لو سمحت
law samaḥteveryday, to a man
The everyday way to say "please" in Qatar is لو سمحت (law samaḥt), literally "if you allow". The more formal choice is من فضلك (min faḍlak), "from your kindness". It is also called الله يخليك (Allāh yekhallīk).
Meaning: polite request word (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لو سمحت | law samaḥt | everyday, to a man |
| من فضلك | min faḍlak | formal |
| الله يخليك | Allāh yekhallīk | Gulf, warm |
Put لو سمحت (law samaḥt) before or after a request, for example when calling a waiter or asking for directions.
Which one should you use?
الله يخليك (Allāh yekhallīk), "may God keep you", is a warmer plea used with friends and family when you really want something.
How does it change in a sentence?
To a woman these become لو سمحتي (law samaḥti) and من فضلك (min faḍlik).
Did you know?
- Gulf Arabic uses أبغى (abgha) for "I want", while Levantine Arabic uses بدي (biddī).
Examples in context
- لو سمحت، وين المطار؟law samaḥt, wēn il-maṭār?Excuse me please, where is the airport?
- من فضلك، أبغى مايmin faḍlak, abgha māyPlease, I want water.
- الله يخليك، ساعدنيAllāh yekhallīk, sāʿidnīPlease, help me.
Example conversation
Tourist Emma asks a waiter named Rashid for help at a cafe in Doha.
- Emmaلو سمحت، أبغى قهوةlaw samaḥt, abgha qahwaPlease, I would like a coffee.
- Rashidأبشري، عربية؟abshirī, ʿarabiyya?Of course, an Arabic one?
- Emmaإي لو سمحتī law samaḥtYes please.
