Levantine uses iza for real conditions ("if it rains") and law for imagined ones ("if I were rich").
Real conditions: iza + past
After iza, use the past tense, even when you're talking about the future. The result usually uses ra7 or a command.
- ุฅุฐุง ุฅุฌุชุ ุฑุญ ูููุงiza ijit, ra7 2illaIf she comes, I'll tell her.
- ุฅุฐุง ุนูุฏู ููุชุ ุชุนุงiza 3andak wa2t, ta3aIf you have time, come over.
- ุฅุฐุง ู ุง ุฅุฌุงุ ุงุชุตู ูููiza ma ija, ittasel fiyyiIf he doesn't come, call me.
Imagined conditions: law + kaan
For something unreal, or something that didn't happen, use law and put kaan (was) in the result:
- ูู ููุช ุจุนุฑูุ ููุช ููุชููlaw kint ba3ref, kint 2eltellakIf I had known, I would have told you.
- ูู ู ุนู ู ุตุงุฑูุ ููุช ุงุดุชุฑูุชูุงlaw ma3i masaari, kint ishtareitaIf I had had money, I would have bought it.
kaan agrees with the person: kint (I/you m), kinti (you f), kaan (he), kaanit (she), kinna (we), kintu (you pl), kaanu (they).
Useful combinations
- ุญุชู ูู7atta laweven if
- ุฅูุง ุฅุฐุงilla izaunless
- ุฅุฐุง ุจุชุฑูุฏiza bitriidplease (literally "if you want")