Near-synonyms: the years

The years

سَنة / عام

It is said that the word سنة is initially used for difficult years, and the word عام for years of ease. It is true that the former often has the sense of a year of famine or drought in old Arabic. But Qur’anic usage seems to contradict this, or at least not to make it a rule. Consider, for example, the passages below:

أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ مَرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ

Do they not see that they are tested every year once or twice? (9:127)

أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ مَتَّعْنَاهُمْ سِنِينَ

Have you considered: if We let them enjoy [life] for [some] years… (26:205)

It is also said that the word عام designates a calendar year — that is, from the day the year begins to the day it ends: the « civil » year. As for the word سنة, it is said to designate the duration of one year regardless of the day this count begins.

It is true that to express someone’s age, the Qur’an uses سنة, as in the following verse:

حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً

Until, when he reaches his full strength and reaches forty years… (46:15)

And it is also true that when one designates a particular year, one uses the word عام: the famous Year of the Elephant is thus called عام الفيل. If someone has travelled for a year, one should therefore say سافر لمدّة سنة.

But here again, this rule does not seem systematic. Consider, for example, the following verse:

وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ

And his weaning is at two years. (31:14)

For the count for weaning begins at the moment of birth, and not at the start of the « civil » year. And God knows best.

The other near-synonyms