Permettimi

Permettimi is an Italian phrase meaning "allow me" or "pardon me." It is formed from the verb permettere in the second-person singular imperative, plus the clitic pronoun mi, which marks the speaker as the object of the permission being requested. The expression is used to request permission or to preface a remark, an action, or a clarification with courtesy and deference.

The most common construction is Permettimi di + infinitive, for example Permettimi di chiedere or Permettimi di dire. This pattern introduces a statement, request, or suggestion in a polite way. The phrase can also stand alone as a brief interjection, such as Permettimi! to signal a courteous interruption or to draw attention before speaking.

Grammatical notes: Permettimi remains informal when addressing one person (tu). In formal or plural contexts, the equivalent is Permettetemi (addressing voi or Lei), used with the same clitic mi. The semantics center on offering the speaker a chance to proceed or to qualify what follows.

In culture and usage, Permettimi is a recognizable marker of polite discourse in Italian. Because of its direct yet courteous tone, the phrase is frequently found in conversation, literature, and media, and it has also been used as a title or thematic motif to signal a personal disclosure, a request, or a preface to an argument. See also: Permettere, Di + infinitive constructions.