The most common way to say excuse me in French is Excusez-moi (ex-kew-zay MWAH), the polite form for strangers. With a friend, say Excuse-moi. For a quick sorry when you bump into someone or need to get past, French speakers usually just say Pardon (par-DOHN). For a real apology, use Je suis désolé(e).
- Polite
- Excusez-moi
- Informal
- Excuse-moi
- Quick sorry
- Pardon
- Real apology
- Je suis désolé(e)
- Level
- A1
Excusez-moi or pardon: which should you use?
Use excusez-moi to get someone's attention before you ask them something, and pardon for small bumps and slips. The difference between excusez-moi and excuse-moi is the same as between vous and tu: polite or familiar.
| French | Use | Typical situation |
|---|---|---|
| Excusez-moi | Getting attention, polite (vous) | Asking a stranger for directions, calling a shop assistant |
| Excuse-moi | Getting attention, informal (tu) | A friend, a child, someone in your family |
| Pardon | A quick sorry | Bumping into someone, squeezing past in a crowd |
| Pardon ? | Asking someone to repeat | "Sorry, what did you say?" |
| Excusez-moi de vous déranger | Very polite | Interrupting someone who is busy |
| Je suis désolé(e) | A real apology | When you have actually done something wrong |
Here is excusez-moi in a Contos story. Camille arrives at an old Paris building with one small, very heavy suitcase, and a neighbour on the stairs can't stop staring at it:
Il dit : Excusez-moi, c'est quoi dans la valise ?C'est quoi is everyday spoken French for "what is it"; in careful speech you would say qu'est-ce que c'est.
How do you get someone's attention politely in France?
Start with Bonjour, then excusez-moi, and add monsieur or madame. Going straight to the question without a greeting can come across as abrupt in France.
Bonjour, excusez-moi, madame. Où est la gare ?
Hello, excuse me, madam. Where is the station?
Excusez-moi de vous déranger.
Sorry to bother you.
Pardon, je peux passer ?
Sorry, can I get past?
S'il vous plaît !
Excuse me!
Literally "please": the usual way to call a waiter over.
When is pardon an apology?
Pardon covers small, instant apologies: you stepped on someone's foot, your bag knocked a chair, your dog ran off with a stranger's glove. That last one happens in chapter 1 of a Contos romance:
« Pardon ! Pardon ! Il est très bête ! »For something that really matters, say je suis désolé (if you are a man) or je suis désolée (if you are a woman). Both sound the same.
Oh, pardon !
Oops, sorry!
Je suis vraiment désolée.
I'm really sorry.
A woman speaking.
Pardon ? Je n'ai pas entendu.
Sorry? I didn't hear.
How do you reply when someone says pardon?
A quick reassurance is enough. Je vous en prie is polite; the others are everyday.
Ce n'est pas grave.
It's fine. / No harm done.
Il n'y a pas de mal.
No harm done.
Pas de souci.
No worries.
Informal.
Je vous en prie.
Please, go ahead. / Not at all.
Polite, for example when you let someone past.
Read A1 French stories with everyday dialogue like this, and tap any word for its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce excusez-moi?
Say "ex-kew-zay MWAH". The s sounds like a z, and the u is the French u: round your lips as if to say "oo", then say "ee". Pardon is "par-DOHN", with a nasal vowel and no n sound at the end.
What is the difference between excusez-moi and excuse-moi?
Excusez-moi uses vous, so it is polite and also works for a group. Excuse-moi uses tu, for one person you know well: a friend, a child or a family member.
Is je m'excuse correct French?
It is very common in speech. Some people object that you cannot excuse yourself, only ask others to excuse you, so in formal situations excusez-moi or je vous prie de m'excuser (please excuse me) is the safer choice.
How do you say excuse me to get past someone?
Pardon is the usual word. In a crowded train or shop, say Pardon or Pardon, je peux passer ? (Sorry, can I get past?).
Is quoi a polite way to ask someone to repeat?
Quoi ? is casual and can sound blunt. Pardon ? or Comment ? is the polite way to ask someone to say something again.