Qur'an CoreVocabulary

Conjunctions

The words that join words, clauses and sentences.

Joining words and clauses

وَ is by far the most common word in the Qur'an. It simply joins, without implying an order of events.

وَwaand
فَfaso / then (in sequence)
ثُمَّthummathen (after a delay)
أَوْawor
أَمْamor (in a question)
بَلْbalrather / nay
لَٰكِنْlākinbut
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil / even

وَ vs فَ vs ثُمَّ — وَ just joins; فَ adds immediacy or consequence ("so", "and then at once"); ثُمَّ puts a gap between the two events. أَوْ vs أَمْ — أَوْ offers a choice; أَمْ asks which of two, and follows a question.

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