The agent in the verbal sentence

In an Arabic sentence the agent is a more accurate term

than subject, because it occurs with both kind of sentences as almubtada in the nominal sentence and the agent in the verbal

sentence. It is defined as an important element of a clause, which

typically expresses the person or animate being responsible for a
particular action (Crystal, 1992; 11).
In addition to this definition, the agent is the only noun,
which takes nominative case in the verbal sentence. For example,
1) dahaba Aliyun ila l-jamiati
went-3-masc-sing Ali nom to-the-university-gen
Ali went to the university

In example (1) ,we find that the agent is the only noun, which
takes the nominative case.
The agent can also take a genitive case in several positions,
but there are two circumstances, which are more common. First,
when the agent comes after a preposition min from such
as
(3) ma yatihim min moalimin ila rafda tadrissahum.
no-come 3masc-pl from-prep teacher-gen exept refuse
teaches-acc.

They never had a teacher who did not refuse to teach

them.

In this sentence (3) the agent, take the genitive case,

because it comes after the preposition min . Second, when the
agent is preceded by the preposition bi by-with and occurs
typically after the verb kafa such as
4) kafa bi Ali-yin mo3alim-an.
be enough-3masc-sing Ali gen teacher-Acc.
for teaching Ali is enough.

In this example (4), it seems that the agent differs because it is

preceded by the preposition bi thus it takes the nominative
case.
Furthermore, the verbal sentence cannot be structured without
its agent as it determines its aspect
(5) gharaba-t al-shamsu.
set-3-fem-sing the-sun.
the sun set.

In the example above (5) the verb gharabat gives a primary

aspect as a single word, the agent changes it to an action which
always happens (yahya 2005; 10). That is a strong argument,
which supports the relationship between the verb and the agent
in the verbal sentence whether morphological, syntactical or
semantic.
In terms of morphology, the predicate has to be an active verb
whereas the agent is a noun. In terms of syntax, the subject

(noun or pronoun) requires a predicate as the Arabic sentence

cannot be composed without both of these elements. Thus, they
complete each other. Semantically, the agent does not give a
complete meaning without its verb and vice versa. More than
that, the verb determines the type of the agent, we cannot say (a
dog reads) since it requires a human agent like ( Ali reads).

Besides, the lexical nature of the verb may change the structure
of the sentence, if there is an active verb, it must have an agent.
6) jalassa Aliy-un.
sat down 3-masc-sing Ali-gen.
Ali sat down.

Whereas, the passive verb requires an object

7) shuriba al-maeu
drunk 3masc sing the-water.
water was drunk.

In contrast, there are some positions in which the agent is

deleted .For example, we can delete the agent depending on the
context of the sentence where it is not necessary to repeat it
again because it is understood from the situation such as (went to
school) which may be the answer of (where is Mary?).

Additionally, we can delete the noun, which comes after

hasha.

Yet,

this

topic

creates

great

debate

between

grammarians, some believe that the noun which comes after

(hasha) does

not required an agent either syntactically or

semantically like in the example(8) below:

8) Qama l-qawmu hasha Aliyyin.

Stood up 3masc sing people-nom exept Ali gen.
The people stood up exept Ali.

Source:
chapter seven of The verbal sentence in written Arabic
Alsuhaibani, S, (2012). The verbal sentence in written Arabic. University of Exeter:
as a thesis for degree of Doctor of philosophy. Retrieved from http://ore.exeter.ac.uk/