إذا

See also: آدا and ادا

Arabic

Etymology

Equivalent to a univerbation of إِن (ʔin, “if, introduces protasis”) +‎ ذَا (ḏā, “this, demonstrative pronoun”). A retroactively added protasis may be instead understood by the hearer as a new main clause, therefore “when” became “then”. Like in Latin—well-known—relative pronouns are used as proximal demonstrative pronouns indistinctly: quod erat demonstrandum.

Compare to Hebrew אָז (ʾāz, “so, therefore, then”), Hebrew אַזַי, Aramaic אֱדַיִן (ʾĕḏáyin, “then, at that time”), which may in lack of attestations of conjunctional use instead parallel هٰذَا (hāḏā) however.

Pronunciation 1

• IPA^(key): /ʔi.ðaː/

• Audio

  (file)

Conjunction

إِذَا • (ʔiḏā) (+ past or jussive)

1. when, when it is that; as soon as; if

   Synonyms: (dated) إِذ (ʔiḏ, “when”), لَمَّا (lammā, “when; once”), حِينَ (ḥīna, “(at) the moment that”)

   إِذَا جِئْتَ فَاتَّصِلْ بِي

   ʔiḏā jiʔta fāttaṣil bī

   As soon as you arrive, call me.

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 4:6:

     وَٱبْتَلُوا ٱلْيَتَامَى حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغُوا ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَا إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَى بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبًا

     wa-btalū l-yatāmā ḥattā ʔiḏā balaḡū n-nikāḥa fa-ʔin ʔānastum mminhum rušdan fa-dfaʕū ʔilayhim ʔamwālahum wa-lā taʔkulūhā ʔisrāfan wa-bidāran ʔan yakbarū wa-man kāna ḡaniyyan fal-yastaʕfif wa-man kāna faqīran fal-yaʔkul bi-l-maʕrūfi fa-ʔiḏā dafaʕtum ʔilayhim ʔamwālahum fa-ʔašhidū ʕalayhim wa-kafā bi-llahi ḥasīban

     And examine the orphans till they seem able to bear intercourse. If you sense prudence from them, pass their money to them, and do not eat it extravangantly nor hastily before their growing up. Whoever is rich should abstain, and whoever is poor may eat [from it] as is custom. And when you pass them the money, summon someone to be a witness against them. It is Allah who is the Reckoner [and who counts your deeds].

   • 1930s, “حُمَاةَ ٱلْحِمَى”, أَبُو ٱلْقَاسِمِ ٱلشَّابِيّ, مُصْطَفَى صَادِق الرَّافِعِي (lyrics), مُحَمَّد عَبْدُ ٱلْوَهَّاب (music):

     إِذَا الشَّعْبُ يَوْمًا أَرَادَ الْحَيَاة / فَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ الْقَدَر

     ʔiḏā aš-šaʕbu yawman ʔarāda l-ḥayā(t) / fa-lā budda ʔan yastajība l-qadar

     When a prideful people wills to live, / Destiny itself will grant their wish.

2. (indicates perception, as of a sudden or concurrent action) (with فَ (fa, “then”)) and then, and; thereupon, whereupon; when behold, then behold

   خَرَجْتُ فَإِذَا الْمَطَرُ يَنْهَمِرُ

   ḵarajtu fa-ʔiḏā al-maṭaru yanhamiru

   I went out, and the rain was pouring.

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 7:117:

     وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ

     wa-ʔawḥaynā ʔilā mūsā ʔan ʔalqi ʕaṣāka fa-ʔiḏā hiya talqafu mā yaʔfikūna

     And We inspired Moses [and said,] "Cast your staff", whereupon it devoured what they were forging.

Usage notes

• When iḏā is used as the conditional particle in a conditional clause, it may be followed by a past-tense verb regardless of natural time-reference.
• As a particle of surprise the verb that follows is typically found in the present/non-past tense despite having a past-tense sense; most often used in storytelling or relating events, announcing an event or occurrence that follows after another, a sequence.

Derived terms

• إِذَا مَا (ʔiḏā mā, “when; whenever”)

Pronunciation 2

• IPA^(key): /ʔi.ðan/

Alternative forms

• إِذَنْ (ʔiḏan)

Adverb

إِذًا • (ʔiḏan)

1. then, therefore

References

• Corriente, Federico, Pereira, Christophe, Vicente, Angeles, editors (2017), Dictionnaire du faisceau dialectal arabe andalou. Perspectives phraséologiques et étymologiques (in French), Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN, page 21
• “ˀdyn”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• “hdn”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

Egyptian Arabic

Alternative forms

• إزا

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذَا (ʔiḏā).

Conjunction

إذا • (ʔiza)

1. if

   إذا كان معاك فلوس سلفني خمسين جنيه

   ʔiza kān maʕak flūs sallifni ḵamsīn ginīh

   If you have some money, lend me fifty pounds.

   إذا مفيش مشكلة

   ʔiza ma-fīš muškila

   If it's not a problem.

2. whether, if

   اسأله إذا كان معاه سمك

   isʔalu ʔiza kān maʕāh samak

   Ask him whether he has fish.

See also

• إن (ʔin, “if”), لو (law, “if”)

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذَا (ʔiḏā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔi.za/, /ʔi.ða/

Conjunction

إذا • (ʔiza, ʔiḏa)

1. when, when it is that; as soon as

   Synonym: لَمَّا (lamma)

2. if, whether

See also

• لو (law, “if (hypothetical)”)

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذًا (ʔiḏan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔi.zan/, /ʔi.ðan/

Adverb

إذًا • (ʔizan, ʔiḏan)

1. so, then, therefore

   Synonyms: فـ (fa-), أجل (ʔajal)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذَا (ʔiḏā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔi.za/, [ˈʔɪ.za]

Audio (Ramallah)

(file)

Conjunction

إذا • (ʔiza)

1. if, whether

   Synonyms: إن (ʔin), إنكنّـ (ʔin-kann-)

   إسأله إذا المدير موجود.

   ʔisʔalo ʔiza l-mudīr mawjūd

   Ask him if the manager is there.

   ما بعرف إذا برجع ولّا لأ.

   ma baʕref ʔiza birjaʕ willa laʔ

   I don't know whether he's coming back or not.

   إذا رجع بكير، بقلّك.

   ʔiza rijeʕ bakkīr, baʔul-lak

   If he gets back early, I'll tell you.

Usage notes

• إذا (ʔiza) may be followed by a past tense verb referring to a future action.

See also

• لو (law, “if (hypothetical)”), لونّـ (lawenn-, “if (hypothetical)”)

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذًا (ʔiḏan).

Adverb

إذا • (ʔiḏan)

1. so, then, therefore

   Synonym: فـ (fa-)

See also

• لكان (lakān, “so, then, in that case”)