بَيْنَمَا — A useful advanced connector #learnarabic #arabicvocabulary #arabic

بَيْنَمَا — A useful advanced connector

Meaning: while • whereas • at the same time that

Natural Examples

بَيْنَمَا كُنْتُ أَقْرَأُ، رَنَّ الْهَاتِفُ.
While I was reading, the phone rang.

بَيْنَمَا أُفَضِّلُ الرَّاحَةَ، هُوَ يُفَضِّلُ الْعَمَلَ.
Whereas I prefer resting, he prefers working.

Usage

بَيْنَمَا + جُمْلَةٌ
→ introduces an action happening at the same time.

It can also introduce a contrast:

هُوَ هَادِئٌ، بَيْنَمَا أَخُوهُ عَصَبِيٌّ.
He is calm, whereas his brother is nervous.

Grammar Note

بَيْنَمَا is especially common in formal and written Arabic, but it is also natural in modern Arabic.

@ARABIORA