سواء ... أم (أو) سواء كان ... أم (أو)

whether ... or

Indifference / Whether…or

‫سَوَاءٌ كَانَ ... أَمْ (أو)‬ ‫‬ ‫ سَوَاءٌ + ماضٍ ... أَمْ + لَمْ + مضارع مجزوم‬

Literally means "equal" → "it is all one whether X or Y." أم introduces the second alternative. In the absence of كان (in the sentence), سَوَاء is inflected according to its position in the sentence When used with كان (in the sentence): سَوَاء may be either مرفوع or منصوب After سواء, both أم and أو may introduce the second alternative. أم is the more traditional/common فصحى choice.