This lesson teaches you how to present options and alternatives in Arabic, a very useful skill whether you are picking a movie, comparing digital plans, or deciding on a gym membership.
Either... Or
To say "either... or" in Arabic, we use the correlative conjunctions إمّا ... أو. You simply place إمّا before the first option and أو before the second option. This structure works perfectly when choosing between two nouns or two adjectives.
| My brother can choose either a monthly subscription or an annual subscription. | يستطيع أخي أن يختار إما اشتراكا شهريا أو اشتراكا سنويا.yastatî'u akhî an yakhtâra immâ ishtirâkan shahriyyan awi ishtirâkan sanawiyyan |
| The gym membership is either basic or premium. | عضوية النادي الرياضي إما أساسية أو متميزة.udwiyyatu an-nâdi ar-riyâdiyyi immâ asâsiyyatun aw mutamayyizatun |
Actions as Alternatives
If your choices involve verbs (actions) rather than just nouns, you will often add the particle أن directly after إمّا to introduce the first verbal clause. The second verbal clause will then follow أو.
| Either Maryam buys the basic package, or she pays extra fees. | إما أن تشتري مريم الباقة الأساسية أو تدفع رسوما إضافية.immâ an tashtariya maryamu l-bâqata l-'asâsiyyata aw tadfa'a rusûman idâfiyyatan. |
Subscriptions and Streaming
Now let's apply this grammar to everyday digital and fitness plans. You will practice useful vocabulary for navigating modern services, such as "subscription" (اشتراك), "package" (باقة), "streaming" (بث), and "renewal" (تجديد). Notice how the "either... or" structure frames your choices.
| I want to watch either a series or a film on the streaming app. | أريد أن أشاهد إما مسلسلا أو فيلما في تطبيق البث.uridu an ushâhida immâ musalsalan aw filman fi tatbiqi al-baththi |
| The renewal of the annual subscription is either automatic or manual. | تجديد الاشتراك السنوي إما أوتوماتيكي أو يدوي.tajdîdu al-ishtirâki as-sanawiyyi immâ ôtômâtîkiyyun aw yadawiyyun |