Explaining 'Why' with لأنَّ (li'anna)
لأنَّ introduces a reason-clause and requires the subject following it to be in the accusative case.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'li'anna' (لأنَّ) to connect a statement to its reason, followed by a noun or a pronoun suffix.
- Attach a pronoun suffix to 'li'anna' to indicate who is doing the action: 'li'annahu' (because he).
- Follow 'li'anna' with a noun in the accusative case (mansoub) if it is not a pronoun suffix.
- Always place the reason after the main clause: 'I am happy because the weather is nice'.
Overview
To express causality and reason in Arabic, the conjunction لِأَنَّ (li'anna), meaning "because," is an indispensable tool. For learners at the B1 level, mastering لِأَنَّ is a gateway to constructing more sophisticated and logical sentences, moving beyond simple declarations to nuanced explanations. It directly connects a result with its cause, forming the backbone of arguments, justifications, and narrative explanations in both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and educated spoken varieties.
However, لِأَنَّ is more than a simple connector. It belongs to a foundational group of Arabic particles known as إِنَّ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا (Inna wa Akhawatuhā), or "Inna and its sisters." This family relationship dictates its grammatical behavior. The core function of these particles is to introduce a nominal sentence (جُمْلَة اِسْمِيَّة) and impose a specific case change on its subject.
When لِأَنَّ precedes a clause, it forces the subject of that clause into the accusative case (مَنْصُوب). The predicate, or the rest of the descriptive clause, remains in the nominative case (مَرْفُوع).
This grammatical shift is the most critical aspect of using لِأَنَّ correctly. Consider the difference: a simple statement might be اَلْفَصْلُ دِرَاسِيٌّ طَوِيلٌ. (al-faṣlu dirāsiyyun ṭawīlun. – The semester is long.). When this becomes a reason, its structure changes: يَجِبُ أَنْ نَبْدَأَ مُبَكِّرًا لِأَنَّ الْفَصْلَ الدِّرَاسِيَّ طَوِيلٌ. (yajibu an nabda’a mubakkiran li'anna al-faṣla ad-dirāsiyya ṭawīlun. – We must start early because the semester is long.).
Note how اَلْفَصْلُ (nominative) becomes اَلْفَصْلَ (accusative). Understanding this principle is fundamental to leveraging لِأَنَّ for clear and accurate communication.
How This Grammar Works
لِأَنَّ is governed entirely by its identity as one of إِنَّ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا. These particles always initiate a nominal clause, which consists of a subject, now called اِسْمُ لِأَنَّ (ismu li'anna), and a predicate, called خَبَرُ لِأَنَّ (khabaru li'anna). The particle's primary effect is on its subject.مَنْصُوب)لِأَنَّ serves as its subject and must be in the accusative case. This manifests in two primary ways:- 1When the subject is a noun: The noun takes an accusative case ending. For most singular definite nouns, this means the
ḍamma(-u) of the nominative case changes to afatḥa(-a).
- Original sentence:
اَلْقَهْوَةُ بَارِدَةٌ.(al-qahwatu bāridatun.- The coffee is cold.) - As a reason:
لَمْ أَشْرَبْهَا لِأَنَّ الْقَهْوَةَ بَارِدَةٌ.(lam ashrabhā li'anna al-qahwata bāridatun.- I didn't drink it because the coffee is cold.)
- 1When the subject is a pronoun: You must not use a standalone pronoun like
أَنَاorهُوَ. Instead,لِأَنَّmerges with an attached accusative pronoun (ضَمِير مُتَّصِل). These attached pronouns are considered to beفِي مَحَلِّ نَصْبٍ(in a state of accusative). This is a non-negotiable rule and a common point of error for learners.
لِأَنَّ with all attached pronouns:لِأَنَّ | English Meaning | Example Sentence |anā - I) | لِأَنَّنِي (li'annanī) | because I | أَنَا مُرْتَاحٌ لِأَنَّنِي فِي إِجَازَةٍ. (I am relaxed because I am on vacation.) |naḥnu - we) | لِأَنَّنَا (li'annanā) | because we | وَصَلْنَا مُبَكِّرًا لِأَنَّنَا أَخَذْنَا الْقِطَارَ. (We arrived early because we took the train.) |anta - you, m. sg.) | لِأَنَّكَ (li'annaka) | because you (m.) | يَجِبُ أَنْ تَرْتَاحَ لِأَنَّكَ مَرِيضٌ. (You must rest because you are sick.) |anti - you, f. sg.) | لِأَنَّكِ (li'annaki) | because you (f.) | أَنْتِ نَاجِحَةٌ لِأَنَّكِ مُجْتَهِدَةٌ. (You are successful because you are diligent.) |antumā - you, dual) | لِأَنَّكُمَا (li'annakumā) | because you (dual) | أَنَا سَعِيدٌ لِأَنَّكُمَا هُنَا. (I am happy because you two are here.) |antum - you, m. pl.) | لِأَنَّكُمْ (li'annakum) | because you (m. pl.) | أَنَا أَحْتَرِمُكُمْ لِأَنَّكُمْ صَادِقُونَ. (I respect you because you are truthful.) |antunna - you, f. pl.) | لِأَنَّكُنَّ (li'annakunna) | because you (f. pl.) | الْمُدَرِّسَةُ تُحِبُّكُنَّ لِأَنَّكُنَّ مُؤَدَّبَاتٌ. (The teacher likes you because you are polite.) |huwa - he) | لِأَنَّهُ (li'annahu) | because he | تَأَخَّرَ لِأَنَّهُ فَاتَهُ الْبَاصُ. (He was late because he missed the bus.) |hiya - she) | لِأَنَّهَا (li'annahā) | because she | هِيَ غَائِبَةٌ الْيَوْمَ لِأَنَّهَا مُسَافِرَةٌ. (She is absent today because she is traveling.) |humā - they, dual) | لِأَنَّهُمَا (li'annahumā) | because they (dual) | الطِّفْلَانِ يَبْكِيَانِ لِأَنَّهُمَا جَائِعَانِ. (The two children are crying because they are hungry.) |hum - they, m. pl.) | لِأَنَّهُمْ (li'annahum) | because they (m. pl.) | لَمْ يَأْتُوا لِأَنَّهُمْ مَشْغُولُونَ. (They didn't come because they are busy.) |hunna - they, f. pl.) | لِأَنَّهُنَّ (li'annahunna) | because they (f. pl.) | اخْتَرْتُهُنَّ لِأَنَّهُنَّ يَمْتَلِكْنَ الْخِبْرَةَ. (I chose them because they possess the experience.) |ن (nūn) in لِأَنَّنِي and لِأَنَّنَا. This is known as نُونُ الْوِقَايَةِ (nūn al-wiqāyah), or the "protection noon." Its phonetic job is to create a buffer, protecting the final vowel of لِأَنَّ from being unpleasantly altered by the following first-person pronouns.مَرْفُوع)لِأَنَّ clause remains in its original nominative case. The predicate is the part of the sentence that provides information about the subject. This predicate can take several forms:- A single word:
...لِأَنَّ الطَّقْسَ حَارٌّ.(...because the weather is hot.) - A verbal sentence:
...لِأَنَّنِي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَنَامَ.(...because I want to sleep.) - A prepositional phrase:
...لِأَنَّ الْكِتَابَ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ.(...because the book is on the table.)
Formation Pattern
لِأَنَّ follows a logical and repeatable structure. You connect a main clause, which states a result or observation, to a subordinate clause that provides the reason. The subordinate clause is introduced by لِأَنَّ.
[Main Clause (The Result)] + لِأَنَّ + [Subject of the Reason (Accusative)] + [Predicate of the Reason (Nominative)]
لَنْ أَخْرُجَ اللَّيْلَةَ. (lan akhruja al-laylata.) – I will not go out tonight.
لِأَنَّ to signal that a reason is coming.
لَنْ أَخْرُجَ اللَّيْلَةَ لِأَنَّ...
أَنَا). The correct form is the attached pronoun ـنِي (-nī).
لَنْ أَخْرُجَ اللَّيْلَةَ لِأَنَّنِي...
...عِنْدِي عَمَلٌ كَثِيرٌ. (...ʿindī ʿamalun kathīrun.) – ...I have a lot of work.
لَنْ أَخْرُجَ اللَّيْلَةَ لِأَنَّنِي عِنْدِي عَمَلٌ كَثِيرٌ. (I will not go out tonight because I have a lot of work.)
اِزْدَحَمَتِ الطُّرُقَاتُ. (izdaḥamati-ṭ-ṭuruqātu.) – The roads became crowded.
اِزْدَحَمَتِ الطُّرُقَاتُ لِأَنَّ...
حَادِثٌ (ḥādithun). In its definite form, الْحَادِثُ (al-ḥādithu), it must become accusative.
اِزْدَحَمَتِ الطُّرُقَاتُ لِأَنَّ حَادِثًا... (using indefinite) or ...لِأَنَّ الْحَادِثَ... (using definite)
...وَقَعَ عَلَى الْجِسْرِ. (...waqaʿa ʿalā al-jisri.) – ...occurred on the bridge.
اِزْدَحَمَتِ الطُّرُقَاتُ لِأَنَّ حَادِثًا وَقَعَ عَلَى الْجِسْرِ. (The roads became crowded because an accident occurred on the bridge.)
When To Use It
لِأَنَّ uniformly means "because," its application varies depending on the communicative context. Understanding these contexts allows for more precise and natural expression.لِمَاذَا؟ (Why?)لِأَنَّ provides the direct explanation.لِمَاذَا لَمْ تَتَّصِلْ بِي؟(limādhā lam tattaṣil bī?) – Why didn't you call me?آسِف، لَمْ أَتَّصِلْ لِأَنَّ بَطَّارِيَّةَ هَاتِفِي كَانَتْ فَارِغَةً.(āsif, lam attaṣil li'anna baṭṭāriyyata hātifī kānat fārighatan.– Sorry, I didn't call because my phone's battery was dead.)
لِأَنَّ is essential for defending a choice or explaining your perspective, adding weight and logic to your statements.أَعْتَقِدُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْقَرَارَ صَحِيحٌ، لِأَنَّهُ يَصُبُّ فِي مَصْلَحَةِ الْجَمِيعِ.(aʿtaqidu anna hādhā al-qarāra ṣaḥīḥun, li'annahu yaṣubbu fī maṣlaḥati al-jamīʿ.– I believe this decision is correct because it serves everyone's interest.)قَرَّرْتُ دِرَاسَةَ اللُّغَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّةِ لِأَنَّهَا لُغَةٌ غَنِيَّةٌ وَتَارِيخُهَا عَظِيمٌ.(qarrartu dirāsata al-lughati al-ʿarabiyyati li'annahā lughatun ghaniyyatun wa tārīkhuhā ʿaẓīmun.– I decided to study Arabic because it is a rich language and its history is great.)
لِأَنَّ elevates the text from a simple sequence of events to a coherent narrative where events are causally linked.كَانَ يَشْعُرُ بِالتَّوَتُّرِ قَبْلَ الْعَرْضِ، لِأَنَّ هَذِهِ كَانَتْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ لَهُ عَلَى الْمَسْرَحِ.(kāna yashʿuru bi-t-tawatturi qabla al-ʿarḍ, li'anna hādhihi kānat awwala marratin lahu ʿalā al-masraḥ.– He was feeling nervous before the performance because this was his first time on stage.)
لِأَنَّ with بِسَبَبِ (bisababi)لِأَنَّ and the preposition بِسَبَبِ ('because of'). While their meaning is similar, their grammatical function is different. لِأَنَّ introduces a full clause, while بِسَبَبِ introduces a noun or noun phrase.لِأَنَّ | A full clause (Subject + Predicate) | تَأَخَّرْنَا لِأَنَّ الطَّرِيقَ كَانَ مُزْدَحِمًا. | We were late because the road was crowded. |بِسَبَبِ | A noun phrase (in the genitive case) | تَأَخَّرْنَا بِسَبَبِ الِازْدِحَامِ. | We were late because of the traffic. |بِسَبَبِ is often more concise. If your reason requires a full thought with a verb or predicate ('because it was raining', 'because he felt sick'), لِأَنَّ is necessary.Common Mistakes
لِأَنَّ. Awareness of these patterns is the first step to avoiding them.لِأَنَّ clause to the accusative case. The إِنَّ وَأَخَوَاتُهَا rule is absolute.- Incorrect:
*أَنَا قَلِقٌ لِأَنَّ الِامْتِحَانُ غَدًا.(The wordالِامْتِحَانُis left in the nominative case.) - Correct:
أَنَا قَلِقٌ لِأَنَّ الِامْتِحَانَ غَدًا.(The subjectالِامْتِحَانَis correctly placed in the accusative case, marked by thefatḥa.)
لِأَنَّهُوَ, هِيَ, أَنَا, etc.) after لِأَنَّ. The pronoun must be the attached accusative form.- Incorrect:
*أُحِبُّهَا لِأَنَّ هِيَ ذَكِيَّةٌ. - Correct:
أُحِبُّهَا لِأَنَّهَا ذَكِيَّةٌ.(The pronounـهَاattaches directly toلِأَنَّ.)
لِأَنَّ (because) with لِأَنْ (in order to)لِأَنَّ explains a cause, while the combination of لِـ + أَنْ explains a purpose and is followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood.- Cause (
لِأَنَّ+ nominal clause):أَدْرُسُ بِجِدٍّ لِأَنَّ عِنْدِي امْتِحَانًا هَامًّا.(I am studying hard because I have an important exam.) - Purpose (
لِـ+أَنْ+ subjunctive verb):أَدْرُسُ بِجِدٍّ لِأَنْ أَنْجَحَ فِي الِامْتِحَانِ.(I am studying hard in order to pass the exam.)
لِأَنَّ in Formal Writingلِأَنَّ, especially when directly answering a question, it is often considered weaker style in formal or academic Arabic. The preferred structure is to state the result first, followed by the لِأَنَّ clause. This creates a stronger rhetorical flow.- Stylistically Weaker:
لِأَنَّ الْكَاتِبَ يَسْتَخْدِمُ أُسْلُوبًا مُعَقَّدًا، يَصْعُبُ فَهْمُ النَّصِّ.(Because the author uses a complex style, the text is difficult to understand.) - Stylistically Stronger:
يَصْعُبُ فَهْمُ النَّصِّ لِأَنَّ الْكَاتِبَ يَسْتَخْدِمُ أُسْلُوبًا مُعَقَّدًا.(The text is difficult to understand because the author uses a complex style.)
Real Conversations
In the real world, لِأَنَّ appears in various forms, from the grammatically precise MSA of news broadcasts to shortened, dialect-influenced versions in daily life.
Texting and Social Media:
In informal digital communication, you will often see shortened forms. The specific form depends on the dialect.
- A friend messages: رح تيجي عالحفلة؟ (Are you coming to the party?)
- A possible response: صعب والله، لأنو لازم أدرس. (ṣaʿb wallah, li'annu lāzim adrus. - It's difficult, I swear, 'cause I have to study.) Here, لأنو is a common Levantine colloquialism for لأنه.
- Another common variation across many dialects is عشان (ʿashān): مش قادر أجي عشان عندي شغل. (mish 'ādir āji ʿashān ʿindi shughul. - I can't come because I have work.)
Professional Communication (Email):
In a business context, proper MSA is standard, and لِأَنَّ is used in its formal structure.
- نُقَدِّرُ تَفَهُّمَكُمْ، وَنَعْتَذِرُ عَنْ أَيِّ إِزْعَاجٍ قَدْ يَكُونُ قَدْ حَدَثَ، لِأَنَّ النِّظَامَ كَانَ يَخْضَعُ لِصِيَانَةٍ مُجَدْوَلَةٍ. (nuqaddiru tafahhumakum, wa naʿtadhiru ʿan ayyi izʿājin qad yakūnu qad ḥadath, li'anna an-niẓāma kāna yakhḍaʿu li-ṣiyānatin mujadwalatin. - We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience that may have occurred, because the system was undergoing scheduled maintenance.)
Spoken Media (Interviews, Podcasts):
In educated spoken Arabic, you'll hear a mix. Speakers often use the correct form but may drop the shadda in rapid speech, making it sound like li'an.
- أعتقد أن سبب نجاح المسلسل هو لأن قصته واقعية وتلامس حياة الناس اليومية. (aʿtaqid anna sabab najāḥ al-musalsal huwa li'an qiṣṣatuhu wāqiʿiyyatun wa tulāmisu ḥayāt an-nās al-yawmiyya. - I think the reason for the series' success is because its story is realistic and touches people's daily lives.)
Quick FAQ
لِأَنَّ?Grammatically, yes. It is common in direct answers (لِمَاذَا؟ ... لِأَنَّ...). However, in formal writing, the preferred style is to state the main clause (the result) before the لِأَنَّ clause (the cause). This generally creates a more sophisticated and fluid sentence structure.
لِأَنَّ and بِسَبَبِ?Think of their English equivalents. لِأَنَّ is "because" and is followed by a full sentence idea (...because the game was canceled). بِسَبَبِ is "because of" and is followed by a noun (...because of the cancellation).
shadda (the ّ symbol) on لِأَنَّ optional?No. In MSA, the particle is fundamentally لِأَنَّ (li'anna). The shadda indicates the doubled 'n' and is not optional for correct writing and pronunciation. While it might be elided in very rapid, informal speech, as a learner, you should always write and pronounce it to build correct habits.
لِأَنَّ be used for anything other than cause/reason?Its function is consistently to provide a reason. It always answers the implicit or explicit question of "Why?" and introduces the clause that explains the circumstances behind the main statement. It does not indicate purpose (use لِأَنْ), time, or contrast.
Pronoun Suffixes with Li'anna
| Pronoun | Arabic | English |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
لأنَّني
|
Because I
|
|
You (m)
|
لأنَّكَ
|
Because you
|
|
You (f)
|
لأنَّكِ
|
Because you
|
|
He
|
لأنَّهُ
|
Because he
|
|
She
|
لأنَّها
|
Because she
|
|
We
|
لأنَّنا
|
Because we
|
|
They
|
لأنَّهم
|
Because they
|
Meanings
The particle 'li'anna' is a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a causal clause, translating to 'because'.
Causal Reasoning
Explaining the cause of an event or state.
“أكلتُ لأنَّني جائع (I ate because I am hungry).”
“تأخرتُ لأنَّ الطريق مزدحم (I was late because the road is crowded).”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Main + li'anna + Suffix
|
أنا هنا لأنَّني أحبُّك
|
|
Negative
|
Main + li'anna + Suffix + la
|
أنا حزين لأنَّني لا أعمل
|
|
Noun
|
Main + li'anna + Noun (acc)
|
أنا سعيد لأنَّ الطقسَ جميل
|
|
Question
|
Main + li'anna + Suffix + ?
|
هل أنت هنا لأنَّك تريد المساعدة؟
|
Formality Spectrum
سأغادر لأنَّني متعبٌ. (Leaving a gathering)
سأذهب لأنَّني متعب. (Leaving a gathering)
بدي أمشي لأنَّي تعبان. (Leaving a gathering)
ماشي لأنَّي هلكت. (Leaving a gathering)
The Li'anna Connection
Pronouns
- لأنَّني because I
- لأنَّكَ because you
Nouns
- لأنَّ الطقسَ because the weather
Examples by Level
أنا سعيد لأنَّ اليوم جميل
I am happy because today is beautiful
لا أستطيع الذهاب لأنَّني مريض
I cannot go because I am sick
قررتُ السفر لأنَّ العمل كان متعباً
I decided to travel because work was tiring
تأخرتُ لأنَّ حركة المرور كانت كثيفة
I was late because traffic was heavy
نجحنا لأنَّنا عملنا بجد
We succeeded because we worked hard
تغيرت الظروف لأنَّ القرارات كانت حاسمة
Circumstances changed because the decisions were decisive
Easily Confused
Both connect clauses, but one is for cause and one for purpose.
Common Mistakes
لأنَّ أنا
لأنَّني
لأنَّ الطقسُ
لأنَّ الطقسَ
لأنَّ ذهبتُ
لأنَّني ذهبتُ
لأنَّه كان
لأنَّهُ كان
Sentence Patterns
أنا ___ لأنَّني ___
Real World Usage
أنا متأخر لأنَّ الطريق مزدحم
أريد هذه الوظيفة لأنَّني أمتلك المهارات
أحب هذا المكان لأنَّه هادئ
أريد تغيير الطلب لأنَّني لا أحب البصل
سأزور مصر لأنَّها جميلة
تغيرت النتائج لأنَّ المتغيرات اختلفت
Suffixes are key
Watch the case
Use it for flow
Dialect vs Standard
Smart Tips
Always check if you have a noun or a pronoun after li'anna.
Ensure the noun ends with a fatha (a).
Try to link your thoughts with li'anna to avoid choppy sentences.
Ask yourself: Is this a cause or a purpose?
Pronunciation
Stress
The stress usually falls on the syllable before the suffix.
Causal flow
Main clause (rising) -> li'anna (flat) -> Reason (falling)
Signals the end of a thought.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Li-anna is a 'Leaner'—it leans on the word that comes after it to make sense.
Visual Association
Imagine a bridge labeled 'Li'anna'. On one side is the 'Result', and on the other side is the 'Reason'. You must cross the bridge to connect them.
Rhyme
For the reason you want to show, use li'anna and let it flow.
Story
Ahmed was late. He said, 'I am late because (li'anna) the bus was slow.' He felt better once he explained the reason.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about your day using 'li'anna' to explain why you did each activity.
Cultural Notes
In spoken Levantine, 'li'anna' is often shortened to 'la'anni'.
Egyptians often use 'عشان' (ashan) instead of 'li'anna' in daily speech.
In formal news and literature, 'li'anna' is the standard choice.
Composed of the preposition 'li' (for) and the particle 'anna' (that).
Conversation Starters
لماذا تتعلم العربية؟
لماذا اخترت هذا العمل؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
أنا سعيد لأنَّ___ (I)
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
أنا حزين لأنَّ الطقسُ بارد.
أنا سعيد لأنَّني نجحت.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
سعيد / لأنَّني / أنا / اليوم
Li'anna + She
A: Why are you leaving? B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesأنا سعيد لأنَّ___ (I)
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
أنا حزين لأنَّ الطقسُ بارد.
أنا سعيد لأنَّني نجحت.
Match the suffix.
سعيد / لأنَّني / أنا / اليوم
Li'anna + She
A: Why are you leaving? B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesلم يأتِ إلى الحفلة ______ كان مريضاً.
نحن سعداء ______ فزنا بالمباراة.
Choose the best sentence to explain why you're late.
أكلت كثيراً لأن الطعامُ كان لذيذاً.
متعبٌ / لأنه / اليوم / طوال / عمل / هو
I will stay at home because it is raining.
Match the pairs.
هل يمكنك مساعدتي؟ ______ لا أفهم هذا الدرس.
هم فرحون لأن فازوا.
Which is best for texting a friend?
الشركة ناجحة لأن موظفيها يعملون بجد.
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
Yes, but it is less common. It is better to have a main clause first.
No, 'li' is a preposition for nouns, 'li'anna' is for clauses.
Because li'anna is a 'sister of Inna', which forces the accusative case.
If you don't use a noun, yes, you must use a pronoun suffix.
Yes, it is standard in all registers.
It will sound grammatically incorrect to native speakers.
Bi-sabab is followed by a noun phrase, li'anna by a full clause.
Yes, but often with variations like 'la'anni' or 'ashan'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
porque
Arabic requires case agreement on the following noun.
parce que
Arabic is a single particle with suffixes.
weil
Arabic does not change verb position.
kara
Word order is reversed.
yinwei
No case marking in Chinese.
لأنَّ
None.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Videos
Related Grammar Rules
Concession: Using 'In Spite Of' (bi-al-raghm min)
Overview Expressing contrast is fundamental to sophisticated communication in any language. In Arabic, the phrase **بالر...
Arabic Connector 'But' (Lakin)
Have you ever found yourself mid-sentence, having just said something nice, only to realize there's a giant 'however' lo...
Temporal Conjunction: `عندما` (when)
So, you want to talk about *when* things happen in Arabic? You're in the right place. The word you're looking for is `عن...
Using 'baynamā' (بينما) for 'while' and 'whereas'
Ever tried to explain two things happening at once? Or show how two things are totally different? Arabic has a super use...
Telling Stories with "When" (لمّا)
Overview `لمّا` (lammā) is an Arabic temporal conjunction that translates to "when" in English. However, unlike the vers...
