متى ما

Arabic

Etymology

متى (“when; whenever”) +‎ ـمَا (-mā, “soever”).

Conjunction

مَتَى مَا • (matā mā) (+ past or jussive)

1. when; whenever; if ever

   مَتَى مَا تَجِئْ عِنْدِي أَسْعَدْ كَثِيرًا

   matā mā tajiʔ ʕindī ʔasʕad kaṯīran

   Whenever you come by my place, I feel so happy.

   • 7th century CE, Kaʿb ibn Zuhayr, أَعلَمُ أَنّي مَتى ما يَأتِني قَدَري [My Fate]:

     أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مَتَى مَا يَأْتِنِي قَدَرِي * فَلَيْسَ يَحْبِسُهُ شُحٌّ وَلَا شَفَقُ

     ʔaʕlamu ʔannī matā mā yaʔtinī qadarī * falaysa yaḥbisuhu šuḥḥun walā šafaqū

     I know so well that when my fate
     Comes by for me, neither grudging
     Nor pitying can hold him back.