ممكن أتصل بك؟
mumkin attasil bik?
In Arabic, 'can I call you?' is expressed as ممكن أتصل بك؟ (mumkin attasil bik?).
This phrase is used as a polite request to ask for permission to contact someone via telephone. When addressing a professor, you can use the title أستاذ before their name.
Which one should you use?
The formal way to ask this is هل يمكنني الاتصال بك؟. For more informal situations, you may use هل ممكن أتصل بك؟ or ممكن أتصل فيك؟.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form ممكن أتصل بك? is suitable for formal or standard situations across most Arabic dialects. Use هل يمكنني الاتصال بك؟ for a more formal tone, while هل ممكن أتصل بك؟ and ممكن أتصل فيك؟ are informal.
How do you pronounce it?
mumkin attasil bik?
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, the gesture of holding a hand to the ear often accompanies this phrase to clarify that a telephone call is intended rather than a visit.
- In many Levantine dialects, you might hear people use the preposition 'in' (في) instead of 'with' (بـ) when saying أتصل فيك, meaning 'I call in you'.
- While ممكن أتصل بك؟ asks for permission, it is common in some cultures to follow this with a specific time, as calling without a pre-arranged window can be seen as intrusive.
Examples in context
- هل يمكنني الاتصال بك لترتيب مقابلة؟Can I call you to arrange an interview?
- هل ممكن أتصل بك عشان نتفق على خطة العطلة؟Can I call you to discuss our vacation plans?
- ممكن أتصل بك؟mumkin atasil bik?Can I call you?
Example conversation
Two colleagues are chatting via text message.
- زياد Ziadليلى، لدي سؤال سريع. ممكن أتصل بك؟Layla, ladayya su'al sari'. Mumkin attasil bik?Layla, I have a quick question. Can I call you?
- ليلى Laylaنعم يا زياد، أنا متفرغة الآن.Na'am ya Ziyad, ana mutafarrigha al-an.Yes Ziyad, I am free now.
- زياد Ziadشكراً، سأتصل بك حالاً.Shukran, sa-attasil bik halan.Thanks, I will call you right away.
- ليلى Laylaحسناً، أنا بانتظارك.Hasanan, ana b-intizarika.Okay, I am waiting for you.
