Learn Arabic (Modern Standard): إذا غسل الرجل السيارة، أزال الوسخ. - If the man washes the car, he removes the dirt.

In Arabic, the conditional word إذا (if) is generally followed by verbs in the past tense, even when talking about the present or future. The past tense sets up the logical condition, which we translate into English as present or future.

Could we use إن instead of إذا for 'if' in this sentence?

Yes, but it changes the nuance. إذا is used for conditions that are likely, expected, or general truths (like washing a car to remove dirt). The word إن is used for conditions that are less certain or purely hypothetical.

What verb form is أزال and how does it relate to its root?

أزال is a Form IV verb from the hollow root ز - و - ل (z-w-l), which is related to disappearing or fading away. Form IV verbs often make an action causative. Therefore, while the root relates to disappearing, أزال means 'to cause to disappear' or 'to remove'.

Why isn't there an explicit word for 'he' in the second clause?

The pronoun 'he' is built directly into the conjugation of the past tense verb أزال. Since the subject (the man) was already established in the first half of the sentence, Arabic simply embeds the pronoun into the verb of the second half to avoid unnecessary repetition.