noun Arabic
He said	قَالَ   Qaa-la	Sayer/ speaker	قَائِلٌ   Qaa-ti-lun
He knew	عَلِمَ   ‘ali-ma	One who knows	عَالِمٌ   ‘aa-li-mun
He made, created	جَعَلَ   Ja-‘a-la	Maker	جَاعِلٌ   Jaa-‘i-lun
He disbelieved/hid	كَفَرَ   Ka-fa-ra	Disbeliever/the one who hides	كَافِرٌ   Kaa-fi-run
He came	جَآءَ   Jaa-‘a	One who comes	جاءٍ   Jaa-‘in
He worked	عَمِلَ   ‘ami-la	worker	عَامِلٌ   ‘aa-mi-lun
He saw	رَءَا   Ra-’aa	Spectator/ beholder	راءٍ   Raa-in
He came	أَتَى   ataa	arriver	آتٍ   aa-tin
He willed	شَآءَ   Shaa-’aa	The one who wills	شاءٍ   Shaa-in
He created	خَلَقَ   Kha-la-qa	creator	خالِقٌ   Khaa-li-qun
He called upon, invoked	دَعَا   Da-‘aa	one who prays	دَاعٍ   Daa-‘in
He guided/advised	هَدَى   Hadaa	A guide	هَادٍ   Haa-din
He caught, grabbed	أَخَذَ   Akha-za	taker - a person who takes	آخِذٌ   aa-khi-zun
He adored, worshiped	عَبَدَ   ‘aba-da	One who worships	عَابِدٌ   ‘aa-bi-dun
He was unfair, unjust	ظَلَمَ   Za-la-ma	One who is unjust	ظَالِمٌ   Zaa-li-mun
He asked, inquired	سَأَلَ   Saa-ala	The one who asked, enquired	سَائلٌ   Saa-i-lun
He discovered, found out	وَجَدَ   Wa-ja-da	finder	وَاجِدٌ   Waa-ji-dun
He ate	أَكَلَ aa-ka-la	The one who eats	آكِلٌ   aa-ki-lun
He worked	فَعَلَ   Fa-‘ala	worker	فَاعِلٌ   Faa-‘i-lun
He looked	نَظَرَ   Na-za-ra	The one who is looking	نَاظِرٌ   Naa-zi-run
He reflected, remembered	ذَكَرَ   Dha-ka-ra	The one who remembers	ذَاكِرٌ   Dhaa-ki-run