Ways to say it
| Lebanese Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لو سمحت | law samaht | to a man |
| لو سمحتي | law samahti | to a woman |
| بليز | please | casual, from English |
In casual speech, especially among younger speakers, the English بليز (please) is also common, often alongside Arabic in the same sentence.
What does it mean word for word?
لو سمحت literally means 'if you would permit', joining لو, 'if', and سمحت, 'you permitted'.
Which one should you use?
لو سمحت is the standard polite request, fitting a waiter, a stranger or a colleague. بليز is lighter and sits better between friends or in a quick, informal ask.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
لو سمحت is the respectful choice in any setting. بليز is casual and can sound too relaxed with someone older or unfamiliar.
Is it said differently in some regions?
لو سمحت is shared across the Levant. The heavy use of بليز in daily conversation is especially common in Lebanon's bilingual urban centers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes with the listener: samaht to a man, samahti to a woman, following the same pattern as other Lebanese verb endings.
How do you pronounce it?
سمحت is said quickly, with the stress on the middle syllable, 'sam-AHT'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Dropping لو and saying only سمحت on its own sounds incomplete. The full phrase لو سمحت is what carries the polite meaning.
When do people say it?
Lebanese requests are rarely bare commands. Adding لو سمحت, even to close family, is considered basic good manners rather than an extra formality.
Did you know?
- The reply تكرم, literally 'may you be generous', is a very Lebanese way a waiter or shopkeeper says 'of course' to a polite request.
- English بليز slipped into Lebanese Arabic the same way سوري did, through decades of bilingual schooling and media.
Examples in context
- لو سمحت، فنجان قهوة.law samaht, finjan ahwe.Please, a cup of coffee.
- لو سمحتي، ساعديني شوي.law samahti, saadini shwayy.Please, help me a little.
- بليز، سكر الباب.please, sakkir l-bab.Please, close the door.
Example conversation
Customer Dany orders at a café from the waiter Ziad.
- Danyلو سمحت، قهوة وكعكة.law samaht, ahwe w ka'keh.Please, a coffee and a cake.
- Ziadتكرم، شي تاني؟tikram, shi tani?Right away, anything else?
- Danyلا شكرا، هاد بس.la shukran, had bass.No thanks, that is all.
- Ziadتمام، بجيبها لك حالا.tamam, bjibha lak halan.Okay, I'll bring it right away.
