The double sentence
When it comes to Arabic conditional sentences, both Arabic and English have a twofold structure known as the double sentence. The condition (الشَرْط) is followed by its response (جَواب الشَرْط), which correspond respectively to protasis and apodosis in English terminology.
Introducing conditional sentences is mainly done through one of three “if” particles, namely إِذا, إِنْ, and لَوْ. Depending on the particle used for a condition in Arabic grammar, it can express an array of nuances such as various eventualities, unrealistic possibilities, or even feasible hypotheses.
Even apart from the nominal sentence and imperative, the two parts of a double sentence are usually expressed in the perfect tense. The most common cases are as followed:
- When the condition carries a sense of potentiality, the answer can be expressed in the imperfect indicative tense (المُضارِع المَرْفوع)
- To express subtle nuances in Arabic, the temporal exponent كان is often coupled with particle قد.
Note: When trying to confirm past tense, the verb كانَ can follow each all of the three conditional particles.
Expression of eventuality with إِذا
The particle إِذا ‘if’ is used to express a concrete eventuality. It is followed by the perfect tense (الماضي) in the 1st part (الشَرْط) and the perfect tense (الماضي) or imperfect indicative tense (المُضارِع المَرْفوع) or future (المُسْتَقْبَل) in the 2nd part (جَواب الشَرْط). It works as follows:
| 2nd part / answer | 1st part | Conditional particle |
|---|---|---|
| الماضي perfect tense | الماضي perfect tense | إذا if |
| المُضارِع المَرْفوع imperfect indicative tense | ||
| المُسْتَقْبَل future tense |
- إذا + perfect (الماضي) + perfect (الماضي)
| إذا جِئْتَ إِلى بَيْتِي أَكَلْتَ طَبَقًا طَيِّبًا |
| If you come to my house, you will eat a good dish. |
- إذا + perfect (الماضي) + imperfect indicative (المُضارِع المَرْفوع)
| إذا جِئْتَ إِلى بَيْتِي تأكُلُ طَبَقًا طَيِّبًا |
| If you come to my house, you will eat a good dish. |
- إذا + perfect (الماضي) + imperfect indicative (المُضارِع المَرْفوع)
| إذا نَجَحْتَ فِي الاِمْتِحانِ سَأَحْتَفِلُ مَعَ أَصْدِقائِيِ |
| If I pass the exam, I will celebrate with my friends. |
The answer/2nd part can be introduced by فـ ‘then’ under the following conditions:
- the second part is a nominal sentence
| إذا اِشْتَرَكْتَ فِي الحَرْبِ فَدُعائِي مَعَكَ |
| If you take part in the war, my prayers are with you. |
- The 2nd part contains an imperative.
| إذا ذَهَبْتَ إِلى السُوقِ فَاشْتَرِ تُفاحًا |
| If you go to the market, buy apples |
- 2nd part contains particle قد
| إِذا جَاءَ الْمَطَرُ فقَدْ تَنْبُتُ الزَّهْرَةُ |
| If the rain comes, the flowers may bloom |
- 2nd part contains the future particles سَوْفَ or سَ
| إذا أَكْمَلْتُ الدِّرَاسَةَ فسَأَذْهَبُ إلى المَكْتَبِ |
| If I finish the study, I will go to the office |
- 2nd part contains The interrogative particle هَلْ
| إِذَا ذَهَبْتَ إلَى مَصْرَ فهَلْ سَتَزُور الأَهْرامات؟ |
| If you go to Egypt, will you visit the pyramids? |
- 2nd part contains the negative particles ما, لَنْ and لا
| If you follow my advice, you will not fail. | إذا تَبَعْتَ نَصِيحَتِي فلَنْ تَفْشَلَ |
| If you get lost don’t call me | إذا ضَلَلْتَ فَلا تَتَّصِلْ إِليّ |
- It contains the negative copula لَيْسَ
| إذا خاطَرْتَ بِحياتِكَ فَلَيْسَ مَسْؤُولِيّتِي |
| If you risk your life, it’s not my responsibility |
Note: The imperfect jussive tense (المُضارِع المَجْزوم) and the imperative (الأَمْر) cannot be used after إذا
Note 2: أَيْنَما or حَيْثُما and كَيْفَما work the same way as إِذا
Expression of the possible hypothesis with إِنْ
The particle إِنْ is a synonym of إِذا with the difference that it’s used to mark the potentiality or probability of a hypothesis. It must be followed by either the perfect tense (الماضي) or imperfect jussive tense (المضارِع المَجْزوم). Both the 1st and 2nd parts are in the perfect tense (الماضي) or imperfect jussive tense (المضارِع المَجْزوم). It works as follows:
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