فاعل

Arabic

Etymology

Root
ف ع ل (f-ʕ-l)

Derived from the active participle of the verb فَعَلَ (faʕala, “to do, to affect”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /faːʕil/

Participle

فَاعِل • (fāʕil) (form I, feminine فَاعِلَة (fāʕila), masculine plural فَاعِلُون (fāʕilūn) or فَعَلَة (faʕala), feminine plural فَاعِلَات (fāʕilāt) or فَوَاعِل (fawāʕil))

1. active participle of فَعَلَ (faʕala)
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 18:23:

     وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَدًا

     walā taqūlanna lišayʔin ʔinnī fāʕilun ḏalika ḡadan

     And do not say with certainty for a thing: surely I will be a doer of that tomorrow.

Declension

Declension of adjective فَاعِل (fāʕil)

Singular	Masculine		Feminine
	basic singular triptote		singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	فَاعِل fāʕil	الْفَاعِل al-fāʕil	فَاعِلَة fāʕila	الْفَاعِلَة al-fāʕila
Nominative	فَاعِلٌ fāʕilun	الْفَاعِلُ al-fāʕilu	فَاعِلَةٌ fāʕilatun	الْفَاعِلَةُ al-fāʕilatu
Accusative	فَاعِلًا fāʕilan	الْفَاعِلَ al-fāʕila	فَاعِلَةً fāʕilatan	الْفَاعِلَةَ al-fāʕilata
Genitive	فَاعِلٍ fāʕilin	الْفَاعِلِ al-fāʕili	فَاعِلَةٍ fāʕilatin	الْفَاعِلَةِ al-fāʕilati
Dual	Masculine		Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	فَاعِلَيْن fāʕilayn	الْفَاعِلَيْن al-fāʕilayn	فَاعِلَتَيْن fāʕilatayn	الْفَاعِلَتَيْن al-fāʕilatayn
Nominative	فَاعِلَانِ fāʕilāni	الْفَاعِلَانِ al-fāʕilāni	فَاعِلَتَانِ fāʕilatāni	الْفَاعِلَتَانِ al-fāʕilatāni
Accusative	فَاعِلَيْنِ fāʕilayni	الْفَاعِلَيْنِ al-fāʕilayni	فَاعِلَتَيْنِ fāʕilatayni	الْفَاعِلَتَيْنِ al-fāʕilatayni
Genitive	فَاعِلَيْنِ fāʕilayni	الْفَاعِلَيْنِ al-fāʕilayni	فَاعِلَتَيْنِ fāʕilatayni	الْفَاعِلَتَيْنِ al-fāʕilatayni
Plural	Masculine		Feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)		sound feminine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	فَاعِلِين‎; فَعَلَة fāʕilīn‎; faʕala	الْفَاعِلِين‎; الْفَعَلَة al-fāʕilīn‎; al-faʕala	فَاعِلَات‎; فَوَاعِل fāʕilāt‎; fawāʕil	الْفَاعِلَات‎; الْفَوَاعِل al-fāʕilāt‎; al-fawāʕil
Nominative	فَاعِلُونَ‎; فَعَلَةٌ fāʕilūna‎; faʕalatun	الْفَاعِلُونَ‎; الْفَعَلَةُ al-fāʕilūna‎; al-faʕalatu	فَاعِلَاتٌ‎; فَوَاعِلُ fāʕilātun‎; fawāʕilu	الْفَاعِلَاتُ‎; الْفَوَاعِلُ al-fāʕilātu‎; al-fawāʕilu
Accusative	فَاعِلِينَ‎; فَعَلَةً fāʕilīna‎; faʕalatan	الْفَاعِلِينَ‎; الْفَعَلَةَ al-fāʕilīna‎; al-faʕalata	فَاعِلَاتٍ‎; فَوَاعِلَ fāʕilātin‎; fawāʕila	الْفَاعِلَاتِ‎; الْفَوَاعِلَ al-fāʕilāti‎; al-fawāʕila
Genitive	فَاعِلِينَ‎; فَعَلَةٍ fāʕilīna‎; faʕalatin	الْفَاعِلِينَ‎; الْفَعَلَةِ al-fāʕilīna‎; al-faʕalati	فَاعِلَاتٍ‎; فَوَاعِلَ fāʕilātin‎; fawāʕila	الْفَاعِلَاتِ‎; الْفَوَاعِلِ al-fāʕilāti‎; al-fawāʕili

Adjective

فَاعِل • (fāʕil) (feminine فَاعِلَة (fāʕila), elative أَفْعَل (ʔafʕal))

1. effective
2. efficient

Declension

Declension of adjective فَاعِل (fāʕil)

Singular	Masculine		Feminine
	basic singular triptote		singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	فَاعِل fāʕil	الْفَاعِل al-fāʕil	فَاعِلَة fāʕila	الْفَاعِلَة al-fāʕila
Nominative	فَاعِلٌ fāʕilun	الْفَاعِلُ al-fāʕilu	فَاعِلَةٌ fāʕilatun	الْفَاعِلَةُ al-fāʕilatu
Accusative	فَاعِلًا fāʕilan	الْفَاعِلَ al-fāʕila	فَاعِلَةً fāʕilatan	الْفَاعِلَةَ al-fāʕilata
Genitive	فَاعِلٍ fāʕilin	الْفَاعِلِ al-fāʕili	فَاعِلَةٍ fāʕilatin	الْفَاعِلَةِ al-fāʕilati
Dual	Masculine		Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	فَاعِلَيْن fāʕilayn	الْفَاعِلَيْن al-fāʕilayn	فَاعِلَتَيْن fāʕilatayn	الْفَاعِلَتَيْن al-fāʕilatayn
Nominative	فَاعِلَانِ fāʕilāni	الْفَاعِلَانِ al-fāʕilāni	فَاعِلَتَانِ fāʕilatāni	الْفَاعِلَتَانِ al-fāʕilatāni
Accusative	فَاعِلَيْنِ fāʕilayni	الْفَاعِلَيْنِ al-fāʕilayni	فَاعِلَتَيْنِ fāʕilatayni	الْفَاعِلَتَيْنِ al-fāʕilatayni
Genitive	فَاعِلَيْنِ fāʕilayni	الْفَاعِلَيْنِ al-fāʕilayni	فَاعِلَتَيْنِ fāʕilatayni	الْفَاعِلَتَيْنِ al-fāʕilatayni
Plural	Masculine		Feminine
	plural unknown		sound feminine plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	? ?	? ?	فَاعِلَات fāʕilāt	الْفَاعِلَات al-fāʕilāt
Nominative	? ?	? ?	فَاعِلَاتٌ fāʕilātun	الْفَاعِلَاتُ al-fāʕilātu
Accusative	? ?	? ?	فَاعِلَاتٍ fāʕilātin	الْفَاعِلَاتِ al-fāʕilāti
Genitive	? ?	? ?	فَاعِلَاتٍ fāʕilātin	الْفَاعِلَاتِ al-fāʕilāti

Synonyms

• فَعَّال (faʕʕāl)

References

• Wehr, Hans (1979) “فعل”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

Noun

فَاعِل • (fāʕil) m (plural فَاعِلُون (fāʕilūn) or فَعَلَة (faʕala), feminine فَاعِلَة (fāʕila))

1. doer, one who does something
2. worker

Declension

Declension of noun فَاعِل (fāʕil)

Singular	Masculine			Feminine
	basic singular triptote			singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	فَاعِل fāʕil	الْفَاعِل al-fāʕil	فَاعِل fāʕil	فَاعِلَة fāʕila	الْفَاعِلَة al-fāʕila	فَاعِلَة fāʕilat
Nominative	فَاعِلٌ fāʕilun	الْفَاعِلُ al-fāʕilu	فَاعِلُ fāʕilu	فَاعِلَةٌ fāʕilatun	الْفَاعِلَةُ al-fāʕilatu	فَاعِلَةُ fāʕilatu
Accusative	فَاعِلًا fāʕilan	الْفَاعِلَ al-fāʕila	فَاعِلَ fāʕila	فَاعِلَةً fāʕilatan	الْفَاعِلَةَ al-fāʕilata	فَاعِلَةَ fāʕilata
Genitive	فَاعِلٍ fāʕilin	الْفَاعِلِ al-fāʕili	فَاعِلِ fāʕili	فَاعِلَةٍ fāʕilatin	الْفَاعِلَةِ al-fāʕilati	فَاعِلَةِ fāʕilati
Dual	Masculine			Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	فَاعِلَيْن fāʕilayn	الْفَاعِلَيْن al-fāʕilayn	فَاعِلَيْ fāʕilay	فَاعِلَتَيْن fāʕilatayn	الْفَاعِلَتَيْن al-fāʕilatayn	فَاعِلَتَيْ fāʕilatay
Nominative	فَاعِلَانِ fāʕilāni	الْفَاعِلَانِ al-fāʕilāni	فَاعِلَا fāʕilā	فَاعِلَتَانِ fāʕilatāni	الْفَاعِلَتَانِ al-fāʕilatāni	فَاعِلَتَا fāʕilatā
Accusative	فَاعِلَيْنِ fāʕilayni	الْفَاعِلَيْنِ al-fāʕilayni	فَاعِلَيْ fāʕilay	فَاعِلَتَيْنِ fāʕilatayni	الْفَاعِلَتَيْنِ al-fāʕilatayni	فَاعِلَتَيْ fāʕilatay
Genitive	فَاعِلَيْنِ fāʕilayni	الْفَاعِلَيْنِ al-fāʕilayni	فَاعِلَيْ fāʕilay	فَاعِلَتَيْنِ fāʕilatayni	الْفَاعِلَتَيْنِ al-fāʕilatayni	فَاعِلَتَيْ fāʕilatay
Plural	Masculine			Feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)			sound feminine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	فَاعِلِين‎; فَعَلَة fāʕilīn‎; faʕala	الْفَاعِلِين‎; الْفَعَلَة al-fāʕilīn‎; al-faʕala	فَاعِلِي‎; فَعَلَة fāʕilī‎; faʕalat	فَاعِلَات‎; فَوَاعِل fāʕilāt‎; fawāʕil	الْفَاعِلَات‎; الْفَوَاعِل al-fāʕilāt‎; al-fawāʕil	فَاعِلَات‎; فَوَاعِل fāʕilāt‎; fawāʕil
Nominative	فَاعِلُونَ‎; فَعَلَةٌ fāʕilūna‎; faʕalatun	الْفَاعِلُونَ‎; الْفَعَلَةُ al-fāʕilūna‎; al-faʕalatu	فَاعِلُو‎; فَعَلَةُ fāʕilū‎; faʕalatu	فَاعِلَاتٌ‎; فَوَاعِلُ fāʕilātun‎; fawāʕilu	الْفَاعِلَاتُ‎; الْفَوَاعِلُ al-fāʕilātu‎; al-fawāʕilu	فَاعِلَاتُ‎; فَوَاعِلُ fāʕilātu‎; fawāʕilu
Accusative	فَاعِلِينَ‎; فَعَلَةً fāʕilīna‎; faʕalatan	الْفَاعِلِينَ‎; الْفَعَلَةَ al-fāʕilīna‎; al-faʕalata	فَاعِلِي‎; فَعَلَةَ fāʕilī‎; faʕalata	فَاعِلَاتٍ‎; فَوَاعِلَ fāʕilātin‎; fawāʕila	الْفَاعِلَاتِ‎; الْفَوَاعِلَ al-fāʕilāti‎; al-fawāʕila	فَاعِلَاتِ‎; فَوَاعِلَ fāʕilāti‎; fawāʕila
Genitive	فَاعِلِينَ‎; فَعَلَةٍ fāʕilīna‎; faʕalatin	الْفَاعِلِينَ‎; الْفَعَلَةِ al-fāʕilīna‎; al-faʕalati	فَاعِلِي‎; فَعَلَةِ fāʕilī‎; faʕalati	فَاعِلَاتٍ‎; فَوَاعِلَ fāʕilātin‎; fawāʕila	الْفَاعِلَاتِ‎; الْفَوَاعِلِ al-fāʕilāti‎; al-fawāʕili	فَاعِلَاتِ‎; فَوَاعِلِ fāʕilāti‎; fawāʕili

Noun

فَاعِل • (fāʕil) m

1. (grammar) subject, agent

Declension

Declension of noun فَاعِل (fāʕil)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	فَاعِل fāʕil	الْفَاعِل al-fāʕil	فَاعِل fāʕil
Nominative	فَاعِلٌ fāʕilun	الْفَاعِلُ al-fāʕilu	فَاعِلُ fāʕilu
Accusative	فَاعِلًا fāʕilan	الْفَاعِلَ al-fāʕila	فَاعِلَ fāʕila
Genitive	فَاعِلٍ fāʕilin	الْفَاعِلِ al-fāʕili	فَاعِلِ fāʕili

See also

• اِسْم فَاعِل (ism fāʕil)

Persian

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic فَاعِل (fāʕil).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [fɑː.ˈʔil]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [fɑː.ʔɪ́l]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [fɑː.ʔɪ́l]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [fɑː.jɪ́l]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [fɔː.jíl̥]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [fɒː.ʔél̥]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [fɔ.ʔíl]

Readings
Classical reading?	fā'il
Dari reading?	fā'il
Iranian reading?	fâ'el
Tajik reading?	foʾil

• Audio (Iran):

  (file)

Noun

فاعل • (fâ'el) (plural فاعل‌ها (fâ'el-hâ))

1. (grammar) subject
2. (sex, law) top, the penetrating partner in a male homosexual intercourse

   Antonym: مفعول (maf'ul)

Related terms

• مفعول (maf'ul)