To express "as long as" or "since" in Arabic, we use the conjunction طالما. It links an ongoing state, result, or consequence directly to a specific condition.
| as long as | طالماtâlamâ |
The Rule: طالما + Past Tense Verb
The most important grammatical rule for طالما is that it is almost always followed by a past tense verb.
Even if the overall meaning of the sentence refers to an ongoing situation or a future outcome, the condition immediately following طالما is anchored with the past tense.
| As long as the female engineer used the drip technique, she saved water. | طالما استخدمت المهندسة تقنية التنقيط، وفرت الماء.tâlamâ istakhdamati al-muhandisatu tiqniyyata at-tanqîti, waffarati al-mâ'a |
Notice in the next example how the condition uses a past tense verb (طورنا), even though the result clause talks about the future using لن:
| As long as we developed the irrigation system, we will not lose the crop. | طالما طورنا نظام الري، لن نفقد المحصول.tâlamâ tawwarnâ nizâma r-rayyi, lan nafqida l-mahsûla. |
Sentence Placement
Just like in English, you have flexibility in where you place the condition.
1. At the Beginning
You can start the sentence with طالما to establish the condition first. The result clause follows immediately after.
| As long as we began consumption conservation, the crop is safe. | طالما بدأنا ترشيد الاستهلاك، المحصول آمن.tâlamâ bada'nâ tarshîda al-istihlâki, al-mahsûlu âminun |
2. In the Middle
You can also place طالما in the middle of the sentence. In this structure, the sentence leads with the ongoing state or result, and uses طالما to link it back to the condition that makes it possible.
| Water is present as long as we built the dam. | الماء موجود طالما بنينا السد.al-mâ' mawjûdun tâlamâ banaynâ as-sadd. |
| We will not feel the scarcity as long as we stored the rain. | لن نشعر بالندرة طالما خزنا المطر.lan nash'ura binnudrati tâlamâ khazannâ al-matara. |