אני לא אקח הלוואה, אלא אם כן הריבית תהיה נמוכה יותר.

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Breakdown of אני לא אקח הלוואה, אלא אם כן הריבית תהיה נמוכה יותר.

• לא: not
• להיות: to be
• לקחת: to take

Questions & Answers about אני לא אקח הלוואה, אלא אם כן הריבית תהיה נמוכה יותר.

What does אלא אם כן mean, and is it a fixed expression?

Yes. אלא אם כן is a fixed expression meaning unless.

It is very common in both spoken and written Hebrew. Literally, its parts do not map neatly into natural English word-for-word, so it is best learned as one unit.

In this sentence: אני לא אקח הלוואה, אלא אם כן הריבית תהיה נמוכה יותר the phrase אלא אם כן introduces the exception to the negative statement: I will not take a loan unless the interest is lower.

Why is אקח used here? What verb is it from?

אקח is the 1st person singular future form of לקחת = to take.

So:

• לקחת = to take
• אקח = I will take

Because the sentence is negative, אני לא אקח means I will not take or I won’t take.

This verb is a little irregular in the future, so learners often notice that it does not look exactly like the infinitive.

Why is אני included? Could the sentence just say לא אקח הלוואה?

Yes, it could.

Hebrew often drops subject pronouns because the verb already shows the person. So both of these are possible:

• אני לא אקח הלוואה...
• לא אקח הלוואה...

Including אני can make the sentence feel a bit more explicit, personal, or emphatic. In many everyday situations, native speakers may include it or leave it out depending on style and emphasis.