אלמלא

Hebrew

Etymology

לֵא (lé, “not”) +‎ אִלְמָ ('ilma, “but”)

Conjunction

אִלְמָלֵא • ('ilmalé)

1. unless, if not

   לֹא הָיִיתִי נוֹסֵעַ לַהַצָּגָה אִלְמָלֵא רָכַשְׁתִּי כַּרְטִיס מִבְּעוֹד מוֹעֵד.

   I would not go to the show if I had not obtained a ticket in advance.

2. without, were it not for

   הָיִיתִי נִכְשָׁל בַּמִּבְחָן אִלְמָלֵא הַיֶּדַע הָרַב שֶׁלִּי בְּעִבְרִית.

   I would have failed the test were it not for my great knowledge of Hebrew.