Lesson 35 · كَاتِبٌ
Writer and written: فَاعِلٌ and مَفْعُولٌ
From a three-letter root you can make the person who does the action on the pattern فَاعِلٌ, and the thing it is done to on the pattern مَفْعُولٌ. From k-t-b (writing) come كَاتِبٌ (writer) and مَكْتُوبٌ (written; a letter).
Learn with pictures
Tap a picture to hear the sentence.
Examples
الْبَابُ مَفْتُوحٌal-baabu maftuuḥunThe door is open.
هٰذَا الْكُرْسِيُّ مَصْنُوعٌ مِنَ الْخَشَبِhaadha l-kursiyyu maṣnuuʿun mina l-khashabiThis chair is made of wood.
أَبِي كَاتِبٌ مَشْهُورٌabii kaatibun mashhuurunMy father is a famous writer.
الْقَلَمُ مَكْسُورٌal-qalamu maksuurunThe pen is broken.
الطَّالِبُ جَالِسٌaṭ-ṭaalibu jaalisunThe student is sitting.
اسْمُهُ مَكْتُوبٌ عَلَى الْبَابِismuhu maktuubun ʿala l-baabiHis name is written on the door.
Key points
- فَاتِحٌ / مَفْتُوحٌ opener / open · صَانِعٌ / مَصْنُوعٌ maker / made · عَالِمٌ / مَعْلُومٌ scholar / known · سَامِعٌ / مَسْمُوعٌ listener / heard.
- Many everyday words follow these patterns: طَالِبٌ student (one who seeks) · جَالِسٌ sitting · مَشْرُوبٌ a drink · مَكْسُورٌ broken.
- Urdu speakers already know many of them: مَعْلُومٌ, مَشْهُورٌ, مَكْتُوبٌ, حَاكِمٌ, عَالِمٌ.
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Make the “doer” from ذَهَبَ (go).
ذَاهِبٌ dhaahibun
going / one who goes
Make the “thing done” from شَرِبَ (drink).
مَشْرُوبٌ mashruubun
a drink (something drunk)
Say “The window is open.” (نَافِذَةٌ is feminine)
النَّافِذَةُ مَفْتُوحَةٌ an-naafidhatu maftuuḥatun