Telling Stories with "When" (لمّا)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Lamma' (لمّا) to connect two past events where one happens immediately after the other.
- Lamma is followed by a past tense verb: لمّا وصلتُ (When I arrived).
- It creates a sequence: The first action triggers the second.
- It is strictly for past tense events, not future or habitual actions.
Overview
لمّا (lammā) is an Arabic temporal conjunction that translates to "when" in English. However, unlike the versatile English "when," لمّا has a highly specific function in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): it exclusively connects two completed actions in the past, indicating immediate succession and often an implicit cause-and-effect relationship. At the B1 CEFR level, mastering لمّا significantly enhances your ability to construct coherent narratives and explain sequences of past events with precision.
It moves your Arabic from simple statements to structured storytelling, a crucial step for intermediate learners.
The primary role of لمّا is to establish a temporal dependency where one completed past action directly precedes and often triggers another. It sets the scene for a subsequent event, creating a clear chronological flow. For instance, لمّا وَصَلَ القطارُ، نَزَلَ الرُّكابُ (When the train arrived, the passengers disembarked) illustrates this immediate sequencing.
Understanding لمّا requires recognizing its strict adherence to past tense verbs and its role in distinguishing between general temporal relations and specific narrative progression.
It is imperative not to confuse لمّا with other Arabic words that also translate to "when," such as متى (matā) or عندما (ʿindamā). متى is an interrogative particle, used solely for asking "when?" questions. عندما is a more general temporal conjunction, capable of linking past, present, or future actions, and carrying a less emphatic sense of immediate consequence.
لمّا, by contrast, is a specialized tool for recounting completed actions, emphasizing the sequential and often impactful nature of the preceding event.
How This Grammar Works
لمّا functions as a subordinating conjunction, introducing a dependent clause that sets the temporal condition for the main, independent clause. The fundamental principle governing لمّا in MSA is perfectivity: both the action introduced by لمّا and the consequent action in the main clause must be fully completed. This is why both verbs in a لمّا construction must be in the perfect tense (فعل الماضي - fiʿl al-māḍī).لمّا + [Perfect Tense Verb 1] ... [Perfect Tense Verb 2] creates a tight semantic bond. The first action is presented as a completed event that acts as a trigger, background, or prerequisite for the second completed event.لمّا دَخَلَ المُعلِّمُ الصَّفَّ، وقَفَ الطّلابُ (When the teacher entered the classroom, the students stood up). The act of entering is complete, and it directly elicits the students' action.لمّا is a prime example of this precision.لمّا operates squarely within the domain of historical fact and narrative recounting.لمّا implies a close temporal connection, it often also suggests a logical consequence. The second action doesn't just happen after the first; it happens because of it, or as its direct result. This implicit causality makes لمّا a powerful tool for explaining sequences of events in a clear, concise manner.لمّا رأيتُ الأَسَدَ، هَرَبْتُ (When I saw the lion, I ran away). My running is a direct, immediate consequence of seeing the lion, both actions being completed in the past.Formation Pattern
لمّا is formulaic and relies on pairing it with perfect tense verbs. The pattern is rigid in MSA, ensuring clarity of meaning and temporal sequence. The core structure involves لمّا followed immediately by a verb in the perfect tense, initiating the first clause, which is then completed by a second clause also containing a perfect tense verb.
لمّا + [Perfect Tense Verb] + [Subject/Object/Complements of Clause 1] , [Perfect Tense Verb] + [Subject/Object/Complements of Clause 2]
لمّا: This particle always introduces the dependent clause.
لمّا كَتَبْتُ الرِّسالَةَ... (When I wrote the letter...)
لمّا must be in the perfect tense (الماضي). This verb establishes the completed initial action.
لمّا كَتَبْتُ الرِّسالَةَ... (When I wrote the letter...)
لمّا كَتَبْتُ الرِّسالَةَ، (When I wrote the letter,)
...أَرْسَلْتُها. (...I sent it.)
لمّا كَتَبْتُ الرِّسالَةَ، أَرْسَلْتُها. (When I wrote the letter, I sent it.)
Common Mistakes).
فَ (fa) or ثمَّ (thumma) at the beginning of the second clause. While not strictly necessary, they can add emphasis or specify the nature of the succession:
فَ | "then, so" | Indicates immediate consequence or causality. | لمّا سَمِعَ الأَذانَ، فَصَلّى. (When he heard the call to prayer, then he prayed.) |
ثمَّ | "then, after that" | Emphasizes a slight delay, but still sequential. | لمّا أَنْهى عَمَلَهُ، ثمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى المَنْزِلِ. (When he finished his work, then he went home.) |
لمّا is sufficient, and these particles are omitted. The connection between the two clauses remains clear without them. The simplicity of the structure (لمّا + past, past) is part of its elegance and narrative power.
When To Use It
لمّا is your primary tool for expressing immediate succession of completed actions in the past in MSA. Its usage is deeply embedded in narrative contexts, making it indispensable for recounting events, storytelling, reporting on past incidents, and providing explanations where one event directly follows another.لمّا:- Recounting Personal Experiences: When you are sharing a story about what happened to you,
لمّاhelps structure the sequence of events. - Example:
لمّا زُرْتُ المَدينَةَ، اِنْدَهَشْتُ بِجَمالِها.(When I visited the city, I was amazed by its beauty.)
- Describing Historical Events: In academic or formal contexts,
لمّاis frequently used to detail historical progression, where one event led directly to the next. - Example:
لمّا فَتَحَ المُسلِمونَ الأَنْدَلُسَ، بَدَأَتْ حَضارَةٌ جَديدَةٌ.(When the Muslims opened Andalusia, a new civilization began.) This signifies the direct onset of a new era after a preceding event.
- Explaining Cause and Effect in the Past: If you want to convey that a particular completed action in the past directly caused another completed action,
لمّاis highly effective. - Example:
لمّا سَقَطَ المَطَرُ، أَصْبَحَتِ الأَرْضُ خَضْراءَ.(When the rain fell, the earth became green.) The rain falling is the direct cause of the earth turning green.
- Reporting on News or Incidents: In journalism or formal reports,
لمّاprovides a concise way to link sequential events. - Example:
لمّا وَصَلَ الوفدُ، اِسْتَقْبَلَهُ الرَّئيسُ.(When the delegation arrived, the president received them.) This clarifies the order of events in a formal context.
- Setting a Scene for a Consequent Action:
لمّاcan establish the background or trigger event that leads to the main plot point in a story. - Example:
لمّا فَتَحَ الصُّنْدوقَ، وَجَدَ كَنْزًا.(When he opened the box, he found a treasure.) The opening of the box is the prerequisite for discovering the treasure.
لمّا whenever you are constructing a narrative where a completed past event serves as the immediate precursor or trigger for another completed past event. Its use signals a precise chronological and often logical connection between two actions, elevating your Arabic prose from simple statements to sophisticated sequential descriptions.Common Mistakes
لمّا due to the polysemy of "when" in English and the strict grammatical rules of MSA. Understanding these common pitfalls is crucial for accurate and idiomatic usage.لمّا with Interrogative متى (matā)متى is strictly for asking questions about time, meaning "When?" It should never be used to introduce a declarative statement or a dependent clause.- Incorrect:
متى وَصَلْتُ المَنْزِلَ، نِمْتُ.(Attempting to say: When I arrived home, I slept.) - Why it's wrong: This sounds like a question: "When did I arrive home? I slept." The interrogative
متىdisrupts the declarative nature of the sentence. - Correct:
لمّا وَصَلْتُ المَنْزِلَ، نِمْتُ.(When I arrived home, I slept.)
متى = Question, لمّا = Statement of past sequence.لمّا with Present or Future Tense Verbs in MSAلمّا in its temporal conjunctive role in MSA demands perfect tense verbs in both clauses. Using an imperfect (present/future) tense verb with لمّا for this meaning is grammatically incorrect in MSA.- Incorrect:
لمّا أَصِلُ غَدًا، سَأَتَّصِلُ بِكَ.(Attempting to say: When I arrive tomorrow, I will call you.) - Why it's wrong:
أَصِلُis an imperfect tense verb (present/future).لمّاcannot introduce a future event in MSA. - Correct (using
عندما):عندما أَصِلُ غَدًا، سَأَتَّصِلُ بِكَ.(When I arrive tomorrow, I will call you.)
- Incorrect:
لمّا يَكْتُبُ الطّالِبُ الوَاجِبَ، يُسَلِّمُهُ.(Attempting to say: When the student writes the homework, he submits it.) - Why it's wrong:
يَكْتُبُandيُسَلِّمُare imperfect verbs.لمّاrequires past actions. - Correct:
لمّا كَتَبَ الطّالِبُ الواجِبَ، سَلَّمَهُ.(When the student wrote the homework, he submitted it.) - Correct (using
عندماfor general truth):عندما يَكْتُبُ الطّالِبُ الوَاجِبَ، يُسَلِّمُهُ.(When the student writes the homework, he submits it. - general truth, imperfect is fine withعندما).
لمّا to past perfective sequences, many Arabic dialects (e.g., Egyptian, Levantine) colloquially use لمّا to introduce future conditions, often substituting عندما or إذا.- Dialectal (e.g., Egyptian):
لمّا أروح البيت، حاتصل بيك.(When I go home, I'll call you.) - acceptable in spoken dialect. - MSA Equivalent:
عندما أذهب إلى البيت، سأتصل بك.(When I go home, I will call you.)
لمّا). Be aware of dialectal usage for comprehension, but do not reproduce it in formal contexts.لمّا + Jussiveلمّا followed by an imperfect verb in the jussive mood (مجزوم - majzūm) means "not yet" or "not thereupon."- Classical/Formal:
لمّا يَذْهَبْ.(He has not gone yet.) - Why it's different: Here,
لمّاfunctions similarly toلَمْ(lam), negating a past perfective action that is expected. The verb is jussive, not indicative imperfect. - Your focus for B1
لمّا: If the verb followingلمّاis perfect tense and carries positive meaning, it means "when."
لمّا is in the perfect tense, you are using the temporal conjunction for "when" (past events).لمّا | When | Perfect | Perfect | Immediate past sequence, narrative |متى | When? | N/A (Question word) | N/A (Question word) | Interrogative (asking questions) |عندما | When | Any tense | Any tense | General temporal connector |لمّا + Jussive | Not yet | Jussive (negated imperfect) | N/A | Classical/Formal negation |Real Conversations
While لمّا might seem formal due to its precise MSA rules, it is a living part of modern Arabic communication, bridging formal narrative with everyday recountings. Its ability to concisely express sequential past actions makes it valuable in various contemporary contexts, from quick texts to more elaborate social media posts or professional emails.
- Text Messaging/Chat: Even in informal written communication, when briefly summarizing a past event, لمّا is used for clarity.
- وصلت؟ (Did you arrive?)
- لمّا وصلت البيت، نمت بسرعة. كنت تعبان جداً. (When I got home, I slept quickly. I was very tired.)
- Social Media Captions/Stories: When sharing a past experience, particularly one with a clear sequence, لمّا provides a concise narrative structure.
- (Picture of food) لمّا شفت الأكل ده، عرفت إن اليوم هيكون رائع! (When I saw this food, I knew the day was going to be great!)
- لمّا سافرت لأول مرة، حسيت بشعور غريب من الحرية. (When I traveled for the first time, I felt a strange sense of freedom.)
- Work Emails/Reports: In professional settings, explaining a sequence of past actions, لمّا ensures precision and formality.
- لمّا اكتمل المشروع، قمنا بتقديمه للعميل. (When the project was completed, we presented it to the client.)
- لمّا راجعتُ الملفات، وجدتُ بعض الأخطاء التي قمتُ بتصحيحها. (When I reviewed the files, I found some errors which I corrected.)
- Casual Conversation (recounting an anecdote): When telling a story to a friend, لمّا helps maintain the flow and highlights the immediate impact of one action on another.
- لمّا اتصل بي المدير فجأة، قلبي نزل مكانه! (When the manager called me suddenly, my heart dropped to my stomach!)
- لمّا وصلت الحفلة، لقيت كل أصحابي موجودين. كانت مفاجأة حلوة. (When I arrived at the party, I found all my friends there. It was a nice surprise.)
Notice how in these examples, لمّا doesn't just indicate "after which," but often implies "because of which" or "upon which." The first action is a definitive trigger for the second. This natural integration across various communication registers demonstrates لمّا's essential role in modern Arabic narrative.
Quick FAQ
- Q: Can
لمّاbe used with nominal sentences (sentences starting with a noun)? - A: No. In its temporal conjunction function meaning "when" in the past,
لمّاmust be followed immediately by a perfect tense verb. It connects actions, not states or nouns. For nominal sentences, you would typically useعندما(e.g.,عندما كان الجوُّ بارداً...- When the weather was cold...).لمّاis action-oriented.
- Q: Is
لمّاconsidered formal or casual? - A:
لمّاis versatile. It is grammatically formal and perfectly appropriate for high-level MSA literature, news, and academic writing. Simultaneously, it is a very common and natural part of everyday conversation and informal written communication (like texts or social media) when recounting past events. Its consistent application across registers for its specific temporal meaning makes it a fundamental part of Arabic.
- Q: Do I need a specific vowel ending on the word
لمّا? - A: No.
لمّاis an indeclinable particle (مبني - mabnī), meaning its form never changes, regardless of its position or grammatical role in a sentence. It always ends with anألف مقصورة(alif maqṣūrah) represented byىin writing and pronounced as a longa(like in "father"). You will always see it asلمّا.
- Q: What if the result in the second clause is negative?
- A: That is entirely acceptable and common. The rule for
لمّاis that both actions must be completed in the past. Whether the second action is positive or negative (an action that did not happen) does not affect the validity ofلمّا. The negation of a past action is often expressed usingلم(lam) + jussive (which gives a past tense meaning) orما(mā) + perfect tense. - Example:
لمّا اتصلتُ به، لم يُجِب.(When I called him, he did not answer.) - Here,لم يُجِبexpresses a completed non-action in the past. - Example:
لمّا حَدَثَتِ المُشْكِلَةُ، ما عَرَفَ ماذا يَفْعَلُ.(When the problem occurred, he did not know what to do.) -ما عَرَفَis a negated past perfect verb.
لمّا clause (اتصلتُ, حَدَثَتِ) introduces a completed past trigger, and the main clause (لم يُجِب, ما عَرَفَ) describes a completed past outcome, whether affirmative or negative.Lamma + Past Verb Structure
| Conjunction | Verb (Past) | Subject | Resulting Action |
|---|---|---|---|
|
لمّا
|
وصل
|
أحمد
|
نام
|
|
لمّا
|
قرأتُ
|
أنا
|
فهمتُ
|
|
لمّا
|
سافروا
|
هم
|
اتصلوا
|
|
لمّا
|
طبختِ
|
أنتِ
|
أكلنا
|
|
لمّا
|
سمعنا
|
نحن
|
ضحكنا
|
|
لمّا
|
رأيتُ
|
أنا
|
خفتُ
|
Meanings
Lamma acts as a temporal conjunction that links two past events, indicating that the second event occurred upon the completion of the first.
Sequential Past
Indicates event B happened because or immediately after event A.
“لمّا رأيتُه، ضحكتُ.”
“لمّا انتهى الفيلمُ، خرجنا.”
Completion
Focuses on the state of having finished an action.
“لمّا أكلتُ، شربتُ القهوةَ.”
“لمّا قرأتُ الكتابَ، فهمتُ القصةَ.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
لمّا + Past Verb + , + Past Verb
|
لمّا وصلتُ، نمتُ
|
|
Negative
|
لمّا + Past Verb + , + لم + Jussive
|
لمّا وصلتُ، لم أنمْ
|
|
Question
|
هل + لمّا + Past Verb + , + Past Verb?
|
هل لمّا وصلتَ، نمتَ؟
|
|
Short Answer
|
نعم، لمّا وصلتُ، نمتُ
|
نعم، لمّا وصلتُ، نمتُ
|
|
Variation
|
لمّا + Past Verb + , + قد + Past Verb
|
لمّا رأيتُه، قد غادرَ
|
Formality Spectrum
لمّا وصلتُ، بدأتُ العملَ. (Work setting)
لمّا وصلتُ، بدأتُ العملَ. (Work setting)
لمّا وصلت، بلّشت شغل. (Work setting)
أول ما وصلت، بلّشت. (Work setting)
Lamma Logic
Usage
- ماضي Past
- تسلسل Sequence
Constraint
- لا مضارع No present
Lamma vs Indama
Decision Process
Is it in the past?
Common Lamma Verbs
Action Verbs
- • وصل (arrived)
- • دخل (entered)
- • قرأ (read)
- • سافر (traveled)
Examples by Level
لمّا أكلتُ، شربتُ.
When I ate, I drank.
لمّا نمتُ، حلمتُ.
When I slept, I dreamed.
لمّا ذهبتُ، رأيتُه.
When I went, I saw him.
لمّا درستُ، نجحتُ.
When I studied, I succeeded.
لمّا وصلتُ إلى البيتِ، اتصلتُ بأمي.
When I arrived home, I called my mother.
لمّا شاهدتُ الفيلمَ، بكيتُ.
When I watched the movie, I cried.
لمّا اشتريتُ الكتابَ، قرأتُه فوراً.
When I bought the book, I read it immediately.
لمّا سافرَ صديقي، حزنتُ كثيراً.
When my friend traveled, I was very sad.
لمّا انتهى الاجتماعُ، ناقشنا التفاصيلَ.
When the meeting ended, we discussed the details.
لمّا سمعتُ الخبرَ، لم أصدقْ أذني.
When I heard the news, I couldn't believe my ears.
لمّا تخرجتُ من الجامعةِ، بدأتُ العملَ.
When I graduated from university, I started working.
لمّا زرتُ القاهرةَ، أعجبتني المدينةُ.
When I visited Cairo, I liked the city.
لمّا أدركتُ خطئي، اعتذرتُ فوراً.
When I realized my mistake, I apologized immediately.
لمّا استقرَّ الوضعُ، عدنا إلى ديارنا.
When the situation stabilized, we returned to our homes.
لمّا قرأتُ الروايةَ، تأثرتُ بأسلوبِ الكاتبِ.
When I read the novel, I was moved by the author's style.
لمّا طُلبَ مني المساعدةُ، لم أترددْ.
When I was asked for help, I did not hesitate.
لمّا تلاشتْ آمالُهم، بدأوا من جديدٍ.
When their hopes faded, they started anew.
لمّا استوعبتُ تعقيداتِ الموقفِ، قررتُ الانسحابَ.
When I grasped the complexities of the situation, I decided to withdraw.
لمّا تجلتْ الحقيقةُ، صمتَ الجميعُ.
When the truth became clear, everyone fell silent.
لمّا انقضى الوقتُ، أُغلقتْ الأبوابُ.
When the time elapsed, the doors were closed.
لمّا استُحضرَ التاريخُ، أدركنا فداحةَ الخطأِ.
When history was summoned, we realized the gravity of the error.
لمّا تبلورتْ الفكرةُ، صاغها ببراعةٍ.
When the idea crystallized, he articulated it brilliantly.
لمّا أُسدلَ الستارُ، تصاعدَ التصفيقُ.
When the curtain fell, the applause surged.
لمّا تلاقتْ الأفكارُ، وُلدَ المشروعُ.
When the ideas converged, the project was born.
Easily Confused
Both mean 'when'.
Spelling is identical.
Both involve time.
Common Mistakes
لمّا أذهبُ
لمّا ذهبتُ
لمّا كل يوم
كلما
لمّا هو وصل
لمّا وصل
لمّا وصلتُ، أنا نمتُ
لمّا وصلتُ، نمتُ
لمّا سوف أذهبُ
لمّا ذهبتُ
لمّا أكلتُ، أنا أكلتُ
لمّا أكلتُ، شربتُ
لمّا وصلتُ، لم أذهبْ
لمّا وصلتُ، لم أذهبْ
لمّا كنتُ أذهبُ
لمّا ذهبتُ
لمّا أصلُ
لمّا وصلتُ
لمّا أكلتُ، كنتُ أشربُ
لمّا أكلتُ، شربتُ
لمّا أكونُ قد وصلتُ
لمّا وصلتُ
لمّا سأصلُ
لمّا وصلتُ
لمّا أصلُ، سأنامُ
لمّا وصلتُ، نمتُ
Sentence Patterns
لمّا ___، ___.
لمّا ___، لم ___.
لمّا ___، قد ___.
لمّا ___، كنتُ ___.
Real World Usage
لمّا وصلت، طمني.
لمّا شفت الصور، ذكريات!
لمّا تخرجت، بدأت أبحث عن عمل.
لمّا وصلت المطار، كان الزحام شديداً.
لمّا وصل الطلب، كان بارداً.
لمّا انتهت الدراسة، تم نشر النتائج.
Check the Tense
Don't use for habits
Narrative Flow
Spoken vs Written
Smart Tips
Use Lamma to mark the start of a new scene.
Use Lamma to show cause and effect.
If it's not past, don't use Lamma.
Use Lamma instead of 'Awwal ma'.
Pronunciation
Lamma
The 'm' is doubled (shadda). Hold the sound slightly.
Sequential
لمّا وصلتُ (rising) -> نمتُ (falling)
Indicates the end of the first clause.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Lamma is like a 'Llama' that only walks backward in time.
Visual Association
Imagine a train (the first action) pulling into a station (Lamma), and immediately the passengers (the second action) get off.
Rhyme
Lamma in the past, makes the story move fast.
Story
Lamma is a time-traveler. He only visits the past. When he arrives at a moment, he forces the next moment to happen immediately. He never looks at the future.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about your morning using 'Lamma' for each step.
Cultural Notes
In spoken Levantine, 'Lamma' is often replaced by 'Awwal ma' (As soon as).
Egyptians often use 'Lamma' but might shorten it to 'Lamma' with a glottal stop.
Formal usage is very common in news and formal speeches.
Derived from the preposition 'li' (for) and 'ma' (what/that).
Conversation Starters
لمّا وصلتَ إلى هنا، ماذا فعلتَ؟
لمّا سمعتَ الخبرَ، ماذا كان شعورُك؟
لمّا تخرجتَ، هل كنتَ سعيداً؟
لمّا قرأتَ هذا الكتابَ، ماذا تعلمتَ؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
لمّا ___ (وصل) المدير، بدأ الاجتماع.
___ (لمّا/كلما) ذهبتُ إلى السوقِ، اشتريتُ خبزاً.
Find and fix the mistake:
لمّا أذهبُ، نمتُ.
عندما وصلتُ، نمتُ. (Use Lamma)
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
لمّا / نمتُ / وصلتُ
لمّا (قرأ) هو الكتاب، فهمه.
Lamma can be used for future events.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesلمّا ___ (وصل) المدير، بدأ الاجتماع.
___ (لمّا/كلما) ذهبتُ إلى السوقِ، اشتريتُ خبزاً.
Find and fix the mistake:
لمّا أذهبُ، نمتُ.
عندما وصلتُ، نمتُ. (Use Lamma)
لمّا رأيتُه... / ...ضحكتُ
لمّا / نمتُ / وصلتُ
لمّا (قرأ) هو الكتاب، فهمه.
Lamma can be used for future events.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesلمّا ___ من السفر، كنتُ متعباً جداً.
لمّا أذهبُ إلى السوق غداً، سأشتري تفاحاً.
Reorder the words:
When the professor spoke, the students listened.
Which of these words is strictly used to ASK a question about time?
Which pair correctly matches the word to its grammatical rule?
سأسافر ___ تنتهي الامتحانات.
لمّا يقرأُ الكتاب، فهم القصة.
Reorder the words:
When did you arrive?
Why is 'لمّا أذهبُ غداً' incorrect in formal MSA?
Which statement is true about 'لمّا' in dialects vs MSA?
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No, Lamma is strictly for past events. Use Indama for future.
No, 'Li-ma' means why. 'Lamma' (with shadda) means when.
No, it just sets the time frame.
No, it must be followed by a verb.
It is used in both formal and informal Arabic.
Lamma is perfect for that! It links them sequentially.
Yes, but it's rare. Usually used in statements.
Hina is more literary and general.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cuando + pretérito
Arabic is more restrictive with tense.
Quand + passé composé
Lamma implies a stronger causal link.
Als + Präteritum
Very similar usage.
〜たとき (ta-toki)
Arabic's Lamma is strictly past.
لمّا
None.
当...的时候 (dāng... de shíhòu)
Arabic relies on verb tense.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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