متى ما

⁧متى⁩ (“when; whenever”) +‎ ⁧ـمَا⁩ (-mā, “soever”).

⁧مَتَى مَا⁩ • (matā mā) (+ past or jussive)

1. when; whenever; if ever

   ⁧مَتَى مَا تَجِئْ عِنْدِي أَسْعَدْ كَثِيرًا⁩

   matā mā tajiʔ ʕindī ʔasʕad kaṯīran

   Whenever you come by my place, I feel so happy.

   • 7th century CE, Kaʿb ibn Zuhayr, ⁧أَعلَمُ أَنّي مَتى ما يَأتِني قَدَري⁩:

     ⁧أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مَتَى مَا يَأْتِنِي قَدَرِي * فَلَيْسَ يَحْبِسُهُ شُحٌّ وَلَا شَفَقُ⁩

     ʔaʕlamu ʔannī matā mā yaʔtinī qadarī * falaysa yaḥbisuhu šuḥḥun walā šafaqū

     I know so well that when my fate
     Comes by for me, neither grudging
     Nor pitying can hold him back.