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When asking a question that offers a choice between two specific options (like "Is it A or B?"), Arabic uses a special structure. 

While you might already know أو for "or" in regular statements, alternative questions require the word أم instead.

### The (أ ... أم) Structure

Alternative questions almost always begin with the question prefix أ attached to the first word of the sentence, rather than using the separate question word هل.

- **أ** introduces the first option.
- **أم** introduces the second option.

{{item:1121902}}

Notice how the prefix أ attaches directly to the first word (هذا), setting up the choice that أم completes.

### Choosing Between Actions

This same "either/or" structure works perfectly when asking a respondent to choose between two actions (verbs). The prefix أ simply attaches to the first verb.

{{item:1121904}}

### Surveys and Questionnaires

Because this structure forces a choice between specific alternatives, you will frequently encounter it in formal polling, surveys, and demographic questionnaires.

{{item:1121909}}

{{item:1121911}}

{{item:1121916}}

If the options in the question involve prepositions, the preposition is usually repeated after أم for clarity.

{{item:1121922}}

Alternative questions (أم)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Question	Answer
poll	استطلاعistitlâ'
study	دراسةdirâsa
Is this a poll or a study?	أهذا استطلاع أم دراسة؟a hâdhâ stitlâ'un am dirâsah
to answer	أجاب عنajâba 'an
Did you answer the question or did you forget?	أأجبت عن السؤال أم نسيت؟a'ajabta 'ani s-su'âli am nasîta
profession	مهنةmihna
What is your profession, are you an engineer or a doctor?	ما مهنتك، أأنت مهندس أم طبيب؟mâ mihnatuka, a'anta muhandisun am tabîbun?
male	ذكرdhakar
female	أنثىunthâ
On the form: are you male or female?	في الاستمارة: أأنت ذكر أم أنثى؟fi al-istimârati: a'anta zhakarun am unthâ?
married	متزوجmutazawwij
Is this participant married or single?	أهذا المشارك متزوج أم عازب؟a hâdhâ al mushâriku mutazawwijun am âzibun
monthly	شهريshahri
Is your monthly salary big or small?	أراتبك الشهري كبير أم صغير؟arâtibuka ash-shahriyyu kabîrun am saghîrun?
evaluation	تقييمtaqyîm
quality	جودةjawda
Is the quality evaluation excellent or acceptable?	أتقييم الجودة ممتاز أم مقبول؟a taqyîmu l-jawdati mumtâzun am maqbûlun?
Did you forget that study or do you remember it?	أنسيت تلك الدراسة أم تتذكرها؟anasiita tilka d-dirâsata am tatadhakkaruhâ
How many times did the manager answer this poll?	كم مرة أجاب المدير عن هذا الاستطلاع؟kam marratin ajâba al-mudîru 'an hâdhâ al-istitlâ'i?
Do you prefer this profession or that one?	أتفضل هذه المهنة أم تلك؟atufaddilu hâdhihi al-mihnata am tilka
Is this monthly salary for the single or for the married?	أهذا الراتب الشهري للعازب أم للمتزوج؟ahâdhâ ar-râtibu ash-shahriyyu lilaazibi am lilmutazawwiji
Are these participants males or females?	أهؤلاء المشاركون ذكور أم إناث؟ahâ'ulâ'i almushârikûna dhukûrun am inâthun?
Is this evaluation for the quality or the price?	أهذا التقييم للجودة أم للسعر؟a-hâdhâ at-taqyîmu lil-jawdati am lis-si'ri?