אם

Real Conditions

Level 3

אם means if in an ordinary open condition. The condition and result are separate clauses with their own subjects and time meanings.

How It Works

Present and Future Conditions

אם יש לך זמן, אפשר לדבר uses a present condition. אם יהיה לך זמן מחר, נדבר uses a future condition. Hebrew allows a future form in the if clause; it does not follow the English present-tense wording mechanically.

Order and Meaning

אם ירד גשם, נישאר בבית and נישאר בבית אם ירד גשם express the same basic dependency. The result clause need not contain אז, though אז can make then explicit when useful.

Open or Hypothetical?

Start with ordinary possibilities, such as someone having time tomorrow. Unreal or contrary-to-fact conditions often use אילו or לו with היה constructions in careful writing. Colloquial אם also occurs in hypothetical sentences; do not classify a whole sentence solely from the connector without examining its verb construction and context.

Examples (4)

  1. אם יש לך זמן, אפשר לדבר.

    If you have time, we can talk.

    The condition concerns the present.

  2. אם יהיה זמן מחר, נלך לטייל.

    If there is time tomorrow, we will go for a walk.

    The Hebrew condition uses a future form.

  3. נישאר בבית אם ירד גשם.

    We will stay at home if it rains.

    The condition follows its result.

  4. אם את רוצה, נשתה קפה.

    If you want, we will have coffee.

    Each clause has its own subject and verb form.

How It Connects

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אםLevel 3Real Conditions

Learn This First

State an open condition and its possible consequence.

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Patterns that build on this one.