Perdón vs. disculpe vs. permiso
In Spanish, the English phrase "excuse me" can be translated into perdón, disculpe, or permiso. While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, they each have specific contexts and nuances that are important for clear communication.
Perdón
A1Perdón is used to apologize for a mistake, an accident, or a more significant interruption. It is equivalent to saying "pardon me" or "I'm sorry". It is often used after the fact, once you have already bothered or inconvenienced someone.
¡Uy, perdón! Pisé tu zapato sin querer.
(Oops, sorry! I accidentally stepped on your shoe.)
¿Perdón? No entendí lo que dijiste, ¿puedes repetirlo?
(Pardon? I didn't understand what you said, can you repeat it?)
Perdón que te interrumpa, pero tengo una llamada urgente.
(Sorry to interrupt you, but I have an urgent call.)
Mil perdones por llegar tarde.
(A thousand apologies for arriving late.)
Perdón, creo que me equivoqué de dirección.
(Sorry, I think I have the wrong address.)
Disculpe
A1Disculpe is a polite and often formal way to get someone's attention before you interrupt or bother them. It's the most common choice for asking a stranger a question. It essentially means "forgive the inconvenience I am about to cause."
Disculpe, ¿me podría decir qué hora es?
(Excuse me, could you tell me what time it is?)
Disculpe, señor, se le cayó la cartera.
(Excuse me, sir, you dropped your wallet.)
Disculpe, ¿sabe cómo llegar al museo?
(Excuse me, do you know how to get to the museum?)
Disculpe, ¿nos podría traer la cuenta, por favor?
(Excuse me, could you bring us the check, please?)
Disculpe la molestia, pero el ruido es muy fuerte.
(Excuse the inconvenience, but the noise is very loud.)
Permiso
A1Permiso is used specifically to ask for permission to physically pass or move through someone's space. The full phrase would be con su permiso (with your permission), but it is almost always shortened. You use it when you need to get by someone or reach over them.
Permiso, necesito bajar del autobús.
(Excuse me, I need to get off the bus.)
Compermiso, voy a pasar.
(Excuse me, I'm going to come through.)
Permiso, ¿puedo tomar esa silla?
(Excuse me, may I take that chair?)
Si me da permiso, quisiera entrar.
(If you give me permission, I would like to come in.)
Voy al baño, con permiso.
(I'm going to the restroom, excuse me.)
Summary
In short: use perdón to say "sorry" for an accident or mistake. Use disculpe to politely get someone's attention before you ask them something. Use permiso when you need to physically get past someone or something.