What is the active participle in Arabic?

Now that we’ve seen the name of the action, let’s move on to the active participle, which simply means the one who performs the action.

A simple example: if we take the verb “to run”, the active participle is running, and the name of the doer is runner, the one who runs.

Simple, right? The same principle applies in Arabic.

Just like we have a specific verbal noun for all 10 verb forms, we also have a specific active participle pattern for each form. This name of the doer is also called the name of the doer.

What is the active participle?

The active participle can describe a person, an object, or even something abstract. It:

• Takes the gender of the noun it refers to (masculine or feminine).

• Can be put into the plural form.

• Can function as an adjective depending on the context.

• Can serve as a substitute for a verb in some sentences.

Examples of the active participle (name of the doer)

Example 1 – Writer

• Verb: كَتَبَ (kataba) – to write

• Active participle (masc.): كَاتِب (kaatib) – writer / author

• Active participle (fem.): كَاتِبَة (kaatiba) – female writer

• Sentence: He is a famous writer. → هو كاتب مشهور (huwa kaatib mashhur).

Example 2 – Teacher

• Verb: دَرَّسَ (darrasa) – to teach (note the doubled ر — we’ll discuss this when we cover Form II verbs)

• Active participle (masc.): مُدَرِّس (mudarris) – teacher

• Active participle (fem.): مُدَرِّسَة (mudarrisa) – female teacher

• Sentence: He is a teacher at the university. → هو مدرس في الجامعة (huwa mudarris fi al jaami‘a).

Example 3 – Using the active participle as an adjective

• A sleeping man → رجل نائم (rajul naa’im)

  • رجل (rajul) = man

  • نائم (naa’im) = sleeping (active participle of نامَ – to sleep).

Example 4 – Using the active participle instead of a verb

• He is traveling. → هو مسافر (huwa musaafir)

  • مسافر (musaafir) = traveling (active participle of سافر – to travel).