Arabic uses specific conditional particles to create generalizing sentences, stating that whoever or whatever performs an action will inevitably face a certain consequence. These structures are extremely common in proverbs, warnings, and life advice.
The Grammar of Generalizing Conditionals
Generalizing conditional particles (أدوات الشرط الجازمة) are powerful: they govern two present tense verbs in the sentence—the condition (the "if" part) and the result (the "then" part). They force both of these verbs into the Jussive mood (المضارع المجزوم).
Before looking at examples, here is a quick reminder of how the Jussive mood changes a present tense verb:
- Regular verbs take a sukun (سكون) at the end.
- Hollow verbs (verbs with a middle long vowel) drop their middle vowel to prevent two silent consonants from meeting (e.g., يقول becomes يقل).
- Weak verbs (verbs ending in a vowel) drop their final letter entirely (e.g., يسعى becomes يسع).
- Five verbs (like the feminine "you" or plural forms) drop their final nun (نون) (e.g., تفعلين becomes تفعلي).
"Whoever" (مَن)
To state a rule or consequence about people, use (مَن) followed by the condition verb, then the result verb.
| Whoever sows evil reaps evil. | من يزرع شرا يحصد شرا.man yazra' sharran yahsud sharran. |
Notice how the verbs adapt to the Jussive mood based on their root types:
| Whoever tells the truth earns trust. | من يقل الحقيقة يكسب الثقة.man yaqul-il-haqîqata yaksib-ith-thiqah. |
| Whoever strives for good prospers. | من يسع في الخير يفلح.man yas'a fil-khayri yuflih |
| Whoever is sincere in his intention receives his reward. | من يخلص في نيته ينل جزاءه.man yukhlis fî niyyatihi yanal jazâ'ahu. |
"Whatever" (مهما)
To state a rule regarding actions, situations, or things, use (مهما) ("whatever"). It governs its two verbs in exactly the same way.
| Whatever you sow, you reap. | مهما تزرع تحصد.mahmâ tazra' tahsud |
Here is an example addressing a female. Notice how the final nun (نون) is dropped from both verbs to satisfy the Jussive mood (تفعلي instead of تفعلين, and تجدي instead of تجدين):
| Whatever you do, you will find your reward. | مهما تفعلي تجدي جزاءك.mahmâ taf'alî tajidî jazâ'aki |
| Whatever you conceal in your heart, you will find its consequence. | مهما تخفي في قلبك تجدي عاقبته.mahmâ tukhfî fî qalbiki tajidî âqibatahu |
Seeing the endings
This course writes Arabic the way books and newspapers print it, without the short-vowel marks, so the ending this lesson is about is usually something you hear in the audio but cannot see in the drills. Here are some of them with every vowel written out:
| as written | fully vocalized | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| من يزرع شرا يحصد شرا. | مَنْ يَزْرَعْ شَرًّا يَحْصُدْ شَرًّا. | Whoever sows evil reaps evil. |
| من يقل الحقيقة يكسب الثقة. | مَنْ يَقُلِ الحَقِيقَةَ يَكْسِبِ الثِّقَةَ. | Whoever tells the truth earns trust. |
| مهما تزرع تحصد. | مَهْمَا تَزْرَعْ تَحْصُدْ. | Whatever you sow, you reap. |
Both verbs are jussive. On a regular verb that is a sukun, which no unvoweled text can show: يَزْرَعْ, يَحْصُدْ, تَزْرَعْ تَحْصُدْ. Before ال the sukun is pronounced as a linking kasra: يَكْسِبِ الثِّقَةَ. The other changes are visible, like the hollow verb that loses its middle letter: يقول → يَقُلِ.
