An active participle names the doer (Active Participles). A passive participle names the one the action is done to.
Key idea
Why it works
| Phrase | Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mrj nb=f | passive | beloved of his lord |
| ḥzj nb=f | passive | praised by his lord |
| mrj jmn | passive | beloved of Amun |
| dj ꜥnḫ | passive | given life (after a king's name) |
| ḫt nbt rdjt n=f | passive | everything that was given to him |
| sḏm mdt | active | one who hears the words |
Worked example: Active or passive?
- The person described does not praise; he is praised.
- nb=f "his lord" after it is the one who praises.
Answer: Passive: "praised by his lord".
Worked example: A neuter
- jrt is the passive participle of jrj "do" with the feminine -t.
- Egyptian uses the feminine for "what, that which", the way English uses "it".
Answer: "What was done for him."
The forms are like those of the active participle. Third-weak verbs often show a j or a doubled j at the end of the perfective passive (mrj, ḥzj, sometimes written mrjj), and doubled forms for the imperfective (mrrw "one who is loved, always"). These are transliteration details; what you must decide when reading is who does the action.
You will meet these epithets after names on stelae and in tombs: an official is mrj nb=f and ḥzj nb=f, a king is mrj of a god and dj ꜥnḫ "given life". Read them as a set of polite descriptions rather than as statements, the way English uses "beloved" or "esteemed".
Common mistake