How to say “excuse me” in Spanish

Disculpe

Pronunciation: dees-KOOL-peh · Syllables: dis-CUL-pe

The most common way to say "excuse me" in Spanish is "disculpe" (dees-KOOL-peh), used politely with strangers to get their attention or apologize for a small inconvenience. With friends or people your age, say "disculpa". To get past someone in a crowd, say "con permiso" or just "permiso".

How to pronounce “Disculpe”

The 'u' is always a pure 'oo' as in 'food', never the 'uh' in 'cult'.
End with a short, crisp 'eh' and don't glide it into 'ay' as in 'day'.
The 'd' is softer than in English: touch your tongue to the back of your top teeth, not the ridge behind them.

What it literally means

"Disculpe" comes from the verb "disculpar" (to excuse, to forgive), built from "dis-" (removing) and "culpa" (blame), so it literally means "take the blame off me." It's a command form, so you are politely telling the other person to excuse you.

How to say “excuse me” in Spanish: Disculpe — casual to formal, by country, replies and common mistakes — Cheat sheet — tap to enlarge

Other ways to say it, from casual to formal

DisculpaExcuse me (informal) · with friends, peers or young peopleCasual
PerdónSorry / Pardon · bumping into someone or interrupting brieflyNeutral
PermisoExcuse me (coming through) · passing quickly through a crowd or on the busNeutral
PerdoneExcuse me / Pardon me · getting a stranger's attention, very common in SpainPolite
Con permisoExcuse me (may I pass?) · squeezing past someone or leaving a room or tablePolite
¿Me permite?May I? / Excuse me · reaching past someone or taking something near themPolite
Disculpe la molestiaSorry to bother you · interrupting someone who is busyFormal

By country

¿Mande?Mexico · A polite "Excuse me?" or "Pardon?" when you didn't hear something; very Mexican.
Qué pena con ustedColombia · A soft way to say "excuse me, sorry to bother you" before asking a favor or apologizing.
Perdona / PerdoneSpain · Spaniards often prefer "perdona" (informal) or "perdone" (formal) over "disculpe" to get attention.
PermisoArgentina · Said constantly when passing people, entering a room or leaving a group.

In text messages

perdon = sorry / excuse me (accent often dropped)sorry = sorry (borrowed from English, very common in chats)disculpa la demora = sorry for the late reply

Example sentences

Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño?Excuse me, where is the bathroom?
Con permiso, voy a pasar.Excuse me, I'm coming through.
Disculpa, ¿tienes hora?Excuse me, do you have the time?
Perdón, no te vi.Sorry, I didn't see you.
Disculpe, ¿este asiento está libre?Excuse me, is this seat free?
Disculpe la molestia, ¿me podría ayudar con la maleta?Sorry to bother you, could you help me with my suitcase?

Mini dialogue: Asking for directions on the street

Disculpe, señora, ¿sabe dónde está la estación de metro?

Excuse me, ma'am, do you know where the subway station is?

Sí, claro. Siga derecho dos cuadras y gire a la izquierda.

Yes, of course. Go straight two blocks and turn left.

¿Perdón? ¿Dos cuadras?

Sorry? Two blocks?

Sí, dos cuadras. Está al lado del banco.

Yes, two blocks. It's next to the bank.

Muchas gracias, muy amable.

Thank you very much, that's very kind.

De nada, que le vaya bien.

You're welcome, have a good day.

How to reply

Sí, dígame.Yes, how can I help you?
Pase, pase.Go ahead, go ahead.
No pasa nada.No worries.
¿Sí?Yes?

Grammar: Disculpe (usted) vs. disculpa (tú)

"Disculpe" and "disculpa" are command forms of the verb "disculpar". Use "disculpe" with strangers, older people, staff and anyone you'd address as "usted", and use "disculpa" with friends, family and people your age ("tú"). The same pattern works for "perdone" (usted) and "perdona" (tú).

Disculpe, señor, ¿me puede ayudar?Excuse me, sir, can you help me?
Disculpa, ¿me pasas la sal?Excuse me, can you pass me the salt?

Common mistakes

✗ ~~Lo siento, ¿dónde está el museo?~~✓ Disculpe, ¿dónde está el museo?

"Lo siento" expresses real regret or sympathy, so it's not used to get someone's attention.

✗ ~~Excúseme, ¿qué hora es?~~✓ Disculpe, ¿qué hora es?

"Excúseme" sounds stiff and unnatural; natives say "disculpe" or "perdone".

✗ ~~Disculpe (to pass someone in a crowded bus)~~✓ Con permiso / Permiso

To ask for space to pass, Spanish speakers use "permiso", which literally asks for permission to go through.

Culture tip

Latin Americans say "con permiso" or "permiso" much more often than English speakers say "excuse me": when passing someone, leaving the table, entering a home or even walking between two people talking. Saying "disculpe" before asking a question is expected, and skipping it can sound abrupt. In Mexico, you'll often hear "¿Mande?" as a polite "Pardon?" instead of "¿Qué?", which can sound rude.

Questions people ask

What's the difference between "disculpe" and "disculpa"?

"Disculpe" is formal (usted) for strangers, older people and service staff, while "disculpa" is informal (tú) for friends and peers. When in doubt with a stranger, use "disculpe".

Is "perdón" the same as "disculpe"?

They overlap. "Perdón" is short and neutral, best for small accidents like bumping into someone or for "Pardon?". "Disculpe" is more typical for politely starting a conversation or a question.

How do I say "excuse me" to get past someone?

Say "con permiso" or simply "permiso". The usual reply is "pase" or "adelante" (go ahead).

How do you say "excuse me?" when you didn't hear someone?

Say "¿Perdón?" or "¿Cómo?" anywhere. In Mexico "¿Mande?" is very common and polite. Avoid a bare "¿Qué?" with strangers, as it can sound rude.