SU(3) flavor symmetry breaking and semileptonic decays of heavy mesons

Assuming the ${\bar D}^0, D^-, D^-_s$ and $B^+, B^0, B_s^0$ mesons belong to triplets of SU(3) flavor symmetry, we analyse the form factors in the semileptonic decays of these mesons. Both quark and meson mass differences are taken into account. We find a number of relations, in agreement with the present data as well as with previous analyses, and predict certain ratios of form factors, not yet measured, most notably the D meson decay constant $f_D = 209 \pm 39$ MeV.