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Working on your Spanish, but worried you aren't sounding polite enough? Don't worry, we've got you covered. One of the central phrases to sound polite in English is "Alibi me," and as it turns out, Spanish has 3 variations of this phrase. We'll walk you through all of them—disculpe, perdón, and con permiso—with our consummate guide to how to say "excuse me" in Spanish.

  1. 1

    Utilise "disculpe" to respectfully get someone'south attention. While "disculpe" is a mode of proverb "I'm sad," it's also used every bit the Spanish equivalent of "alibi me." Just like we might say "excuse me" in English to get the attention of a clerk at a store or a waiter at a eating house, yous can use "disculpe" in the same fashion when speaking Spanish.[1]

    • "¡Disculpe! Quiero ordenar un café." (dees-COOL-pay KYE-ro ord-en-AR oon kaf-AY): "Alibi me! I want to order a coffee."
    • "Disculpe, ¿cómo llego a mi hotel?" (dees-COOL-pay KO-mo YEG-oh ah me OH-tel): "Alibi me, how do I become to my hotel?"

  2. 2

    Try "disculpa" when speaking to someone your age or younger. "Disculpa" (dees-Cool-pa) is the informal version of "disculpe," and you're likely to hear information technology effectually quite frequently. You tin also utilise "disculpa" with older people when you are on familiar terms with them.[two]

    • "Disculpa, ¿dónde está el baño?" (dees-COOL-pa DOAN-day ess-TA el BAHN-yo): "Excuse me, where is the bath?"
    • "Disculpa, ¿qué hora es?" (dees-COOL-pa kay OR-ah ess): "Alibi me, what fourth dimension is information technology?"

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  3. iii

    Opt for "discúlpeme" when interrupting someone. "Discúlpeme" (dees-COOL-pay-may) variation of "disculpe" comes across as somewhat more atoning, and is therefore a good option for if yous're getting the attending of someone while they're in the middle of something else.

    • "Discúlpame, no quiero molestarte, pero necesito tu ayuda." (dees-Cool-pa-may no KYE-ro mo-less-TAR-tay PE-ro ne-sess-EE-to besides ay-OO-da): "Forgive me, I don't want to bother you, but I need your help."
    • "Discúlpeme, sé que está ocupado." (dees-COOL-pay-may say kay ess-TA o-coo-PA-do): "Forgive me, I know you're decorated."
    • If yous're speaking with someone your historic period or younger, or with whom you're on familiar terms, you tin can instead say "discúlpame" (dees-COOL-pa-may).

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  1. 1

    Say "perdón" to get someone's attention. You can employ "perdón" identically to "disculpe" when trying to get someone'south attending at a eating house or a shop. Using this word is an important role of sounding polite when speaking Castilian.

    • "Perdón, ¿a qué hora cierran?" (per-DOAN ah KAY OR-a see-ERR-ahn): "Alibi me, what fourth dimension exercise you lot close?"
    • "Perdón, ¿puedo preguntarte algo?" (per-DOAN poo-EH-practise pre-GOON-tar-tay AL-go): "Alibi me, can I ask y'all something?"

  2. ii

    Use "perdón" when passing by someone. If you're in, say, a crowded metro finish, you can use "perdón" to exist polite when you ask someone to movement for you lot. "Perdon" has a slightly apologetic connotation, significant it's useful when yous want to brand a minor apology for an inconvenience.[3]

    • "Perdón, aquí me bajo." (per-DOAN a-KEY may BA-ho): "Alibi me, I'm getting downward here."
    • "Perdón, tengo que salir." (per-DOAN TEN-become kay SAL-eer): "Excuse me, I need to exit."

  3. three

    Apologize for minor mistakes with "perdón." Just every bit you might say "excuse me" or "pardon me" to apologize for accidentally bumping into someone, you tin use "perdón" in the same way.[4]

    • "Perdón, no te había visto." (per-DOAN no tay ab-EE-ah VEES-to): "Pardon me, I hadn't seen you."
    • "Perdón, no quise decir eso." (per-DOAN no KEY-say DESS-eer ESS-oh): "Forgive me, I didn't hateful to say that."

  4. 4

    Effort "perdona" when speaking to someone informally. When talking to someone who seems to be your age or younger, or someone with whom you're on familiar terms, use "perdona" (per-DOAN-ah) instead of the somewhat more than formal "perdón."[5]

    • When yous want to be especially formal, like if you lot're talking to an authority figure, you can as well say "perdone" (per-DOAN-eh).
    • "¡Perdona! La cuenta, por favor." (per-DOAN-ah la KWEN-ta por FA-vor): "Excuse me! The check, delight."
    • "¡Perdona! Tengo una pregunta." (per-DOAN-ah TEN-go OON-a pre-GOON-ta): "Alibi me! I have a question."

  5. v

    Utilise "perdóneme" when you're interrupting someone. If y'all're interrupting someone while they're doing or saying something else, you tin can lightly repent for this by maxim "perdóneme" (per-DOAN-eh-may). This expression is a scrap formal, so if you lot'd like to use the informal variant, say "perdóname" (per-DOAN-ah-may).[6]

    • "Perdóneme, ¿Podemos hablar?" (per-DOAN-eh-may po-DAY-mos AB-lar): "Alibi me, tin can nosotros talk?"
    • "Perdóname, pero no estoy de acuerdo." (per-DOAN-ah-may PE-ro no ESS-toy day air conditioning-WARE-practise): "Pardon me, but I don't concur."

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  1. 1

    Use "con permiso" in situations where yous might say "May I?" For example, if y'all want to pass by someone else in a crowd, yous can say "con permiso" in order to politely enquire for space. You could also utilise this expression when reaching across the dinner table for food. This expression literally ways, "with (your) permission."[7]

    • "Con permiso" is especially popular in Latin America, just you tin can likewise use information technology in Spain without whatsoever trouble.
    • "Con permiso, tengo que entrar." (con per-MEE-so 10-go KAY EN-trar): "Excuse me, I have to come in."
    • "Con permiso, quiero más arroz." (con per-MEE-so KYE-ro mahs ar-ROSE): "Excuse me, I want more than rice."

  2. two

    Try "con permiso" when asking to end an interaction. Just like you lot might employ the English expression "if y'all'll excuse me" to exit a meeting with your boss, yous tin can use this Spanish phrase in similar situations.[8]

    • "Con permiso, necesito llamar a mi esposa." (con per-MEE-so ness-ess-EE-to YAM-ar ah me ess-POS-ah): "If you'll excuse me, I need to call my wife."
    • "Con permiso, voy a trabajar." (con per-MEE-so voy a tra-BA-har): "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to work."

  3. three

    Use "permiso" as a short version of "con permiso." In less formal situations, you can use the abbreviated form of "con permiso" to audio more than casual. "Permiso" (per-MEE-then) is acceptable anywhere.[9]

    • "Permiso, tengo que irme." (per-MEE-then X-get KAY EER-may): "If you'll excuse me, I demand to leave."
    • "Permiso, ¿puedo pasar?" (per-MEE-so poo-EH-practice PAH-sar): "Alibi me, can I get through?"

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  • Many native English speakers say "lo siento" (lo SEE-en-to) to say "excuse me." Avoid doing this: "lo siento" should only be used when apologizing for a mistake or to limited sympathy for a hardship that someone else is going through.[x]

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