You know when you read about the Qur'an, and it says "The Qur'an was revealed" (أُنزِلَ القرآن / unzila al-Qur'an)? That's a passive verb.

Sounds confusing? It's really not. If you're trying to figure out what a passive verb is to assist your child with their homework or simply out of curiosity, we are here to help ​‍​‌‍​‍‌you.

Think about it like this: passive verbs show up in tons of places. Your child's textbooks, the news you read, and Islamic stories about the Prophets. In​‍​‌‍​‍‌ fact, they are quite common once you figure out how to identify them.

We'll keep this simple and use examples you already understand.

What Is a Passive Verb?

A passive verb is when the subject receives the action instead of doing it. You make it by using "to be" + past participle.

Example:

1. Active: "Ali opened the door." (Ali does the action)
2. Passive: "The door was opened by Ali." (The door receives the action)

Okay, let's make this even simpler. A passive verb shows when something happens TO someone, not what someone does.

Here's how to spot the difference:

1. Active verb: The subject does something
2. Passive verb: Something gets done to the subject

Do​‍​‌‍​‍‌ you remember the story of Prophet Yunus? Saying "Prophet Yunus was swallowed by the whale" is the passive voice. The focus is on the experience. On the other hand, "The whale swallowed Prophet Yunus" is an active sentence because it shows the action of the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌whale. Different angle, same event.

Are​‍​‌‍​‍‌ you capable of grasping the idea so far? Good. We may now proceed to the following section and find out how to form those passive verbs from the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌start.

How Passive Verbs Work

The basic recipe is:

"to be" (is/was/were/am/are) + past participle

Sounds fancy, but watch how easy it is.

Four quick steps:

1. Take any active sentence
2. Flip the object to the front
3. Add "to be" in the right form
4. Turn the verb into a past participle

Here's one:

1. Active: "Sara memorized the surah."
2. Passive: "The surah was memorized by Sara."

The surah moved up front, we stuck in "was," and that's basically it.

Passive Verb Tense Examples

Works in every tense:

Here's something you might not have noticed. Duas use this all the time:

1. "Forgiveness is sought" (يُسْتَغْفَرُ / yustagfaru)
2. "Mercy is asked" (يُرْحَمُ / yurham)

Why? It​‍​‌‍​‍‌ is because what matters most are the things that we are requesting, not the people who are ​‍​‌‍​‍‌asking.

Let's get into real examples now.

Passive Verb Examples (10+ Easy Examples)

Everyday Passive Verb Examples

These pop up all the time:

1. The door was open.
2. The homework was finished.
3. The cake is eaten by Ali.
4. The letter was written carefully.
5. The adhan is called five times a day.

They all focus on what happened, not who did it.

Passive Verb Examples from Islamic Stories

Stories you already know:

1. Prophet Yunus: "Prophet Yunus was swallowed by the whale."
2. The Kaaba: "The Kaaba was built by Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail."
3. The Revelation: "The message was delivered by Angel Jibril."
4. Prophet Musa: "Prophet Musa was saved from the river."
5. Paradise: "Paradise was prepared for the believers."

You'll find this in most Islamic books.

Passive Verbs in Qur'anic Language

Qur'an translations use passive verbs constantly:

1. أُنزِلَ الكِتَابُ (unzila al-kitab) – "The Book was revealed."
2. غُفِرَ (ghufira) – "It was forgiven."
3. نُجِّيَ (nujjiya) – "They were saved."

Active vs Passive Side-by-Side

Here's how the same sentence changes:

Active focuses on the person. Passive focuses on the action.

Active vs Passive Verbs — What's the Difference?

Here's the main difference:

When Should You Use Passive Verbs?

Passive verbs are most effective when used in the following cases:

1. The one who did it is unknown: "The masjid was built in 1995." (We don't know who exactly

2. The action is more important than the doer: "Salah is performed five times a day." (We care about salah, not who's doing it)

3. Being formal or respectful: "The decision was made after consultation."

4. In Islamic texts: Qur'anic verses frequently use the passive to indicate humility. The text uses passive voice instead of saying "by Allah" repetitively. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌

Examples:

1. "Mercy is granted."
2. "Guidance is given."

This keeps the focus on what Allah does without being repetitive.

However, passive verbs are not always the correct option. There are times when they make your writing unclear and unnecessarily ​‍​‌‍​‍‌long.

When to Avoid Passive Verbs (Common Mistakes)

Passive verbs aren't always the best choice. Here's why:

They add extra words:

1. Active: "Ali broke the window."
2. Passive: "The window was broken by Ali." (3 more words for no reason)

They hide who did it:

1. "Mistakes were made." (Okay, but who made them?)

They make writing weaker: Active sentences just sound stronger and clearer.

When to Use Active Instead

Go with active verbs if you're:

1. Writing stories
2. Trying to be clear about who did what
3. Writing for kids

When Passive Works Better

Use passive for:

1. Qur'anic translations (it sounds more respectful)
2. Formal stuff like announcements
3. Science or history writing

Think about what matters more. Need clarity? Use active. Need formality? Passive is fine.

Ready to practice? Let's look at some activities you can do with your kids.

How to Teach Passive Verbs to Kids (Simple Steps)

Teaching this to kids? Here's what actually works.

Step 1: Start with the Sentences They Already Use

Pick things from their day:

1. "You ate breakfast."
2. "Dad drove the car."

Step 2: Flip It

Show them what happens when you switch it around:

1. "You ate breakfast."
2. "The car was driven by Dad."

Ask them: Which one sounds different?

Step 3: Bring in Stories They Love

Kids remember stories better than rules. Try:

1. "Prophet Musa saved his people" → "The people were saved by Prophet Musa."

Step 4: Color-Code Everything

Get some markers out:

1. Blue for "to be" words (was, were, is)
2. Green for past participle (eaten, saved, built)
3. Red for "by + who did it"

Makes it way easier to see the pattern.

Step 5: Play Detective

Give them passive sentences and make them guess who did it:

1. "The toy was hidden." (Who hid it?)
2. "The surah was memorized." (Who memorized it?)

Step 6: Draw It Out

Some kids need to see it. Draw stick figures doing actions vs having actions done to them.

Now let's try some actual practice activities.

Fun Activities to Practice Passive Verbs with Your Kids

Activity 1: Flip These Sentences

Change these to passive:

1. "The children built a sandcastle." → _______________
2. "Sara memorized Surah Al-Fatiha." → _______________
3. "The teacher explained the lesson." → _______________

Answers:

1. The sandcastle was built by the children.
2. Surah Al-Fatiha was memorized by Sara.
3. The lesson was explained by the teacher.

Activity 2: Find the Passive Verb

Circle the passive verb:

1. "The adhan is called five times a day."
2. "The Kaaba was built by Ibrahim and Ismail."
3. "Paradise was promised to the believers."

Look for "is" or "was" plus another verb.

Activity 3: Qur'an Hunt

Open your Qur'an translation. Find 3 passive verbs. Any surah works. Show your family.

Activity 4: Rewrite This

Make it passive:

Ali cleaned his room. He made his bed. He organized his books."

Answer: "The room was cleaned by Ali. The bed was made. The books were organized."

See how we dropped "by Ali" in the last two? Doesn't always need to be there.

Find more interactive learning activities for Muslim families at Islamic Galaxy.

Conclusion

You made it. Now you know what a passive verb is and how to spot one.

Here's what to remember:

1. Passive verbs show when something happens TO the subject
2. You make them with "to be" + past participle
3. They're in textbooks, Islamic texts, and news articles
4. They're not wrong, just used differently than active verbs

You'll see passive verbs in Qur'anic translations, your kid's homework, work emails, everywhere. Now you know what you're looking at. Want more grammar tips that connect to Islamic learning? Check out our other guides at Islamic Galaxy.

Keep Practicing

The more you notice passive verbs in what you read, the easier they get. Try these:

1. Look for them in Islamic books
2. Point them out to your kids
3. Practice flipping active sentences to passive

One Last Thing

Grammar​‍​‌‍​‍‌ would not seem as scary if you associate it with things that you already like. The Prophets' Stories, prayers that you memorize, chapters that your kids are memorizing—they are all utilizing these ​‍​‌‍​‍‌patterns. Once you see the connection, it clicks. At Islamic Galaxy, we believe learning grammar becomes easier when it connects to what you love.

FAQs

Is a passive verb the same as passive voice?

Yes,​‍​‌‍​‍‌ more or less. The whole sentence turns into passive voice if you employ a passive ​‍​‌‍​‍‌verb.

Are passive verbs wrong?

Nope. They're just for different situations. Good for formal stuff, Qur'anic translations, or when you care more about what happened than who did it.

What's the easiest way to learn passive verbs?

Flip sentences back and forth. Take stories you know—like Prophet stories—and practice with those. Sticks better.