Ways to say it
| Lebanese Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| آسف | asef | to a man |
| آسفة | asfeh | to a woman |
| سوري | sorry | casual, from English |
| عفوا | afwan | excuse me |
In daily speech Lebanese people also just say سوري, straight from English, especially among younger speakers in Beirut. عفوا is closer to 'excuse me', said when passing in front of someone or interrupting.
What does it mean word for word?
آسف comes from the Arabic root for regret. عفوا means 'pardon' and is also the normal reply to شكرا, 'thank you'.
Which one should you use?
آسف fits a real apology, for a mistake or for hurting someone. عفوا is light, used for small bumps in the street or before asking a question. سوري sits between the two and is common in casual talk.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
آسف works at any level of formality. سوري is casual and would sound too light after a serious mistake.
Is it said differently in some regions?
English loanwords like سوري are heard constantly in Lebanon because of widespread bilingual education, more so than in most other Arabic-speaking countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
آسف and آسفة agree with the speaker, not the listener: a man says آسف about himself and a woman says آسفة, whoever she is speaking to.
How do you pronounce it?
The first syllable carries the stress, 'AA-sef', with a long opening vowel.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes say آسف regardless of their own gender. A woman apologising should say آسفة, with the extra ة sound at the end.
When do people say it?
Among friends, a quick سوري with a smile is often enough, since Lebanese social life runs on a casual, joking tone even when apologising.
Did you know?
- Lebanon's school system often teaches French and English alongside Arabic from an early age, which is why سوري sits so naturally next to آسف in daily speech.
- عفوا is a double duty word in Lebanese Arabic, used both to say a light 'sorry' and to answer 'thank you' with 'you are welcome'.
Examples in context
- آسف، ما قصدي أزعجك.asef, ma asdi az'ijak.Sorry, I did not mean to bother you.
- آسفة على التأخير.asfeh ala l-ta'khir.Sorry for the delay.
- سوري، ما كان قصدي.sorry, ma kan asdi.Sorry, that was not my intention.
Example conversation
Elie bumps into his coworker Maya in the office hallway.
- Elieآسف، ما شفتك.asef, ma shiftik.Sorry, I did not see you.
- Mayaما في شي، عادي.ma fi shi, aadi.It's nothing, no worries.
- Elieآسف كتير، كنت مستعجل.asef ktir, kint musta3jil.I am really sorry, I was in a hurry.
- Mayaلا تهتم، ما صار شي.la tihtam, ma sar shi.Don't worry, nothing happened.
