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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.

{{item:1161113}}

Notice how the verbs adapt to the Jussive mood based on their root types:

{{item:1161131}}

{{item:1161118}}

{{item:1161124}}

### "Whatever" (مهما)

To state a rule regarding actions, situations, or things, use (مهما) ("whatever"). It governs its two verbs in exactly the same way.

{{item:1161135}}

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):

{{item:1161115}}

{{item:1161130}}

### 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**.

Generalizing conditionals (مَن / مهما)

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
whoever	منman
evil	شرsharr
Whoever sows evil reaps evil.	من يزرع شرا يحصد شرا.man yazra' sharran yahsud sharran.
reward (recompense)	جزاءjazâ'un
Whatever you do, you will find your reward.	مهما تفعلي تجدي جزاءك.mahmâ taf'alî tajidî jazâ'aki
to strive	سعىsa'â
to succeed	أفلحaflaha
Whoever strives for good prospers.	من يسع في الخير يفلح.man yas'a fil-khayri yuflih
to let down	خذلkhadhala
to perish	هلكhalaka
Whoever lets down his friend perishes.	من يخذل صديقه يهلك.man yakhdhul sadiiqahu yahlik
to be sincere	أخلصakhlasa
intention (resolve)	نيةniyya
Whoever is sincere in his intention receives his reward.	من يخلص في نيته ينل جزاءه.man yukhlis fî niyyatihi yanal jazâ'ahu.
Whatever evil you do, you reap its consequence.	مهما تفعلي من شر تحصدي عاقبته.mahmâ taf'alî min sharrin tahsudî 'âqibatahu
to struggle (strive)	جاهدjâhada
Whoever struggles in his work prospers.	من يجاهد في عمله يفلح.man yujâhid fî 'amalihi yuflih.
Whoever is envious perishes.	من يكن حسودا يهلك.man yakun hasûdan yahlik
Whoever plants a tree finds its shade.	من يزرع شجرة يجد ظلها.man yazra' shajaratan yajid dhillahâ.
Whatever you conceal in your heart, you will find its consequence.	مهما تخفي في قلبك تجدي عاقبته.mahmâ tukhfî fî qalbiki tajidî âqibatahu
Whoever tells the truth earns trust.	من يقل الحقيقة يكسب الثقة.man yaqul-il-haqîqata yaksib-ith-thiqah.
Whoever betrays his partner loses his money.	من يخذل شريكه يخسر ماله.man yakhdhul sharîkahu yakhsar mâlahu.
Whoever asks three questions knows the truth.	من يسأل ثلاثة أسئلة يعرف الحقيقة.man yas'al thalâthata as'ilatin ya'rifi l-haqîqah.
Whoever knows that the exam is difficult prepares.	من يعرف أن الامتحان صعب يستعد.man ya'rif annal-imtihâna sa'bun yasta'idd
Whatever you sow, you reap.	مهما تزرع تحصد.mahmâ tazra' tahsud
Whoever strives and struggles prospers.	من يسع ويجاهد يفلح.man yas'a wa yujâhid yuflih
Whoever is sincere in intention finds good.	من يخلص النية يجد خيرا.man yukhlisi n-niyyata yajid khayran

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