Ways to say it
| Syrian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لو سمحت | law samaht | to a man |
| لو سمحتي | law samahti | to a woman |
Syrians add this phrase to requests, often at the start or end of the sentence, whether asking a waiter, a stranger for directions or a friend for a favour.
What does it mean word for word?
لو سمحت literally means 'if you would permit', built from لو, 'if', and the verb 'to permit' in the past tense addressed to 'you'.
Which one should you use?
The only real choice is the ending matching the gender of the person you are asking. There is no casual shortcut version used instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
لو سمحت/لو سمحتي fits both formal and informal requests, used the same way with a stranger or a friend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This phrase and its gendered endings are used the same way across Syria and much of the Levant.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending ي marks a woman being addressed, the same pattern seen in other Syrian verbs directed at a woman, such as تصبحي على خير.
How do you pronounce it?
The h in سمحت is a light, breathy sound, not the deeper throat sound found in some other Arabic letters.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using the masculine لو سمحت with a woman is a common and easily corrected slip, since only the final letter changes.
Did you know?
- لو سمحت literally asks 'if you would permit', turning every polite request in Syrian Arabic into a small conditional sentence.
- The gendered ending on سمحتي follows the same pattern as the goodnight phrase تصبحي على خير, both marking that a woman is being addressed.
Examples in context
- لو سمحت، فنجان قهوة.law samaht, finjan ahwe.Please, a cup of coffee.
- لو سمحتي، ممكن تساعديني؟law samahti, mumken tsaadini?Please, can you help me?
- ممكن الحساب لو سمحت؟mumken el-hisab law samaht?Can I have the bill, please?
Example conversation
A customer, Jad, orders at a small restaurant from the owner, Umm Khalil.
- Jadلو سمحتي، طبق حمص واحد.law samahti, tabaq hummus wahed.Please, one plate of hummus.
- Umm Khalilتمام، شي تاني؟tamam, shi tani?Okay, anything else?
- Jadلا شكرا، وفنجان قهوة لو سمحتي.la shukran, w finjan ahwe law samahti.No thanks, and a cup of coffee please.
- Umm Khalilيجيك هلق.yjik halla.It's coming right away.
