إذا

See also: آدا‎ and ادا‎

Arabic

Etymology

Equivalent to a univerbation of إِن‎ (ʾin, “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 • (ʾiḏā) (+ past or jussive)

when, when it is that; as soon as; if
Synonyms: (dated) إِذ‎ (ʾiḏ, “when”), لَمَّا‎ (lammā, “when; once”), حِينَ‎ (ḥīna, “(at) the moment that”)
‏إِذَا جِئْتَ فَاتَّصِلْ بِي‎
ʾiḏā jiʾta 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 ʾiḏā balaḡū n-nikāḥa fa-ʾin ʾānastum mminhum rušdan fa-dfaʿū ʾilayhim ʾamwālahum wa-lā taʾkulūhā ʾisrāfan wa-bidāran ʾan yakbarū wa-man kāna ḡaniyyan fal-yastaʿfif wa-man kāna faqīran fal-yaʾkul bi-l-maʿrūfi fa-ʾiḏā dafaʿtum ʾilayhim ʾamwālahum fa-ʾašhidū ʿalayhim 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, أَبُو ٱلْقَاسِمِ ٱلشَّابِيّ‎;مُصْطَفَى صَادِق الرَّافِعِي (lyrics), مُحَمَّد عَبْدُ ٱلْوَهَّاب (music), “حُمَاةَ ٱلْحِمَى”:
  ‏إِذَا الشَّعْبُ يَوْمًا أَرَادَ الْحَيَاة / فَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَسْتَجِيبَ الْقَدَر‎
  ʾiḏā aš-šaʿbu yawman ʾarāda l-ḥayā(t) / fa-lā budda ʾan yastajība l-qadar
  When a prideful people wills to live, / Destiny itself will grant their wish.
(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-ʾiḏā 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-ʾawḥaynā ʾilā mūsā ʾan ʾalqi ʿaṣāka fa-ʾiḏā hiya talqafu mā yaʾfikūna
  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 (ʾiḏā mā, “when; whenever”)

Pronunciation 2

IPA^(key): /ʔi.ðan/

Alternative forms

إِذَنْ‎ (ʾiḏan)

Adverb

إِذًا • (ʾiḏan)

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, 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–

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذَا‎ (ʾiḏā).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʔi.za/, [ˈʔɪ.za]

Audio (Ramallah)

(file)

Conjunction

إذا • (ʔiza)

if, whether
‏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.
Synonyms: إن‎ (ʔin), إنكنّـ‎ (ʔin-kann-)

Usage notes

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

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Arabic إِذًا‎ (ʾiḏan).

Adverb

إذا • (ʔiḏan)

so, then, therefore
Synonym: فـ‎ (fa-)