مَا أَن
mā ʔan
In Arabic, "as soon as" can be expressed in several ways, most commonly using مَا أَن (mā ʔan). Wiktionary also lists حَالَمَا (ḥālamā) and بِمُجَرَّد (bimujarrad).
Meaning: immediately after (conj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| مَا أَن | mā ʔan |
| حَالَمَا | ḥālamā |
| بِمُجَرَّد | bimujarrad |
| مَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ | mā huwa ʔillā ʔan |
These phrases are used as conjunctions to indicate that one event happens immediately after another. For a more formal way to express the idea of "at the earliest possible time," you may use في أسرع وقت ممكن.
What does it mean word for word?
The word بِمُجَرَّد is derived from a root meaning "pure" or "unmixed," which literally implies "at the very moment of" or "once something is pure/complete."
Which one should you use?
While حَالَمَا and مَا أَن both mean "as soon as," حَالَمَا is more common in modern standard literary contexts, whereas مَا أَن can feel slightly more classical.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the formal form بِمُجَرَّدِ, you must include the particle أَنْ to connect it to the following verb (forming بِمُجَرَّدِ أَنْ).
How do you pronounce it?
mā ʔan
Did you know?
- The word بِمُجَرَّد comes from a root that means 'to strip' or 'to peel'. In this context, it implies that nothing is left between the two events except the moment itself.
- In spoken Arabic dialects, the formal conjunctions like حَالَمَا are almost never used. Speakers instead use a combination of أول ما and the verb to express the same immediacy.
- The phrase مَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ can be used to create a sense of dramatic immediacy, often appearing in literature to emphasize that there was no delay whatsoever.
Examples in context
- سنقوم باتباع الخطوات بالترتيب وفي أسرع وقت ممكن.We will follow the steps in order and as soon as possible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “as soon as” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
