sme7 سمح
Moroccan Darija · verb
“sme7” (سمح) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to forgive, excuse.
Meanings
- to forgive, excuse
- to permit, allow
- to give up, let go
Usage
The verb sme7 is best known from the phrase sme7 liya (feminine smé7i liya, plural sm7u liya), which corresponds to "sorry", "excuse me" or "pardon me". It is used to apologize, to politely get someone's attention, or to decline courteously. It takes l- ("to") for the person: sme7 lih, "he forgave him". In the sense of permitting, one says for example ma sme7ch lih ykhrej, "he didn't let him go out". With f-, it means to give up something: sme7 f flousu, "he gave up his money". Allah ysme7 lik, "may God forgive you", is also used to turn down a request.
Example
سمح ليا تعطلت
sm7 lia t3tlt
“Sorry, I'm late.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kansm7 | sm7t | |
| nta (you, m.) | katsm7 | sm7ti | sm7 |
| nti (you, f.) | katsm7i | sm7ti | sm7i |
| howa (he) | kaysm7 | sm7 | |
| hiya (she) | katsm7 | sm7at | |
| 7na (we) | kansm7o | sm7na | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katsm7o | sm7to | sm7o |
| homa (they) | kaysm7o | sm7o |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sme7” but also “sm7”, “sma7”, “smeh”, “smah” and “smh”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.
Type “sme7” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to forgive, to excuse”; “to give up, to waive (sme7 fi)”: sme7 in Tunisian.