# Palestinian Arabic: Excuse Me



## Jameela

I was wondering if you could please give me some colloquial (everyday, spoken) arabic phrases (in the Palestinian dialect) to say 'excuse me' in the context of asking someone to move aside, to give space to pass by...

Please could you give the transliteration as well as the arabic script...thanks.


Your help is appreciated.


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## Cephissus

The popular phrase is "Ismah li": اسمح لي


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## Jameela

Cephissus said:


> The popular phrase is "Ismah li": اسمح لي


 
Thankyou very much.


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## elroy

Cephissus said:


> The popular phrase is "Ismah li": اسمح لي


 It's not very common in my experience.  It sounds too direct without a softener like بالله (_balla_).

I have heard/used:

لو سمحت/لو سمحتي - _law sama7et/law sama7ti_
شوي بالله - _shway balla_
ممكن تمرئني/ممكن تمرئيني -_ mumken tmarri2ni/mumken tmar2iini_


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## Jameela

elroy said:


> It's not very common in my experience. It sounds too direct without a softener like بالله (_balla_).
> 
> I have heard/used:
> 
> لو سمحت/لو سمحتي - _law sama7et/law sama7ti_
> شوي بالله - _shway balla_
> ممكن تمرئني/ممكن تمرئيني -_ mumken tmarri2ni/mumken tmar2iini_


 

Thanks very much for this!  

Can I just ask - if all the words literally mean 'excuse me' or are there some additional words which literally mean something else but in the context they are used, they signify 'excuse me'?  Very sorry to be so pedantic about this, but I am very interested in languages and like to get to grips with things comprehensively.  Sorry and thanks...


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## elroy

Actually, none of them literally mean "excuse me."

If you want literal translations, here you go:

1. "if you permit" 
2. "A little" + softener
3. "Is it possible to let me pass" 

#1 is also used to mean "please."
In #2, what is implied is "Could you please move a little and let me through?".  The same expression can be used to mean "hold on a little" or "let me say something real quick."  It all depends on the context.


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## evanovka

... what a useful thread again 
In my (family related) context, I hear most often شوي بالله
Is لو سمحت somewhat more official? (sounds almost fusha to me ... )


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## elroy

No, it's very, very common in all registers of spoken PA.


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## evanovka

allright ... good to know.. thank you


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## Jameela

elroy said:


> Actually, none of them literally mean "excuse me."
> 
> If you want literal translations, here you go:
> 
> 1. "if you permit"
> 2. "A little" + softener
> 3. "Is it possible to let me pass"
> 
> #1 is also used to mean "please."
> In #2, what is implied is "Could you please move a little and let me through?". The same expression can be used to mean "hold on a little" or "let me say something real quick." It all depends on the context.


 

Now it all makes comprehensive sense.  Thanks for your patience.


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## Sidjanga

Do you ever use عفواًً to mean "excuse me" in a situation like the one Jameela asked about?


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## elroy

I guess it would be understood, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone actually use it in that context.


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## nourkamel

Jameela said:


> I was wondering if you could please give me some colloquial (everyday, spoken) arabic phrases (in the Palestinian dialect) to say 'excuse me' in the context of asking someone to move aside, to give space to pass by...
> 
> Please could you give the transliteration as well as the arabic script...thanks.
> 
> 
> Your help is appreciated.


 

Hi , the typical word that match really the expression to say 'excuse me' in the context of asking someone to move aside, to give space to pass by is .

in the arabian saoudite slang : ألطريق

i knew this slang when i was recently in arabian saoudite , people there are used to shout out loud using this word to ask permission to move aside and give space to pass through the crowd.

i noticed also that this stang is used by palestinian and irakian people  in tha arabia saoudite too..
i know also that the polite expression of : من فضلك لو سمحت is used and i personally prefer to the previous one .

hope it can help


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## Sidjanga

elroy said:


> I guess it would be understood, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone actually use it in that context.


Well, I used it a few times in comparable situations, and it usually worked. 
I had a feeling that it might not be first choice, though, so that's why I wanted to make sure.
On the other hand, the replies in this thread seem to suggest it _is _used to mean "excuse me". But maybe that's a regional thing then - and simply doesn't apply to PA - or is it simply a general MSA/dialect difference?


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## elroy

I was only talking about PA.  It is used in MSA, and probably in other dialects.


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## Sidjanga

Ok. Danke!


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