سمع

See also: شمع and س م ع

Arabic

Root
س م ع (s-m-ʕ)

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-. Cognate with Hebrew שמע.

Pronunciation 1

• IPA^(key): /sa.mi.ʕa/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

سَمِعَ • (samiʕa) I, non-past يَسْمَعُ‎ (yasmaʕu)

1. to hear

   لَنْ تَسْمَعَ شَيْئًا

   lan tasmaʕa šayʔan

   You won't hear anything.

2. (with ب (b)) to hear of, to hear about
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 12:31:

     فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَأً وَآتَتْ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا وَقَالَتِ اخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. (with من) to hear from
4. to learn, to be told
5. (with من or ل (l)) to listen to, to pay attention to, to hear someone out
6. to learn by hearsay
7. to overhear
8. to lend an ear

Conjugation

Conjugation of

سَمِعَ

(form-I sound, verbal nouns سَمْع or سَمَاع or مَسْمَع)

verbal nouns الْمَصَادِر						سَمْع or سَمَاع or مَسْمَع samʕ or samāʕ or masmaʕ
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						سَامِع sāmiʕ
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَسْمُوع masmūʕ
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	سَمِعْتُ samiʕtu	سَمِعْتَ samiʕta	سَمِعَ samiʕa		سَمِعْتُمَا samiʕtumā	سَمِعَا samiʕā		سَمِعْنَا samiʕnā	سَمِعْتُمْ samiʕtum	سَمِعُوا samiʕū
	f		سَمِعْتِ samiʕti	سَمِعَتْ samiʕat			سَمِعَتَا samiʕatā			سَمِعْتُنَّ samiʕtunna	سَمِعْنَ samiʕna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَسْمَعُ ʔasmaʕu	تَسْمَعُ tasmaʕu	يَسْمَعُ yasmaʕu		تَسْمَعَانِ tasmaʕāni	يَسْمَعَانِ yasmaʕāni		نَسْمَعُ nasmaʕu	تَسْمَعُونَ tasmaʕūna	يَسْمَعُونَ yasmaʕūna
	f		تَسْمَعِينَ tasmaʕīna	تَسْمَعُ tasmaʕu			تَسْمَعَانِ tasmaʕāni			تَسْمَعْنَ tasmaʕna	يَسْمَعْنَ yasmaʕna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَسْمَعَ ʔasmaʕa	تَسْمَعَ tasmaʕa	يَسْمَعَ yasmaʕa		تَسْمَعَا tasmaʕā	يَسْمَعَا yasmaʕā		نَسْمَعَ nasmaʕa	تَسْمَعُوا tasmaʕū	يَسْمَعُوا yasmaʕū
	f		تَسْمَعِي tasmaʕī	تَسْمَعَ tasmaʕa			تَسْمَعَا tasmaʕā			تَسْمَعْنَ tasmaʕna	يَسْمَعْنَ yasmaʕna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَسْمَعْ ʔasmaʕ	تَسْمَعْ tasmaʕ	يَسْمَعْ yasmaʕ		تَسْمَعَا tasmaʕā	يَسْمَعَا yasmaʕā		نَسْمَعْ nasmaʕ	تَسْمَعُوا tasmaʕū	يَسْمَعُوا yasmaʕū
	f		تَسْمَعِي tasmaʕī	تَسْمَعْ tasmaʕ			تَسْمَعَا tasmaʕā			تَسْمَعْنَ tasmaʕna	يَسْمَعْنَ yasmaʕna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِسْمَعْ ismaʕ			اِسْمَعَا ismaʕā				اِسْمَعُوا ismaʕū
	f		اِسْمَعِي ismaʕī							اِسْمَعْنَ ismaʕna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	سُمِعْتُ sumiʕtu	سُمِعْتَ sumiʕta	سُمِعَ sumiʕa		سُمِعْتُمَا sumiʕtumā	سُمِعَا sumiʕā		سُمِعْنَا sumiʕnā	سُمِعْتُمْ sumiʕtum	سُمِعُوا sumiʕū
	f		سُمِعْتِ sumiʕti	سُمِعَتْ sumiʕat			سُمِعَتَا sumiʕatā			سُمِعْتُنَّ sumiʕtunna	سُمِعْنَ sumiʕna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسْمَعُ ʔusmaʕu	تُسْمَعُ tusmaʕu	يُسْمَعُ yusmaʕu		تُسْمَعَانِ tusmaʕāni	يُسْمَعَانِ yusmaʕāni		نُسْمَعُ nusmaʕu	تُسْمَعُونَ tusmaʕūna	يُسْمَعُونَ yusmaʕūna
	f		تُسْمَعِينَ tusmaʕīna	تُسْمَعُ tusmaʕu			تُسْمَعَانِ tusmaʕāni			تُسْمَعْنَ tusmaʕna	يُسْمَعْنَ yusmaʕna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسْمَعَ ʔusmaʕa	تُسْمَعَ tusmaʕa	يُسْمَعَ yusmaʕa		تُسْمَعَا tusmaʕā	يُسْمَعَا yusmaʕā		نُسْمَعَ nusmaʕa	تُسْمَعُوا tusmaʕū	يُسْمَعُوا yusmaʕū
	f		تُسْمَعِي tusmaʕī	تُسْمَعَ tusmaʕa			تُسْمَعَا tusmaʕā			تُسْمَعْنَ tusmaʕna	يُسْمَعْنَ yusmaʕna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسْمَعْ ʔusmaʕ	تُسْمَعْ tusmaʕ	يُسْمَعْ yusmaʕ		تُسْمَعَا tusmaʕā	يُسْمَعَا yusmaʕā		نُسْمَعْ nusmaʕ	تُسْمَعُوا tusmaʕū	يُسْمَعُوا yusmaʕū
	f		تُسْمَعِي tusmaʕī	تُسْمَعْ tusmaʕ			تُسْمَعَا tusmaʕā			تُسْمَعْنَ tusmaʕna	يُسْمَعْنَ yusmaʕna

Pronunciation 2

• IPA^(key): /sam.ma.ʕa/

Verb

سَمَّعَ • (sammaʕa) II, non-past يُسَمِّعُ‎ (yusammiʕu)

1. (ditransitive) to make hear, to let hear, to give someone something to hear
2. (monotransitive) to recite
3. to dishonor, to discredit

Conjugation

Conjugation of

سَمَّعَ

(form-II sound)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَسْمِيع tasmīʕ
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُسَمِّع musammiʕ
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُسَمَّع musammaʕ
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	سَمَّعْتُ sammaʕtu	سَمَّعْتَ sammaʕta	سَمَّعَ sammaʕa		سَمَّعْتُمَا sammaʕtumā	سَمَّعَا sammaʕā		سَمَّعْنَا sammaʕnā	سَمَّعْتُمْ sammaʕtum	سَمَّعُوا sammaʕū
	f		سَمَّعْتِ sammaʕti	سَمَّعَتْ sammaʕat			سَمَّعَتَا sammaʕatā			سَمَّعْتُنَّ sammaʕtunna	سَمَّعْنَ sammaʕna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسَمِّعُ ʔusammiʕu	تُسَمِّعُ tusammiʕu	يُسَمِّعُ yusammiʕu		تُسَمِّعَانِ tusammiʕāni	يُسَمِّعَانِ yusammiʕāni		نُسَمِّعُ nusammiʕu	تُسَمِّعُونَ tusammiʕūna	يُسَمِّعُونَ yusammiʕūna
	f		تُسَمِّعِينَ tusammiʕīna	تُسَمِّعُ tusammiʕu			تُسَمِّعَانِ tusammiʕāni			تُسَمِّعْنَ tusammiʕna	يُسَمِّعْنَ yusammiʕna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسَمِّعَ ʔusammiʕa	تُسَمِّعَ tusammiʕa	يُسَمِّعَ yusammiʕa		تُسَمِّعَا tusammiʕā	يُسَمِّعَا yusammiʕā		نُسَمِّعَ nusammiʕa	تُسَمِّعُوا tusammiʕū	يُسَمِّعُوا yusammiʕū
	f		تُسَمِّعِي tusammiʕī	تُسَمِّعَ tusammiʕa			تُسَمِّعَا tusammiʕā			تُسَمِّعْنَ tusammiʕna	يُسَمِّعْنَ yusammiʕna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسَمِّعْ ʔusammiʕ	تُسَمِّعْ tusammiʕ	يُسَمِّعْ yusammiʕ		تُسَمِّعَا tusammiʕā	يُسَمِّعَا yusammiʕā		نُسَمِّعْ nusammiʕ	تُسَمِّعُوا tusammiʕū	يُسَمِّعُوا yusammiʕū
	f		تُسَمِّعِي tusammiʕī	تُسَمِّعْ tusammiʕ			تُسَمِّعَا tusammiʕā			تُسَمِّعْنَ tusammiʕna	يُسَمِّعْنَ yusammiʕna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		سَمِّعْ sammiʕ			سَمِّعَا sammiʕā				سَمِّعُوا sammiʕū
	f		سَمِّعِي sammiʕī							سَمِّعْنَ sammiʕna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	سُمِّعْتُ summiʕtu	سُمِّعْتَ summiʕta	سُمِّعَ summiʕa		سُمِّعْتُمَا summiʕtumā	سُمِّعَا summiʕā		سُمِّعْنَا summiʕnā	سُمِّعْتُمْ summiʕtum	سُمِّعُوا summiʕū
	f		سُمِّعْتِ summiʕti	سُمِّعَتْ summiʕat			سُمِّعَتَا summiʕatā			سُمِّعْتُنَّ summiʕtunna	سُمِّعْنَ summiʕna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسَمَّعُ ʔusammaʕu	تُسَمَّعُ tusammaʕu	يُسَمَّعُ yusammaʕu		تُسَمَّعَانِ tusammaʕāni	يُسَمَّعَانِ yusammaʕāni		نُسَمَّعُ nusammaʕu	تُسَمَّعُونَ tusammaʕūna	يُسَمَّعُونَ yusammaʕūna
	f		تُسَمَّعِينَ tusammaʕīna	تُسَمَّعُ tusammaʕu			تُسَمَّعَانِ tusammaʕāni			تُسَمَّعْنَ tusammaʕna	يُسَمَّعْنَ yusammaʕna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسَمَّعَ ʔusammaʕa	تُسَمَّعَ tusammaʕa	يُسَمَّعَ yusammaʕa		تُسَمَّعَا tusammaʕā	يُسَمَّعَا yusammaʕā		نُسَمَّعَ nusammaʕa	تُسَمَّعُوا tusammaʕū	يُسَمَّعُوا yusammaʕū
	f		تُسَمَّعِي tusammaʕī	تُسَمَّعَ tusammaʕa			تُسَمَّعَا tusammaʕā			تُسَمَّعْنَ tusammaʕna	يُسَمَّعْنَ yusammaʕna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسَمَّعْ ʔusammaʕ	تُسَمَّعْ tusammaʕ	يُسَمَّعْ yusammaʕ		تُسَمَّعَا tusammaʕā	يُسَمَّعَا yusammaʕā		نُسَمَّعْ nusammaʕ	تُسَمَّعُوا tusammaʕū	يُسَمَّعُوا yusammaʕū
	f		تُسَمَّعِي tusammaʕī	تُسَمَّعْ tusammaʕ			تُسَمَّعَا tusammaʕā			تُسَمَّعْنَ tusammaʕna	يُسَمَّعْنَ yusammaʕna

Pronunciation 3

• IPA^(key): /samʕ/

Noun

سَمْع • (samʕ) m (plural أَسْمَاع (ʔasmāʕ))

1. verbal noun of سَمِعَ (samiʕa) (form I)
2. hearing, sense of hearing
3. audition
4. ear

Declension

Declension of noun سَمْع (samʕ)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سَمْع samʕ	السَّمْع as-samʕ	سَمْع samʕ
Nominative	سَمْعٌ samʕun	السَّمْعُ as-samʕu	سَمْعُ samʕu
Accusative	سَمْعًا samʕan	السَّمْعَ as-samʕa	سَمْعَ samʕa
Genitive	سَمْعٍ samʕin	السَّمْعِ as-samʕi	سَمْعِ samʕi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سَمْعَيْن samʕayn	السَّمْعَيْن as-samʕayn	سَمْعَيْ samʕay
Nominative	سَمْعَانِ samʕāni	السَّمْعَانِ as-samʕāni	سَمْعَا samʕā
Accusative	سَمْعَيْنِ samʕayni	السَّمْعَيْنِ as-samʕayni	سَمْعَيْ samʕay
Genitive	سَمْعَيْنِ samʕayni	السَّمْعَيْنِ as-samʕayni	سَمْعَيْ samʕay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	أَسْمَاع ʔasmāʕ	الْأَسْمَاع al-ʔasmāʕ	أَسْمَاع ʔasmāʕ
Nominative	أَسْمَاعٌ ʔasmāʕun	الْأَسْمَاعُ al-ʔasmāʕu	أَسْمَاعُ ʔasmāʕu
Accusative	أَسْمَاعًا ʔasmāʕan	الْأَسْمَاعَ al-ʔasmāʕa	أَسْمَاعَ ʔasmāʕa
Genitive	أَسْمَاعٍ ʔasmāʕin	الْأَسْمَاعِ al-ʔasmāʕi	أَسْمَاعِ ʔasmāʕi

References

• Wehr, Hans (1979) “سمع”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

Egyptian Arabic

Root
س م ع
1 term

Etymology

From Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa).

Verb

سمع • (simiʕ) I (non-past يسمع (yismaʕ))

1. to hear (to perceive with the ear)
2. to listen (to pay attention to a sound)

Conjugation

Conjugation of سمع (form-I sound)

verbal noun
active participle				سامع (sāmiʕ)
passive participle				مسموع (masmūʕ)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	سمعت (simiʕt)	سمعت (simiʕt)	سمع (simiʕ)		سمعنا (simiʕna)	سمعتوا (simiʕtu)	سمعوا (simʕu)
	f		سمعتي (simiʕti)	سمعت (simʕit)
present subjunctive	m	اسمع (asmaʕ)	تسمع (tismaʕ)	يسمع (yismaʕ)	نسمع (nismaʕ)	تسمعوا (tismaʕu)	يسمعوا (yismaʕu)
	f		تسمعي (tismaʕi)	تسمع (tismaʕ)
present indicative	m	بسمع (basmaʕ)	بتسمع (bitismaʕ)	بيسمع (biyismaʕ)	بنسمع (binismaʕ)	بتسمعوا (bitismaʕu)	بيسمعوا (biyismaʕu)
	f		بتسمعي (bitismaʕi)	بتسمع (bitismaʕ)
future	m	حسمع (ḥasmaʕ)	حتسمع (ḥatismaʕ)	حيسمع (ḥayismaʕ)	حنسمع (ḥanismaʕ)	حتسمعوا (ḥatismaʕu)	حيسمعوا (ḥayismaʕu)
	f		حتسمعي (ḥatismaʕi)	حتسمع (ḥatismaʕ)
imperative	m		اسمع (ismaʕ)			اسمعوا (ismaʕu)
	f		اسمعي (ismaʕi)

Moroccan Arabic

Root
س م ع
1 term

Etymology 1

From Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smaʕ/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

سمع • (smaʕ) I (non-past يسمع (yismaʕ))

1. to hear
2. to hear of
3. to listen to, to pay attention to, to hear someone out

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Etymology 2

From Arabic سَمَّعَ (sammaʕa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sam.maʕ/

Verb

سمع • (sammaʕ) II (non-past يسمع (ysammaʕ))

1. (ditransitive) to make hear, to let hear, to give someone something to hear

Conjugation

Conjugation of سمع
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	سمّعت (sammaʕt)	سمّعتي (sammaʕti)	سمّع (sammaʕ)		سمّعنا (sammaʕna)	سمّعتوا (sammaʕtu)	سمّعوا (sammʕu)
	f			سمّعت (sammʕāt)
non-past	m	نسمّع (nsammaʕ)	تسمّع (tsammaʕ)	يسمّع (ysammaʕ)		نسمّعوا (nsammʕu)	تسمّعوا (tsammʕu)	يسمّعوا (ysammʕu)
	f		تسمّعي (tsammʕi)	تسمّع (tsammaʕ)
imperative	m		سمّع (sammaʕ)				سمّعوا (sammʕu)
	f		سمّعي (sammʕi)

Etymology 3

From Arabic سَمْع (samʕ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /samʕ/

Noun

سمع • (samʕ) m

1. hearing, sense of hearing

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa).

Verb

سمع • (transliteration needed) I

1. to hear
2. to hear of
3. to listen to, to pay attention to, to hear someone out

Noun

سمع • (samiʕ) m

1. hearing, sense of hearing

Persian

Etymology

From Arabic سَمْع (samʕ).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [samʔ]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sämʔ]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sämʔ]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [säm]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [säm]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [sæmʔ]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [sämʔ]

Readings
Classical reading?	sam'
Dari reading?	sam'
Iranian reading?	sam'
Tajik reading?	samʾ

Noun

Dari	سمع
Iranian Persian
Tajik	самъ

سمع • (sam')

1. hearing, sense of hearing

   Synonym: شنوایی (šenavâyi)

2. ear

   Synonym: گوش (guš)

Derived terms

• استراق سمع (esterâq-e sam')
• سمعک (sam'ak)

 

South Levantine Arabic

Root
س م ع
2 terms

Etymology

From Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.miʕ/, [ˈsi.mɪʕ]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

Verb

سمع • (simiʕ) I (present بسمع (bismaʕ), active participle سامع (sāmeʕ))

1. to hear

   هو شخص عصبي حسب ما بسمع.

   huwwe šaḵṣ ʕaṣabi ḥasab-ma basmaʕ.

   He's an irritable person, according to what I hear.

   الصوت واطي كتير، انا مش سامع.

   iṣ-ṣōt wāṭi ktīr, ana miš sāmeʕ.

   The volume is too low, I can't hear.

   (literally, “The volume is very low, I'm not hearing.”)

2. to listen (+ لـ)

   انا بسمع لفيروز بالصبح.

   ana basmaʕ la-fayrūz biṣ-ṣubḥ.

   I listen to Fayrouz in the morning.

Conjugation

Conjugation of سمع (simiʕ)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	سمعت (smiʕt)	سمعت (smiʕt)	سمع (simiʕ)		سمعنا (smiʕna)	سمعتو (smiʕtu)	سمعو (simʕu)
	f		سمعتي (smiʕti)	سمعت (simʕat)
present	m	بسمع (basmaʕ)	بتسمع (btismaʕ)	بسمع (bismaʕ)		منسمع (mnismaʕ)	بتسمعو (btismaʕu)	بسمعو (bismaʕu)
	f		بتسمعي (btismaʕi)	بتسمع (btismaʕ)
subjunctive	m	أسمع (ʔasmaʕ)	تسمع (tismaʕ)	يسمع (yismaʕ)		نسمع (nismaʕ)	تسمعو (tismaʕu)	يسمعو (yismaʕu)
	f		تسمعي (tismaʕi)	تسمع (tismaʕ)
imperative	m		اسمع (ismaʕ)				اسمعو (ismaʕu)
	f		اسمعي (ismaʕi)

Urdu

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian سمع (sam'), from Arabic سَمْع (samʕ).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /səm(ʔ)/

Noun

سَمْع • (sam', sam'a) f (Hindi spelling सम्अ)

1. hearing, listening
2. sense of hearing
3. ear

References

• “سمع”, in اُردُو لُغَت (urdū luġat) (in Urdu), Ministry of Education: Government of Pakistan, 2017.
• “سمع”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2024.