Arabic: An Essential Grammar

39.10 Concessive particles

The combined particles and expressions below correspond to the

English concessive conjunctions and prepositions: ‘although, even if, in

spite of, despite’.

تى َوَل ْوََّح h

̇

atta ̄ wa-law, even if, even supposing that

نَّ َم َع َأ ma



a

anna, even though, although

َوَل ْو wa-law, whatever, even if, even though

َر ْغ َم rag ̇ma, (prep.) in spite of

ر ْغ ِم ِم ْنَِّبˆل bi-r-rag ̇mi min..., (prep.) in spite of, despite

نَّ َر ْغ َم َأ rag ̇ma

anna, although, even though

َو ِإ ْن wa-

in, even though

Examples:

تى َوَل ْو َد َر َس َس ْو َف َي ْس ُق ُطََّح

h

̇

atta ̄ wa-law darasa sawfa yasqut

̇

u.

Even if he were to study, he’ll fail.

ِفي  ِْلا ْم ِت َحا ِني ًداv س َق َط َّن ُه َد َر َس َجََّم َع َأ

ma



a

anna-hu darasa g ̆ayyidan, saqat

̇

a fı

• l-imtih
  ̇

a ̄ni.

Although he studied well, he failed in the exam.

َر ْغ َم ْلـ َم َط ِرَس َأ ْذ َه ُب

sa-

ad

̄

habu rag ̇ma l-mat

̇

ari.

I will go in spite of the rain.

ر ْغ ِم ِم ْن َم َر ِض ِهََّذ َه َب إَ لى َع َمِل ِه َر ْغ َم َم َر ِض ِ ه / ِبˆل

d

̄

ahaba

ila ̄



amali-hi rag ̇ma marad

̇

i-hi / bi-r-rag ̇mi min marad

̇

i-hi.

He went to his work in spite of his illness.

َذ َه َب إَ لى َع َمِل ِه َر ْغ َم َأ َن ُه َم ِري ٌض

d

̄

ahaba

ila ̄



amali-hi rag ̇ma

anna-hu marı

• d
  ̇

un.

He went to his work, although he is ill.

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