Excusez-Moi Is Only one of 12 Methods To Say ‘Excuse Me’ in French

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If you wish to transcend excusez-moi and use good manners to say “excuse me” in French, this useful information will introduce you to extra choices. From formal to casual, other ways to say “excuse me” in French will fluctuate primarily based on the scenario.

Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion technique can present examples of real-life situations like what to say to get a server’s consideration vs. what individuals would possibly say in the event that they by accident stumble upon one another on the Trocadéro metro station. Understanding tips on how to say “excuse me” in French can even be helpful once you inevitably want one thing repeated for readability. 

When to make use of ‘excusez-moi’ in French 

Excusez-moi is a solution to get somebody’s consideration, particularly for those who’re going to ask a query or request assist. Utilizing the vous vs. tu kind makes it a well mannered and formal solution to say “excuse me.”  You’ll be able to observe up together with your questions on asking for the time or getting instructions in French. 

• Excusez-moi. = Excuse me. 
  
• Excusez-moi. Est-ce que vous parlez anglais ? = Excuse me. Do you converse English?
  
• Excusez-moi. Quelle heure est-il ? = Excuse me. What time is it? 
  
• Excusez-moi. Où se trouve le supermarché ? = Excuse me. The place is the grocery store? 
  

Different methods to say ‘excuse me’ in French

There are a number of different choices if you wish to say “excuse me.” Some are extra formal, and it’s vital to know the conditions through which you’d say them if you wish to have good manners in French. Some French-speaking international locations are naturally roughly formal than others. You’ll be able to at all times begin with the formal and observe fastidiously to know when an off-the-cuff expression can be applicable. 

1. Excuse-moi (“Excuse me,” casual)

The equal of excusez-moi, this phrase is the casual tu (you) type of the verb. Which means you employ it with individuals you already know properly in informal conditions. If you happen to’re staying with household, chatting with a baby, or speaking to only one pal, the tu kind is perhaps applicable. Use it for interrupting and getting somebody’s consideration or asking for repetition or a small favor. 

• Excuse-moi, qu’est-ce que tu as dit ? = Excuse me, what did you say? 
  
• Excuse-moi, cheri. Il est temps de partir. = Excuse me, honey. It’s time to depart. 

2. Pardon (“Pardon”)

Used as a well mannered interruption or consideration getter, you should utilize pardon in most of the similar methods as excusez-moi, although excusez-moi is perhaps thought of extra well mannered. Say “pardon” for those who’re shifting previous somebody in a crowded area just like the metro. Utilizing a title like madame/monsieur (Madam/Sir) might add additional respect.

• Pardon, madame. = Excuse me, madam. 
• Pardon, monsieur. = Excuse me, sir. 

Use pardon? once you haven’t heard what somebody stated and also you’d like them to repeat it. 

• Pardon ? Je n’ai pas bien compris. = Pardon? I didn’t perceive properly. 
• Pardon ? Je n’ai pas entendu ce que vous avez dit. = Pardon? I didn’t hear what you stated.

3. S’il vous plaît (“Please,” formal)

To get somebody’s consideration, like in a store or restaurant, or to preface a request for assist, say s’il vous plaît (please). Although it means “please” in different sentences, when it’s used to get consideration, it’s utilized in a lot the identical approach as excusez-moi. That is the formal type of the expression for please in French. 

• S’il vous plaît, où est le métro? = Excuse me, the place is the metro? 
• S’il vous plaît, savez-vous combien coûte un billet aller-retour? = Excuse me, are you aware how a lot a round-trip ticket prices? 

4. S’il te plait (“Please,” casual)

That is the casual equal of s’il vous plaît. 

• S’il te plaît, quelle heure est-il? = Excuse me, what time is it? 
• S’il te plaît, où sont les toilettes? = Excuse me, the place is the toilet? 

5. Excusez-moi de vous déranger (“Excuse me for bothering you,” formal)

This traditional formal French method for interrupting somebody or inflicting them a minor inconvenience means “excuse me for bothering you (monsieur/madame; sir/madam).” You would possibly need assistance from somebody on the entrance desk of a resort. By utilizing your entire phrase, you’re displaying courtesy by acknowledging that you simply’re interrupting what they’re at the moment engaged on.

• Excusez-moi de vous déranger, madame. = Excuse me for bothering you, madam. 
  • Bonjour. Est-ce que je peux vous aider ? = Good day, can I enable you to? 

6. Si vous voulez bien m’excuser (“If you happen to’ll excuse me,” formal)

Think about you’re sitting and socializing with a gaggle of individuals and it’s good to stand as much as do one thing else. The expression si vous voulez bien m’excuser (If you happen to’ll excuse me) is a well mannered approach of leave-taking. 

• Si vous voulez bien m’excuser, je devrais y aller. = If you happen to’ll excuse me, I ought to go. 

7. Si tu veux bien m’excuser (“If you happen to’ll excuse me,” casual)

The casual model of “for those who’ll excuse me,” you’ll solely say this to 1 individual at a time, utilizing the plural vous kind for a gaggle.

• Si tu veux bien m’excuser, je vais prendre mon petit-déjeuner. = If you happen to’ll excuse me, I’m going to have breakfast. 

8. Veuillez m’excuser (“Please excuse me”)

This can be a formal solution to ask forgiveness for inflicting an issue or inconvenience. You may additionally see this in writing. 

• Veuillez m’excuser pour tout inconvénient. = Please excuse me for any inconvenience. 

9. Je vous prie de bien vouloir m’excuser (“I ask you to please forgive me,” formal)

This formulaic expression within the French language is kind of soutenu (formal) and is already fairly lengthy earlier than you even apologize. It is perhaps seen extra in writing and enterprise correspondence.

• Je vous prie de bien vouloir m’excuser pour cette réponse tardive. = I ask you to please forgive me for this late response. 

10. Remark ? (“How?”)

In informal French, for those who discover you haven’t heard somebody appropriately or weren’t paying consideration, you should utilize remark ?, a French query phrase that actually means “how?” however conveys the identical that means as “excuse me?/I encourage your pardon?” in French. 

11. Je m’excuse (“I apologize,” casual)

The phrase je m’excuse (I apologize) makes use of a reflexive verb format that actually interprets to “I excuse myself.” It’s a barely controversial expression, as a result of as an alternative of asking the individual that you’ve inconvenienced to excuse you, you’re saying “I excuse me.” 

Though it’s thought of improper by the Académie Française, it’s however a typical approach that French-speakers would possibly say “excuse me/sorry” in French. If you wish to make certain your apology is well-received, the Académie Française suggests je vous prie de m’excuser or excusez-moi. Now you may have a number of alternate options to select from so that you simply’re certain to place your finest French manners to good use.