Learn Arabic › A1 › سِوَى
سِوَى
other than /siˈwaː/
nounA1#696 most common
Also: except, besides, apart from
Example sentences
ما عندي سِوى كتابٍ واحد.
I have only one book.
لا أريد سِوى كوبِ ماء.
I want nothing but a glass of water.
لم يحضرِ الحفلَ أحدٌ سِوى أصدقائي.
No one came to the party except my friends.
لا أثق بأحدٍ في هذا الأمر سِواك.
In this matter I trust no one but you.
لم يبقَ أمامنا سِوى أن نقبل بالشروط.
Nothing is left for us but to accept the conditions.
ما الدنيا في نظره سِوى ظلٍّ زائلٍ لا يدوم.
To him the world is nothing but a passing shadow that does not last.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | سِوى | None |
| Genitive | سِوى | None |
| Accusative | سِوى | None |
| Vocative | None | None |
Word family
سَواءequality; the same
تَساوىto be equal
مُساواةequality
غَيْرother than, except (synonym)سَوِيّeven, straight, normalEtymology
سِوى comes from the triliteral root س-و-ي, which carries the idea of being equal, even, or level. The same root gives سَواء, meaning equal, and the verb تَساوى, to be equal. From the sense of equal to, the word shifted to the equivalent of, then to other than or except. It usually follows a negative, as in ما عندي سِوى, I have nothing but.
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