בין אם … ובין אם …

Whether One Alternative or Another

Level 5

בין אם ... ובין אם means whether ... or in a suitable alternative construction. The main statement applies across the alternatives named.

How It Works

State the Alternatives

Each אם clause gives one possibility: בין אם היא תבוא ובין אם הוא יבוא. The main clause then says what applies in either case. This structure is not itself a question asking which possibility will occur.

A Positive and Negative Pair

In the rain example, ירד גשם and לא ירד גשם name opposite possibilities. Each full clause follows its own בין אם. The agreement example likewise states את מסכימה and את לא מסכימה explicitly.

Relevant Alternatives

Name the alternatives that cover the possibilities relevant to this message. The rain-or-no-rain example gives a positive and negative pair. In the two-arrival example, the sentence frames the arrivals as the relevant options. It does not count every possible event in the world. The main statement is presented as holding whichever named alternative applies.

Examples (4)

  1. בין אם ירד גשם ובין אם לא ירד גשם, נצא.

    Whether it rains or not, we will go.

    Both weather alternatives preserve the plan.

  2. בין אם את מסכימה ובין אם את לא מסכימה, צריך להחליט.

    Whether you agree or not, a decision is needed.

    The two full clauses state agreement and its negative alternative.

  3. בין אם היא תבוא ובין אם הוא יבוא, נתחיל בזמן.

    Whether she comes or he comes, we will start on time.

    The main result applies to the stated alternatives.

  4. אני אנסה בין אם זה קל ובין אם זה קשה.

    I will try whether it is easy or difficult.

    The alternative clauses follow the main commitment.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

בין אם … ובין אם …Level 5Whether One Alternative or Another

Learn This First

Present alternatives whose choice does not change the following statement.