إما

See also: أما, اما, and آما

Arabic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔim.maː/

Etymology 1

Univerbation of إِن (ʔin, “if”) +‎ مَا (mā, relative).

Conjunction

إِمَّا • (ʔimmā)

1. used for disjunction, both posited as equal alternatives, either … or, be it that, whether, may it be that, etc.

   كُلُّ شَيْءٍ إِمَّا مَوْجُودٌ وَإِمَّا مَعْدُومٌ.

   kullu šayʔin ʔimmā mawjūdun waʔimmā maʕdūmun.

   Every object is either existent or inexistent.

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 20:65:

     قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى إِمَّا أَن تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى

     qālū yā mūsā ʔimmā ʔan tulqiya waʔimmā ʔan nakūna ʔawwala man ʔalqā

     They said: O Moses! Either throw first, or let us be the first to throw?

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 76:3:

     إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

     ʔinnā hadaynāhu s-sabīla ʔimmā šākiran wa-ʔimmā kafūran

     Lo! We have guided him by the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.

Related terms

• أَوْ (ʔaw)
• أَمْ (ʔam)

Etymology 2

إِن (ʔin, “if”) +‎ ـمَا (-mā, “soever”).

Conjunction

إِمَّا • (ʔimmā)

1. if ever
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 19:26:

     فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي

     fa-ʔimmā tarayinna mina l-bašari ʔaḥadan fa-qūlī

     If thou meetest any mortal, say:

References

• Tropper, Josef (2003) “Sekundäres wortanlautendes Alif im Arabischen”, in Kogan, Leonid, editor, Studia Semitica (Orientalia: Papers of the Oriental Institute; III), Moscow, →ISBN, page 202

Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic إِمَّا (ʔimmā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔim.ma/

Conjunction

إما • (ʔimma)

1. either (used together with أولا (ʔawla, “or”), ولا (walla, “or”) or أو (ʔaw, “or”))

   Synonym: يا (yā)

   إما غادي تمشي فحالك ولّا غادي نعيط للبوليس.

   ʔimma ḡādi timši f-ḥālek walla ḡādi nʕayyaṭ l-el-būlīs.

   Either you will leave or I will call the police.

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic إِمَّا (ʔimmā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔim.ma/, [ˈʔɪm.ma]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Conjunction

إمّا • (ʔimma)

1. either (used together with أو (ʔaw, “or”))

   إما بتدفع أجار البيت أو بترحل.

   ʔimma btidfaʕ ʔajār il-bēt ʔaw btirḥal

   Either you pay the rent or you get out.