How to say "I don't understand" in Modern Standard Arabic
لَا أَفْهَمُ
la afhamu
- Without tashkeel
- لا أفهم
- Franco / chat alphabet
- la afham
- Literally
- not I-understand
When to use it
The plain present-tense statement, the same for men and women. Use it when you cannot follow in general; for something that was just said, the past form lam afham is more natural. Pairing it with a request to repeat or slow down keeps the conversation going.
Other ways to say it
about what was just said
لَمْ أَفْهَمْ
lam afham
I did not understand
Use right after a sentence you missed.
about your Arabic
لَا أَفْهَمُ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ جَيِّداً
la afhamu al-3arabiyyata jayyidan
I do not understand Arabic well
Use to set expectations at the start.
asking to repeat, to a man
هَلْ يُمْكِنُكَ أَنْ تُعِيدَ؟
hal yumkinuka an tu3ida?
Can you repeat?
Use when you want the sentence again.
asking to slow down, to a man
تَكَلَّمْ بِبُطْءٍ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
takallam bibut'in min fadlika
Speak slowly, please
Use when the speed is the problem.
How people reply
سَأُعِيدُ
sa-u3idu
I will repeat.
لَا مُشْكِلَةَ
la mushkilata
No problem.
هَلْ تَفْهَمُ الْآنَ؟
hal tafhamu al-ana?
Do you understand now?
In a sentence
عَفْواً، لَا أَفْهَمُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةَ.
3afwan, la afhamu hadhihi al-kalimata.
Sorry, I do not understand this word.
لَا أَفْهَمُ، هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
la afhamu, hal tatakallamu al-injiliziyyata?
I don't understand, do you speak English?
لَا أَفْهَمُ السُّؤَالَ، أَعِدْهُ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ.
la afhamu as-su'ala, a3idhu min fadlika.
I don't understand the question, please repeat it.