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اسمح لي أن أسألك سؤالا.

اسمح لي أن أسألك سؤالا.ismah lî an as'alaka su'âlan
Allow me to ask you a question.
From Lesson 118:Polite requests and replies (اسمح لي، حاضر، الرجاء)·Arabic (Modern Standard)

Questions & Answers about اسمح لي أن أسألك سؤالا.

Why does the sentence use لي ("to me") instead of just attaching "me" directly to the verb "allow"?
In Arabic, the verb اسمح (allow) naturally takes the preposition لـ (to or for) before the person receiving permission. So, instead of saying "allow me," you say "allow to me" (اسمح لي).
What is the purpose of أن in the middle of the sentence?
The word أن acts a lot like the English word "to" when connecting two verbs. Here, it connects the idea of allowing with the action of asking, translating to "to ask." It must be followed by a present tense verb.
How is the word أسألك built?
It is made of three pieces. The first letter أ marks the present tense for "I", سأل is the core verb meaning "ask", and the ending ك is the attached object pronoun for "you". Put together, it means "I ask you".
Why does the word for question (سؤالا) end with an extra alif (ا)?
That extra alif carries the "tanwin fatha" (an "-an" sound at the end of the word). In Arabic, when an indefinite noun is the direct object of a verb (like "a question" being asked), it usually takes this accusative case ending.
Is it considered repetitive to say أسألك سؤالا since the verb and noun share the same root?
While it might feel repetitive in English, pairing a verb and a noun from the same root is a very common and natural style in Arabic. It emphasizes the action and makes the sentence sound structurally complete.

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