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### Choosing Between Options: أو

To offer a choice or say "or", use the standalone word أو.

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### Expressing Contrast: لكن

To show contrast and say "but", use the conjunction لكن.

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When followed by a regular noun, لكن stands alone:

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When followed by a pronoun, the pronoun attaches directly to لكن as a suffix. For example, adding the suffix ه (he/it) creates لكنه (but he / but it).

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Similarly, to say "but I", attach the suffix ني:

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### Sequence and Result: فـ

To express "so" (cause and effect) or "then" (a sequence of events), use the conjunction فـ.

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Like the Arabic word for "and" (و), فـ is a prefix that attaches directly to the beginning of the following word. It is commonly attached to verbs to show that the second action happened immediately after, or as a result of, the first.

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Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

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)

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)

Expressing purpose (لـ)

Question	Answer
or	أوaw
juice	عصيرaseer
They drink tea or juice.	يشربون الشاي أو العصير.yashrabûna ash-shâya aw al-aseera.
hungry	جائعjâ'i'
thirsty	عطشانatshân
Are you hungry or thirsty?	هل أنت جائع أو عطشان؟hal anta jâ'i'un aw 'atshânu?
but	لكنlâkin
The dog is hungry but it does not eat bread.	الكلب جائع لكنه لا يأكل الخبز.al-kalbu jâ'i'un lâkinnahu lâ ya'kulu al-khubza
I am thirsty but I do not drink juice.	أنا عطشان لكنني لا أشرب العصير.ana atshânu lakinnani lâ ashrabu al-asîra
The restaurant is open but the food is cold.	المطعم مفتوح لكن الطعام بارد.al-mat'amu maftûhun lâkinna at-ta'âma bâridun.
so, then / for (giving a reason)	فfa
He found water so he drank it.	وجد ماء فشربه.wajada mâ'an fasharibahu
He woke up late so he ran to the school.	استيقظ متأخرا فركض إلى المدرسة.istayqaza muta'akhkhiran farakada ilâ al-madrasah.