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أو. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
أو, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
أو in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
أو you have here. The definition of the word
أو will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
أو, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Arabic
Etymology
From Proto-Semitic *ʔaw. Cognate with Hebrew אוֹ (’o), Ugaritic 𐎜 (ủ /ʾō/).
Pronunciation
Conjunction
أَوْ • (ʔaw)
- indicates an inclusive disjunction
كُلِ التَّمْرَ الْهِنْدِيَّ أَوِ ٱشْرَبِ الْبُرْتُقَالَ.- kuli t-tamra l-hindiyya ʔawi šrabi l-burtuqāla.
- Eat the tamarind! Or drink the orange-juice!
- (only in declaratives) indicates an exclusive disjunction
كُلُّ شَيْءٍ إِمَّا مَوْجُودٌ أَوْ غَيْرُ مَوْجُودٍ.- kullu šayʔin ʔimmā mawjūdun ʔaw ḡayru mawjūdin.
- Every object is either existent or inexistent.
لَا أَدْرِي هَلْ صَاحِبُكَ شَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ.- lā ʔadrī hal ṣāḥibuka šaqiyyun ʔaw saʕīdun.
- I do not know whether your friend is happy or downhearted.
Usage notes
- أَمْ (ʔam) is used in questions where only one option is correct, possible or needed, whereas أَوْ (ʔaw) is used if more options may be correct.
هَلْ سَيَأْتِي أَبُوكَ أَوْ أُمُّكَ؟- hal sayaʔtī ʔabūka ʔaw ʔummuka?
- Will your mother or your father come? (will anyone of them come?)
هَلْ سَيَأْتِي أَبُوكَ أَمْ أُمُّكَ؟- hal sayaʔtī ʔabūka ʔam ʔummuka?
- Will your mother or your father come? (which one will come?)
Related terms
Descendants
References
- Wehr, Hans (1979) “أو”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN
South Levantine Arabic
Etymology
From Arabic أَوْ (ʔaw).
Pronunciation
Conjunction
أو • (ʔaw)
- or
- or (mutually exclusive, when used together with إما (ʔimma))
- Synonyms: ولا (willa), يا ... يا (ya ... ya)
إما بتدفع كاش أو بالكرت.- ʔimma btidfaʕ kāš ʔaw bil-kart
- Either you pay cash or by card.