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To express inclusive conditions like "Whether [A] or [B]", Arabic uses (سواء) for "whether", followed by the first condition, then either (أم) or (أو) for "or", and finally the alternative condition.

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### Action vs. Action

When comparing two actions, (سواء) is directly followed by a verb. Because this is a conditional structure, Arabic strongly prefers using **past tense** verbs for both conditions, even if the overall sentence applies to the present or future.

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Notice how the verbs (وافقت) and (رفضت) are in the past tense, even though the company is currently subject to auditing. Both (أم) and (أو) can be used interchangeably in these structures.

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### State vs. State (Using كان)

If your condition relies on adjectives or nouns rather than action verbs, you still need a verb to satisfy the conditional structure. Simply insert the appropriate past tense form of (كان) right after (سواء).

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Because (كان) supports the conditional structure here, the English translation often reflects the present tense ("whether you are rich or poor").

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### "Whether... or not" (أم لا)

To say "whether [something] or not", you do not need to repeat the verb in the negative. Just use (أم لا) (or not) as the alternative condition.

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This works directly after action verbs as well:

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Inclusive conditionals (سواء ... أم / أو)

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
subject to	خاضع لkhâdi'un li
auditing	تدقيقtadqîq
whether (regardless of whether, ... or ...)	سواءsawâ'un
Every company is subject to an auditing process, whether it agreed or refused.	كل شركة خاضعة لعملية تدقيق، سواء وافقت أم رفضت.kullu sharikatin khâdi'atun li'amaliyyati tadqîqin, sawâ'un wâfaqat am rafadat.
disclosure	إفصاحifsâh
asset	أصلasl
Disclosure of any asset is very important, whether it was big or small.	الإفصاح عن أي أصل مهم جدا، سواء كان كبيرا أو صغيرا.al-ifsâhu 'an ayyi aslin muhimmun jiddan, sawâ'an kâna kabîran aw saghîran.
evasion	تهربtaharrub
intentional (deliberate, premeditated)	متعمدmuta'ammad
Whether the evasion was intentional or not, you will pay the fine.	سواء كان التهرب متعمدا أم لا، سوف تدفع الغرامة.sawâ'un kâna at-taharrubu muta'ammadan am lâ, sawfa tadfa'u al-gharâmah.
fraud	احتيالihtiyâl
Accountant, the auditing will reveal any fraud, whether it is old or recent.	يا أيها المحاسب، سوف يكشف التدقيق أي احتيال، سواء كان قديما أو حديثا.yâ ayyuhâ al-muhâsibu, sawfa yakshifu at-tadqîqu ayya ihtiyâlin, sawâ'an kâna qadîman aw hadîthan.
to comply with	امتثل لimtathala li
to violate	خالفkhâlafa
Whether Maryam complied with the law or violated it, she is subject to the penalty.	سواء امتثلت مريم للقانون أم خالفته، هي خاضعة للعقوبة.sawâ'un imtathalat maryamu lilqânûni am khâlafat-hu, hiya khâdi'atun lil'uqûbati
Manager, this disclosure prevents any intentional fraud.	يا أيها المدير، هذا الإفصاح يمنع أي احتيال متعمد.yâ ayyuhâ al-mudîru, hâdhâ al-ifsâhu yamna'u ayya ihtiyâlin muta'ammadin
If you hide one of the assets then this is evasion, whether you are rich or poor.	إذا أخفيت أحد الأصول فهذا تهرب، سواء كنت غنيا أو فقيرا.idhâ akhfayta ahada al-usûli fahâdhâ taharrubun, sawâ'un kunta ghaniyyan aw faqîran.
We are subject to the law, whether we comply with it or not.	نحن خاضعون للقانون، سواء امتثلنا له أم لا.nahnu khâdi'ûna lilqânûni, sawâ'an imtathalnâ lahu am lâ.
During the auditing, we discovered who violated the law, whether it was a man or a woman.	أثناء التدقيق اكتشفنا من خالف القانون، سواء كان رجلا أم امرأة.athnâ'a at-tadqiqi iktashafnâ man khâlafa al-qânûna, sawâ'an kâna rajulan ami imra'atan.
We reviewed the financial disclosure until we made sure of every asset.	راجعنا الإفصاح المالي حتى تأكدنا من كل أصل.raja'nâ al-ifsâha al-mâliyya hattâ ta'akkadnâ min kulli aslin