A0 · 9 · Complete beginner
How to Say Sorry and Excuse Me in Spanish
These short expressions help you get someone’s attention politely, deal with a small accident and show genuine regret without making English “sorry” do every job.
Watch Clara explain this
What you'll be able to do
- ✓Get a stranger’s attention politely.
- ✓Choose between the tú and usted forms.
- ✓Apologise for a minor mishap or express deeper regret.
- ✓Reassure someone after a minor accident.
Different jobs for sorry
English uses “sorry” and “excuse me” for several different jobs. A dependable starting point in Spanish is to decide whether you are getting attention, making a quick social repair, expressing regret or reassuring someone.
The choice between tú and usted affects the expressions used to get attention. It does not change perdón, lo siento or no pasa nada.
Getting someone’s attention
Use perdona or disculpa to get the attention of someone you address as tú. Use perdone or disculpe with someone you address as usted. Both pairs are natural.
As a beginner’s rule of thumb, use the tú forms with a friend or peer. The usted forms are a respectful choice with an older stranger or someone serving you at a desk. This is a starting point rather than a complete rule for every encounter.
English “excuse me” does not reveal this social choice. In these four Spanish forms, the tú forms end in a and the usted forms end in e. Neither choice is rude when it suits the relationship and is said in an ordinary, friendly tone.
| How you address the person | One natural choice | Another natural choice |
|---|---|---|
| tú | perdona | disculpa |
| usted | perdone | disculpe |
Quick apologies and reassurance
Use perdón for a small, immediate mishap, such as lightly bumping into someone, stepping in front of them or squeezing past. It stays the same with both tú and usted.
Perdón can also catch someone’s attention briefly, but it does not show whether you are addressing them as tú or usted. Use perdona, perdone, disculpa or disculpe when you want to make that choice clear.
When the incident is genuinely minor, the other person can reply no pasa nada. It means “it’s all right”, “no problem” or “don’t worry”. It is not an automatic reply to serious harm or to an expression of sympathy.
Expressing regret
Use lo siento when you regret what happened and the regret itself matters. It also expresses sympathy when someone tells you bad news.
Use lo siento mucho to add more weight or feeling. English may use “sorry” for both a brushed shoulder and a serious apology, while Spanish commonly distinguishes the quick perdón from the more regretful lo siento.
Real situations can overlap. After a more disruptive accident, both perdón and lo siento may be possible, but lo siento places more emphasis on regret.
The words
- perdona
- excuse me (informal)Use to get the attention of someone you address as tú.
- perdone
- excuse me (formal or respectful)Use to get the attention of someone you address as usted.
- disculpa
- excuse me (informal)A natural alternative to perdona with tú.
- disculpe
- excuse me (formal or respectful)A natural alternative to perdone with usted.
- perdón
- sorry / excuse meUse for a small, immediate mishap or while squeezing past.
- lo siento
- I’m sorryExpresses regret and can also show sympathy.
- lo siento mucho
- I’m very sorryA stronger apology with more weight or feeling.
- no pasa nada
- it’s all right / no problem / don’t worryA reassuring reply when the incident is genuinely minor.
More examples: real moments
- Tom
- Disculpe.Excuse me.
- Server
- ¿Sí?Yes?
- Tom
- Un café, por favor.A coffee, please.
- Server
- Claro.Of course.
- Lucía
- Perdona.Excuse me.
- Nerea
- ¿Sí?Yes?
- Lucía
- ¿Qué tal?How are you?
- Nerea
- Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?Very well, thanks. And you?
- Javi
- Perdón.Sorry.
- Carmen
- No pasa nada.It’s all right.
- Carmen
- ¿Qué tal?How are you?
- Tom
- Fatal.Awful.
- Carmen
- Lo siento.I’m sorry.
- Tom
- Gracias.Thank you.
Remember
- •Use perdona or disculpa with tú.
- •Use perdone or disculpe with usted.
- •Use perdón for a quick mishap or while squeezing past.
- •Use lo siento for regret or sympathy, and add mucho for more weight.
- •No pasa nada is a natural reassuring reply after a genuinely minor incident; do not use it automatically for serious harm or as a response to sympathy.
Practice
Type or choose your answer; each one is checked as you go.
1. Choose the right expression
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
1.You need to squeeze past someone in a crowded doorway. What is the usual quick phrase?
2.You want Javi to look up. Choose the perdona or perdone form that marks tú.
3.At a service desk, choose the respectful form from the disculpa and disculpe pair.
4.You have let someone down and want to put the emphasis on your regret. Choose the expression without the extra weight of mucho.
5.Someone lightly bumps into you and apologises. What reassures them?
2. Complete the pairs
Fill each gap with the missing expression.
1.Complete the pair with the usted form: perdona, .
2.Complete the pair with the tú form: disculpe, .
3.Make this apology stronger: lo siento becomes .
4.After a genuinely minor bump, complete the reassuring reply: Perdón. .
3. Say it in Spanish
Write the natural Spanish expression for each meaning.
1.Get a friend’s attention with an informal “excuse me” that marks tú.
2.Get an older stranger’s attention with a respectful “excuse me” that marks usted.
3.Use the expression from this lesson that stays the same with tú and usted: say the usual quick phrase as you squeeze past someone.
4.Say “I’m very sorry”.
4. Respond naturally
Reply to each situation with one complete Spanish expression.
1.A person says Perdón after lightly brushing past you. Reassure them.
2.Tom says he feels fatal. Respond with sympathy.
3.You have damaged something important to Carmen. Give your apology extra weight.
Your turn
Write four lines: get a friend’s attention, get an older person at a desk’s attention, apologise for a small mishap, then reassure someone after one. Say all four lines aloud.
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Grammar in this lesson: Tú, usted, vosotros and ustedes
Revised 27 October 2026