Ways to Say Excuse Me in Spanish | Polite Phrases That Fit

“Excuse me” does a lot of work in English. You use it to get someone’s attention, to move through a crowd, to apologize for a small bump, or to signal that you didn’t hear something. Spanish splits those jobs across a handful of common phrases, each with its own feel.

This article gives you practical options you can use right away, with clear notes on when each one sounds natural. You’ll get quick pronunciation help, what the phrase is best for, and short lines you can borrow in real conversations.

What “Excuse Me” Means In Real Conversations

In Spanish, the phrase you pick depends on what you’re trying to do in that moment. Are you asking a stranger a question? Are you apologizing for a small mistake? Are you trying to pass someone in a tight space? One English phrase maps to several Spanish choices.

Spanish also leans on tone, eye contact, and a short word like perdón that lands softly. A calm voice often matters more than perfect grammar.

Ways To Say Excuse Me In Spanish For Each Situation

If you want one easy rule: use perdón for small, everyday moments, and use disculpe when you want extra politeness with someone you don’t know. Then add other options as you get comfortable.

Perdón

Best for: slipping past, minor bumps, quick apologies, gentle interruptions.

Sounds like: pehr-DOHN.

Perdón is short, friendly, and common across many Spanish-speaking places. It works in busy, informal settings: a hallway, a shop aisle, or a crowded sidewalk.

• Passing by:Perdón, ¿me deja pasar? (Sorry, would you let me through?)
• Quick bump:Perdón. (Sorry.)
• Interrupting:Perdón, una pregunta. (Sorry, one question.)

Disculpe

Best for: getting attention politely, asking strangers for help, formal settings.

Sounds like: dees-KOOL-peh.

Disculpe is the polite “you” form (usted). Use it with someone you don’t know, an older person, a clerk, a driver, or anyone you want to treat with extra respect.

• Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño? (Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?)
• Disculpe, ¿me puede ayudar? (Excuse me, can you help me?)
• Disculpe, se le cayó esto. (Excuse me, you dropped this.)

Disculpa

Best for: polite but casual talk with one person you address as tú.

Sounds like: dees-KOOL-pah.

Disculpa fits well with classmates, coworkers you use tú with, and new friends. It can get attention without sounding stiff.

• Disculpa, ¿tienes un minuto? (Excuse me, do you have a minute?)
• Disculpa, no te escuché. (Sorry, I didn’t hear you.)

Con permiso

Best for: passing through, entering a room, moving between seated people.

Sounds like: kohn pehr-MEE-soh.

Con permiso is close to “with your permission.” It’s a smooth choice when you need space. You can say it as you step by, then follow with gracias when someone moves.

• Con permiso. (Excuse me.)
• Con permiso, ¿puedo pasar? (Excuse me, may I pass?)

Permiso

Best for: quick “coming through” moments.

Sounds like: pehr-MEE-soh.

In many places, people shorten con permiso to permiso. It’s brief and natural when you’re moving through a tight spot.

• Permiso. (Excuse me.)

Lo siento

Best for: a clearer apology, when you feel you caused trouble.

Sounds like: loh SYEN-toh.

Lo siento means “I’m sorry.” Use it when you want to own a mistake, even a small one, or when your tone should be warmer.

• Lo siento, fue mi culpa. (I’m sorry, it was my fault.)
• Lo siento, no era mi intención. (I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention.)

Perdone

Best for: polite apology with usted, often a bit more serious than perdón.

Sounds like: pehr-DOH-neh.

Perdone can feel more earnest. You might use it after a stronger interruption, or when you need to correct something with a stranger.

• Perdone, me equivoqué. (Excuse me, I made a mistake.)
• Perdone, ¿puede repetir? (Excuse me, can you repeat?)

Perdona

Best for: polite apology with tú.

Sounds like: pehr-DOH-nah.

Perdona sits between casual and polite. It can sound softer than disculpa in some contexts, especially when you’re asking to repeat something.

• Perdona, ¿qué dijiste? (Sorry, what did you say?)
• Perdona, no era para ti. (Sorry, it wasn’t for you.)

¿Perdón?

Best for: “Pardon?” when you didn’t hear or didn’t understand.

Sounds like: pehr-DOHN (with a rising tone).

Said as a question, ¿Perdón? asks the other person to repeat. It’s common, and it usually sounds polite if your tone is friendly.

• ¿Perdón? (Sorry? / Pardon?)
• ¿Perdón, cómo? (Sorry, what was that?)

¿Cómo?

Best for: quick “What?” with someone you know.

Sounds like: KOH-moh.

¿Cómo? can be fine with friends, but it can sound blunt with strangers. If you want it to land politely, pair it with perdón: ¿Perdón, cómo?

¿Mande?

Best for: polite “Yes?” in Mexico when someone calls you.

Sounds like: MAHN-deh.

In Mexico, ¿Mande? is a polite response when someone says your name or calls out to you. It signals “I’m listening.” Outside Mexico, it may sound unfamiliar, so keep it for Mexican settings.

Oiga

Best for: “Hey, listen” with usted, often to get attention.

Sounds like: OY-gah.

Oiga can be neutral or firm depending on tone. If you’re asking a stranger for directions, disculpe is often a safer opener. Use oiga when you need attention fast, like alerting someone to a dropped item.

• Oiga, se le cayó la cartera. (Excuse me, you dropped your wallet.)

Oye

Best for: “Hey” with tú, among friends.

Sounds like: OH-yeh.

Oye is common in casual speech. With strangers, it can feel too direct, so save it for people you already treat as tú.

Quick Pick Chart For Polite Choices

Use this chart when you’re choosing in the moment. It groups the phrases by goal and level of formality, so you can grab one that fits fast.

What You Need	Best Phrase	Extra Note
Pass someone in a tight space	Con permiso / Permiso	Add gracias after they move
Minor bump or small slip	Perdón	Say it once, keep moving
Ask a stranger a question	Disculpe	Pair with a short question
Ask a friend to repeat	¿Perdón? / Perdona	Use a rising tone for ¿Perdón?
Own a real mistake	Lo siento	Add one short reason if needed
Respond when called (Mexico)	¿Mande?	Common in Mexico, rare elsewhere
Get attention about a dropped item	Disculpe / Oiga	Disculpe is softer with strangers
Stop someone gently to ask for a moment	Disculpa	Use with tú relationships

How To Choose Between Disculpe, Disculpa, Perdón, And Permiso

These four cover most daily needs. The trick is to match the phrase to your goal, then match the formality to the person you’re speaking to.

Start With Your Goal

If you’re moving through space, con permiso (or permiso) fits. If you’re interrupting or you made a small mistake, perdón fits. If you’re getting a stranger’s attention, disculpe fits.

Match The Person

Usted settings:disculpe, perdone, con permiso.

Tú settings:disculpa, perdona, perdón, permiso.

If you’re unsure, disculpe is a steady pick with adults you don’t know.

Keep It Short

A long explanation can feel heavier than the moment calls for. In many cases, a simple perdón or con permiso is enough, followed by a small nod.

Pronunciation Tips That Make You Sound Natural

You don’t need a perfect accent to be understood. You do need clean rhythm and the right stress. That’s what makes these phrases land smoothly.

Hit The Stress

• per-DÓN (stress on the last syllable)
• dis-CUL-pe (stress in the middle)
• per-MI-so (stress in the middle)
• lo SYEN-to (stress on sien)

Use A Soft D

In many accents, the “d” in perdón and perdone is softer than English “d.” Don’t bite it. Let it flow.

Mind Your Tone On Questions

¿Perdón? works because of tone. Say it with a light, rising sound. A flat, sharp tone can sound annoyed.

Mini Scripts You Can Copy In Common Scenarios

Memorizing full lines helps because you won’t freeze mid-sentence. These are short and flexible, so you can swap words as needed.

Asking For Directions

• Disculpe, ¿cómo llego a la estación?
• Disculpe, ¿está lejos?

At A Store Or Café

• Disculpe, ¿me cobra aquí?
• Perdón, ¿hay otra mesa?

Moving Through People

• Con permiso, gracias.
• Permiso, disculpe.

When You Didn’t Catch The Words

• ¿Perdón?
• Perdona, ¿puedes repetir?

Small Add-Ons That Raise Politeness

Spanish often adds one small word to soften the request. These add-ons are short, and they can raise the politeness level without changing your main phrase.

Por favor

Por favor fits best when you’re asking for help, space, or time.

• Disculpe, ¿me puede ayudar, por favor?
• Con permiso, por favor.

Gracias

Gracias often seals the moment. When someone steps aside, holds a door, or repeats something, a quick thanks keeps things warm.

• Con permiso… gracias.
• ¿Perdón? … Gracias.

Señor And Señora

Titles can help when you’re speaking to someone you don’t know. Use them sparingly and naturally, mainly in service settings or when you need to get attention from one person in a crowd.

• Disculpe, señor, ¿puede decirme la hora?

Common Mix-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Many learners overuse one phrase because it feels safe. That’s normal. The fix is to tie each phrase to one job, then branch out.

Using Oye With Strangers

Oye can sound too direct when you don’t know the person. If you want a polite opener, choose disculpe or perdón.

Saying Lo siento For Every Tiny Thing

Lo siento is a real apology. If you only brushed someone’s sleeve, perdón usually matches the moment better.

Mixing Tú And Usted

If you start with disculpe, keep the rest of the sentence in the usted style: ¿me puede ayudar? If you start with disculpa, keep it in tú style: ¿me puedes ayudar?

Regional Notes You May Hear

You’ll hear the same core phrases in many places, yet a few local habits stand out. The goal isn’t to memorize every regional detail. It’s to recognize what you hear, so it doesn’t throw you off.

In Mexico, ¿Mande? is a common reply when someone calls you. In other places, people may reply with ¿Sí? or Dime in casual talk. If you’re not sure what’s common where you are, stick to disculpe, perdón, and con permiso. Those travel well.

You may also hear permiso used alone more often in some areas, while others lean on con permiso. Both are polite. Pick one that feels easy to say and keep your tone friendly.

Second Chart With Phrase, Register, And Best Use

This table gives a fast overview you can review before class, a trip, or a conversation practice session.

Phrase	Register	Typical Use
Perdón	Neutral	Small apologies, light interruptions
Disculpe	Formal	Polite opener with strangers
Disculpa	Casual polite	Opener with friends or peers
Con permiso	Neutral polite	Passing through, entering, leaving
Permiso	Casual	Quick “coming through”
Lo siento	Neutral	Clear apology for a mistake
Perdone	Formal	Earnest apology, request to repeat
Perdona	Casual polite	Request to repeat, small apology
¿Perdón?	Neutral	“Pardon?” when you didn’t catch it
¿Mande?	Regional	Polite “Yes?” in Mexico
Oiga	Neutral to firm	Get attention fast, often with usted
Oye	Casual	“Hey” with friends

Practice Plan To Make These Phrases Stick

Knowing the list is one step. Using the phrases without thinking takes small practice sessions you can repeat. Keep it simple and train what you’ll use most.

Pick Four And Drill Them

Start with perdón, disculpe, con permiso, and ¿perdón? Say each one out loud ten times, with the stress in the right place. Then use them in one short sentence each.

Do One “Scene” Per Day

Day 1: passing through people. Day 2: asking a stranger a question. Day 3: asking someone to repeat. Day 4: apologizing for a small mistake. Rotate these scenes until the phrases feel automatic.

Switch Tú And Usted On Purpose

Say the same request in both styles:

• Disculpe, ¿me puede ayudar?
• Disculpa, ¿me puedes ayudar?

This trains your ear to keep the sentence consistent.

Ways to Say Excuse Me in Spanish | When Each One Works Best

Once you have the core phrases, you’ll start hearing them in real speech. The best sign you’re on track is that you’ll stop translating from English and start choosing the phrase that matches the moment.

If you’re in doubt, pick disculpe for strangers and perdón for small day-to-day slips. If you need space, con permiso is a solid choice. Then keep practicing until the words come out naturally.