← Back to Lisan al-Arab

متى

Root entry · 1 derived lemma

This root primarily concerns the interrogative particle 'mata' (when), used to inquire about the time of an event. It can also function as a preposition meaning 'in' or 'from', and in certain contexts, 'middle'. Its grammatical function and orthography are also discussed.

Derived headwords

مَتَىparticle
  1. 1.
    when (interrogative)both

    An interrogative particle used to ask about the time of an event, functioning as a substitute for extensive temporal descriptions.

  2. 2.
    when (conditional)both

    Used in conditional sentences, often with 'ma', to indicate a condition that, when met, leads to a consequence.

  3. 3.
    when (denial/negation)classical

    Used to express denial or negation of an event, implying 'it never happened' or 'when was this?'.

  4. 4.
    inclassical

    A preposition meaning 'in', used to indicate location or containment.

  5. 5.
    fromclassical

    A preposition meaning 'from', used to indicate origin or source.

  6. 6.
    middleclassical

    Meaning 'middle' or 'amidst', referring to the central part of something.

Parallel reading

مَتَى: كَلِمَةُ اسْتِفْهَامٍ عَنْ وَقْتِ أَمْرٍ
Mata: a word of inquiry about the time of an affair.
وَهُوَ اسْمٌ مُغْنٍ عَنِ الْكَلامِ الْكَثِيرِ الْمُتَنَاهِي فِي الْبُعْدِ وَالطُّولِ
And it is a noun that suffices for much speech, that is boundless in distance and length.
فَإِذَا قُلْتَ مَتَى تَقُومُ أَغْنَاكَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الْأَزْمِنَةِ عَلَى بُعْدِهَا
So if you say 'When will you stand up?', that suffices you from mentioning the times in their remoteness.
وَمَتَى بِمَعْنَى فِي، يُقَالُ: وَضَعْتُهُ مَتَى كُمِّي أَيْ فِي كُمِّي
And 'mata' meaning 'in', it is said: I placed it 'mata' my sleeve, meaning 'in' my sleeve.
وَمَتَى بِمَعْنَى مِنْ؛ قَالَ سَاعِدَةُ بْنُ جُؤَيَةَ: أَخِيلُ بَرْقًا مَتَى حَابٍ لَهُ زَجَلٌ
And 'mata' meaning 'from'; Sa'idah bin Ju'ayyah said: I saw lightning that had a rumbling sound, meaning 'from' a rumbling sound.
مَتَى فِي لُغَةِ هُذَيْلٍ قَدْ يَكُونُ بِمَعْنَى مِنْ؛ وَأَنْشَدَ لِأَبِي ذُؤَيْبٍ: شَرِبْنَ بِمَاءِ الْبَحْرِ ثُمَّ تَرُفَّعَتْ ... مَتَى لُجَجٍ خُضْرٍ، لَهُنَّ نَئِيجُ
'Mata' in the dialect of Hudhayl may mean 'from'; and he recited for Abu Dhu'ayb: They drank from the seawater and then rose high... 'mata' green waves, having a roaring sound.
وَقَدْ تَكُونُ بِمَعْنَى وَسَطٍ. وَسَمِعَ أَبُو زَيْدٍ بَعْضَهُمْ يَقُولُ: وَضَعْتُهُ مَتَى كُمِّي أَيْ فِي وَسَطِ كُمِّي
And it may mean 'middle'. Abu Zayd heard some of them say: I placed it 'mata' my sleeve, meaning 'in the middle of' my sleeve.
أَحَدُهَا أَنَّهُ سُؤَالٌ عَنْ وَقْتِ فِعْلٍ فُعِلَ أَوْ يَفْعَلُ كَقَوْلِكَ مَتَى فَعَلْتَ وَمَتَى تَفْعَلُ أَيْ فِي أَيِّ وَقْتٍ
The first is that it is a question about the time of an action that was done or will be done, like your saying 'When did you do?' and 'When will you do?', meaning 'at what time?'.
وَالْعَرَبُ تُجَازِي بِهَا كَمَا تُجَازِي بِأَيِّ فَتَجْزِمُ الْفِعْلَيْنِ تَقُولُ مَتَى تَأْتِنِي آتِكَ
And the Arabs use it for consequence as they use 'ay' (whenever), so they make both verbs jussive, saying: Whenever you come to me, I will come to you.
وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا أُدْخِلَتْ عَلَيْهَا مَا كَقَوْلِكَ مَتَى مَا يَأْتِنِي أَخُوكَ أَرْضُهُ
And likewise, if 'ma' is added to it, like your saying: Whenever your brother comes to me, I will please him.
وَتَجِيءُ مَتَى بِمَعْنَى الِاسْتِنْكَارِ تَقُولُ لِلرَّجُلِ إِذَا حَكَى عَنْكَ فِعْلًا تُنْكِرُهُ مَتَى كَانَ هَذَا عَلَى مَعْنَى الْإِنْكَارِ وَالنَّفْيِ أَيْ مَا كَانَ هَذَا
And 'mata' comes with the meaning of denial. You say to a man, if he narrates an action you deny, 'When was this?', meaning denial and negation, i.e., 'This did not happen'.
مَتَى كَانَ حُكْمُ اللَّهِ فِي كَرَبِ النَّخْلِ
When was the judgment of Allah concerning the distress of the date palms?
وَمَتَى يَقَعُ عَلَى الْوَقْتِ الْمُبْهَمِ
And 'mata' refers to an ambiguous time.
وَمَتَى بِمَعْنَى مِنْ؛ وَأَنْشَدَ: إِذَا أَقُولُ صَحَا قَلْبِي أُتِيحَ لَهُ ... سُكْرٌ مَتَى قَهْوَةٍ سَارَتْ إِلَى الرَّأْسِ
And 'mata' meaning 'from'; and he recited: When I say my heart has sobered, it is granted to it... intoxication 'mata' coffee, that traveled to the head.
مَتَى مَا تُنْكِرُوهَا تَعْرِفُوهَا ... مَتَى أَقْطَارِهَا عَلِقٌ نُفِيتِ
Whenever you deny it, you will know it... 'Mata' its regions, a clinging thing, was repelled.
وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ امْرِئِ الْقَيْسِ: مَتَى عَهْدُنَا بِطِعَانِ الْكُمَاةِ ... وَالْمَجْدِ وَالْحَمْدِ وَالسُّؤْدَدِ
As for the saying of Imru' al-Qays: When was our time of fighting heroes... and glory, and praise, and leadership?