How to say "I don't understand" in Levantine Arabic
مِش فاهِم
mish fahem
- Without tashkeel
- مش فاهم
- Franco / chat alphabet
- msh fahem
- Literally
- not understanding
When to use it
Used by a male speaker to express confusion or inability to grasp a concept or situation. 'Mish fahem' is standard in Jordanian, Palestinian, and Lebanese Arabic, while Syrians typically use 'mu fahem' or 'mani fahem'. Because it uses the active participle, it describes the current state of not understanding rather than a general inability.
Other ways to say it
female speaker
مِش فاهْمِة
mish fahme
I don't understand
Used when the person speaking is a woman.
Syrian variant (male)
مُو فاهِم
mu fahem
I don't understand
The most common way to say this in Syrian Arabic.
past tense
ما فْهِمْت
ma fhimt
I didn't understand
Used immediately after someone speaks to indicate you didn't catch or comprehend what they just said.
continuous
ما عَم بَفْهَم
ma 3am bafham
I am not understanding
Emphasizes an ongoing struggle to understand a situation, explanation, or person.
How people reply
خَلّيني إشْرَحْلَك
khalleeni ishra7lak
Let me explain it to you. (to a male)
شُو اللّي ما فْهِمْتُه؟
shu illi ma fhimto?
What is it that you didn't understand?
بَسيطَة، هَلّأ بْوَضِّحْلَك
basee6a, halla2 bwaddi7lak
Simple, I'll clarify it for you now.
In a sentence
مِش فاهِم شُو قَصْدَك.
mish fahem shu qasdak.
I don't understand what you mean.
عَفْواً، مِش فاهِم هالكِلْمِة.
3afwan, mish fahem hal-kilme.
Excuse me, I don't understand this word.
أنا مِش فاهِم إشي مِن هالمَوْضوع.
ana mish fahem ishi min hal-mawdu3.
I don't understand anything about this subject.