Permission
Is someone allowed to do it?
المعنى
Permission tells us whether an action is allowed. A person may give permission, and a rule may allow or forbid an action. Languages use special verb forms, small words, or expressions for this, and some have no separate permission form. Possibility concerns whether something can happen, not whether it is allowed.
طريقة التعرّف عليه
Look for whether a person or rule allows or forbids an action, rather than whether someone can manage it.
في اللغة الأم
Arabic expresses permission explicitly with يسمح, meaning 'allows,' and the passive form يُسمح, meaning 'is allowed.' Questions with هل يمكنني can also request permission, with the intended meaning supplied by the situation. There is no separate verb ending used only for permission.
هل تسمحُ لي بأنْ أجلسَ هنا؟ (Hal tasmaḥu lī bi-an ajlisa hunā?)
The question explicitly asks the listener to allow the action.
هل يمكنني الدخولُ؟ (Hal yumkinunī al-dukhūl?)
In an appropriate situation, this possibility question functions as a permission request.
لا يُسمحُ بالتصويرِ هنا. (Lā yusmaḥu bi-al-taṣwīri hunā.)
في اللغة قيد التعلم
English uses can for everyday permission and may for more formal permission. Be allowed to states permission at different times, while let names the person who allows the action. Mustn't and not be allowed to express a ban; can't can also deny permission.
Can I open the window?
Can asks for permission in an ordinary conversation.
You may use the computer.
May grants permission with a more formal tone.
We weren't allowed to take photos inside.
This describes a ban that applied in the past.
Learners whose language uses one form for permission and ability may miss which meaning can has in a particular situation. Learners whose language uses the same permission word at different times may use can for a past rule instead of was/were allowed to.