Conjunctions

Except

إلّا

illaa

ما باكُل ديك رومي (إلّا) في عيد الشُكُر.

maa baakul diik roomi illaa fi 3iid ash-shukur.

I don't eat turkey except on Thanksgiving.

example:

After

بَعَد ما

ba3ad maa

أنا حَستَحَمَّ (بَعَد ما) أرجَع البيت.

ana HastaHamma ba3ad maa arja3 al-beet.

I will shower after I return to the house.

example:

And

و

u

أنا بَحِب فَواكِه (و) خُضرَوات.

ana baHib fawaakih u khuDrawaat.

I love fruits and vegetables.

example:

When this conjunction precedes the definite article (ال) the pronunciation changes from "u" to "wa". For example, "والبيت" (and the house) is pronounced "wa l-beet".

As much as

قَدُر ما

gadur maa

أنا حَحاوِل (قَدُر ما) أقدَر.

ana HaHaawil gadur maa agdar.

I will try as much as I am able.

example:

As soon as

أوَّل ما

awwal maa

شَمّيت الريحَه (أوَّل ما) فَتَحتَ الباب.

shammeet ar-riiHa awwal maa fataHta al-baab.

I smelled the smell as soon as I opened the door.

example:

Because

عَشان

3ashaan

ما حَمشي السودان (عَشان) الحَرِب.

maa Hamshi as-suudaan 3ashaan al-Harib.

I won't go to Sudan because of the war.

example:

Because / So that

لِأنّو

liannu

أنا بَحِب السودان (لِأنّو) الناس طَيِّبين.

ana baHib as-suudaan liannu an-naas Tayyibiin.

I love Sudan because the people are nice.

example:

Before

قَبلِ ما

gabli maa

حَمشي النادي (قَبلِ ما) أمشي المَكتَب.

Hamshi an-naadi gabli maa amshi al-maktab.

I will go to the exercise club before I go to the office.

example:

But

لكِن

laakin

أنا سوداني (لكِن) ساكِن في أمريكا.

ana suudaani laakin saakin fi amriika.

I am Sudanese but I live in America.

example:

Either ... or ...

يا...يا...

yaa...yaa...

(يا) تَدفَع (يا) تَمشي.

yaa tadfa3 yaa tamshi.

Either pay (to a male) or leave.

example:

Only

بَس

bas

ما بَشرَب قَهوَه بَشرَب شاي (بَس).

maa bashrab gahwah bashrab shaay bas.

I don't drink coffee, I only drink tea.

example:

Even

حَتّى

Hattaa

هو ما بياكُل خُضرَوات (حَتّى) في الشوربَه.

hu maa biyaakul khuDrawaat Hattaa fi shurba.

He doesn't eat vegetables even in soup.

example:

Instead of

بَدَل

badal

أنا عايِز لَحَم خَروف (بَدَل) لَحَم دَجاج.

ana 3aayiz laHam kharuuf badal laHam dijaaj.

I want lamb (meat) instead of chicken (meat).

example:

Instead of

بَدَل ما

badal maa

مُمكِن نَركَب الباص (بَدَل ما) نَمشي

mumkin narkab al-baaS badal maa namshi

We could take the bus (instead of) walking.

example:

This conjuction must always be used with verbs.

Like / As

زَي ما

zay maa

(زي ما) إنت عارِف أنا طالِب.

zay maa inta 3aarif ana Taalib.

As you (male) know, I am a student.

example:

Or

وَلّا

wallaa

إنتَ عايِز بيتزا (وَلّا) بُرغَر؟

inta 3aayiz biitza wallaa burghar?

Do you (male) want pizza or a burger?

example:

Since

مِنما

mimmaa

بَحِب كورة القَدَم (مِنما) كُنتَ صَغير.

baHib kuurat al-qadam mimmaa kunta Sagheer.

I've loved football since I was little.

example:

That

إنّو

innu

قُلتَ ليها (إنّو) الشارَع دا كَبير.

gulta leeha innu ash-shaara3 da kabiir.

I told her that this street is big.

example:

Until

لِحَدي ما

liHadii maa

أنا حَستَنّى هِنا (لِحَدي ما) اُمّي تَجي.

ana Hastannaa hina liHadi maa ummi taji

I will wait here until my mom comes.

example:

Wherever

وين ما

ween maa

(وين ما) ماشَه في المَدينَه دي حَتَلقي جُقور.

ween maa maasha fii al-madiina di Hatalgi juguur.

Wherever you (female) go in this city you (female) will find rats.

example:

If

لَو

law

(لَو) حَتِشتَري الأكِل حَتبُخه.

law Hatishtari al-akil Hatbukhu.

If you buy the food I will cook it.

example:

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Study Mode

In Sudanese Arabic, conjunctions play an essential role in connecting words, phrases, and clauses to form cohesive sentences and express relationships between ideas. Some conjunctions need to be followed by a verb (usually the imperfect). Those conjunctions have the particle ما (maa) after them. Note this particle differs from the negation particle ما.