Ways to say it
| Levantine Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لو سمحت | law samaht | to a man |
| لو سمحتي | law samahti | to a woman |
| من فضلك | min fadlak | more formal |
من فضلك (min fadlak) means the same thing and is used more in writing or when speaking with someone unfamiliar, while لو سمحت is what people actually say out loud across the region.
What does it mean word for word?
لو سمحت literally means 'if you would permit', from لو, 'if', and سمحت, 'you permitted'. من فضلك means 'from your favor'.
Which one should you use?
لو سمحت fits ordering food, asking a stranger for directions or making any everyday request. من فضلك sounds a touch more formal, closer to how a form or sign would phrase a request.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are polite. لو سمحت works in every spoken setting, while من فضلك leans slightly more formal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This exact phrase and its gendered ending are shared across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine with no real variation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes with the listener: samaht to a man, samahti to a woman, matching every other Levantine verb ending for 'you'.
How do you pronounce it?
The stress falls on the second syllable, 'law sa-MAHT', said as one smooth phrase.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Dropping لو and saying only سمحت sounds incomplete. The full phrase carries the polite meaning on its own.
When do people say it?
Across the Levant, adding لو سمحت to almost any request, even a small one among family, is simply expected good manners rather than extra formality.
Did you know?
- لو سمحت is built from the same root as سماح, forgiveness or permission, linking a polite request to the idea of being granted leave to ask.
- The phrase is one of the first polite expressions taught to Levantine Arabic learners, since it covers nearly every everyday request.
Examples in context
- لو سمحت، وين محطة الباص؟law samaht, wein mahattat l-bas?Please, where is the bus station?
- لو سمحتي، ممكن تساعديني؟law samahti, mumkin tsaedini?Please, can you help me?
- من فضلك، عبي هذا النموذج.min fadlak, abbi hada l-namuzaj.Please, fill out this form.
Example conversation
A traveler, Huda, asks a shopkeeper, Marwan, for help in Amman.
- Hudaلو سمحت، فين أقرب صرافة؟law samaht, wein a'rab sarrafeh?Please, where is the nearest exchange office?
- Marwanدغري وبعدين يمين.dughri w ba'dein yamin.Straight ahead and then right.
- Hudaلو سمحت، بعيدة من هون؟law samaht, ba'ideh min hon?Please, is it far from here?
- Marwanلا، خمس دقايق مشي بس.la, khams daqayi' mashi bass.No, just five minutes on foot.
