Arabic: An Essential Grammar

Note: In spite of being in the perfect tense, the above verb َذ َهب refers to the future

here (see chapter 17).

39.4 ِإ َذا

id

̄

a ̄ ‘if’ is a synonym of ِإ ْن

in, with the nuance of eventual-

ity. It is followed by the perfect tense in the first part and the perfect or

imperfect indicative in the second part. If the second part is a nominal

sentence or contains an imperative or one of the words below, then the

second part must be preceded by the particle ...فـ َ fa ‘then’:

the particle َق ْد qad

the future particles َس ْو َف sawfa or َسـ... sa...

the interrogative particle َه ْل hal

the negative particle َما ma ̄, َل ْن lan, or َلا la ̄

the negative copula َل ْي َس laysa.

Note: The imperfect jussive and the imperative cannot be used after ِإ َذا.

Examples:

(a) ...فـ َ /fa.../ preceding the second part when it is a nominal sentence:

يٌّ ّحَ ْل َع َم ُل ِصˆِإ ْن َت ْع َم ْل َف^

in ta



mal fa-l-



amalu s

̇

ih

̇

h

̇

iyyun.

If you work, (then) work is healthy.

(b) ...فـ َ /fa.../ preceding the second part when it contains an impera-

tive verb:

ِإ ْن َس َأَل َك َف َأ ِج ْب ُه^

in sa

alaka fa-

ag ̆ib-hu.

If he asks you, (then) you answer him!

(c) ...فـ َ /fa.../ preceding the particle َق ْد qad:

ِإ ْ ن/ ِإ َذا َو َع َد َك َف َق ْد َص َد َق^

in/

id

̄

a ̄ wa



adaka fa-qad s

̇

adaqa.

If he promises you, (then) he is sincere.

(d) ...فـ َ /fa.../ preceding the future particle َس ْو َف sawfa or َسـ... sa:

ِإ ْ ن / ِإ َذا َأ َس ْأ َت َف َس ْو َف َت ْن َد ُ م / َف َس َت ْن َد ُم




in/

id

̄

a ̄

asa

ta fa-sawfa tandamu OR fa-satandamu.

If you cause harm, (then) you will regret it.

310

Conditional

sentences