“¡Disculpe! Quiero ordenar un café. ” (dees-COOL-pay KYE-ro ord-en-AR oon kaf-AY): “Excuse me! I want to order a coffee. ” “Disculpe, ¿cómo llego a mi hotel?” (dees-COOL-pay KO-mo YEG-oh ah me OH-tel): “Excuse me, how do I get to my hotel?”
“Disculpa, ¿dónde está el baño?” (dees-COOL-pa DOAN-day ess-TA el BAHN-yo): “Excuse me, where is the bathroom?” “Disculpa, ¿qué hora es?” (dees-COOL-pa kay OR-ah ess): “Excuse me, what time is it?”
“Discúlpame, no quiero molestarte, pero necesito tu ayuda. ” (dees-COOL-pa-may no KYE-ro mo-less-TAR-tay PE-ro ne-sess-EE-to too ay-OO-da): “Forgive me, I don’t want to bother you, but I need your help. ” “Discúlpeme, sé que está ocupado. ” (dees-COOL-pay-may say kay ess-TA o-coo-PA-do): “Forgive me, I know you’re busy. ” If you’re speaking with someone your age or younger, or with whom you’re on familiar terms, you can instead say “discúlpame” (dees-COOL-pa-may).
“Perdón, ¿a qué hora cierran?” (per-DOAN ah KAY OR-a see-ERR-ahn): “Excuse me, what time do you close?” “Perdón, ¿puedo preguntarte algo?” (per-DOAN poo-EH-do pre-GOON-tar-tay AL-go): “Excuse me, can I ask you something?”
“Perdón, aquí me bajo. ” (per-DOAN a-KEY may BA-ho): “Excuse me, I’m getting down here. ” “Perdón, tengo que salir. ” (per-DOAN TEN-go kay SAL-eer): “Excuse me, I need to leave. ”
“Perdón, no te había visto. ” (per-DOAN no tay ab-EE-ah VEES-to): “Pardon me, I hadn’t seen you. ” “Perdón, no quise decir eso. ” (per-DOAN no KEY-say DESS-eer ESS-oh): “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to say that. ”
When you want to be especially formal, like if you’re talking to an authority figure, you can also say “perdone” (per-DOAN-eh). “¡Perdona! La cuenta, por favor. ” (per-DOAN-ah la KWEN-ta por FA-vor): “Excuse me! The check, please. ” “¡Perdona! Tengo una pregunta. ” (per-DOAN-ah TEN-go OON-a pre-GOON-ta): “Excuse me! I have a question. ”
“Perdóneme, ¿Podemos hablar?” (per-DOAN-eh-may po-DAY-mos AB-lar): “Excuse me, can we talk?” “Perdóname, pero no estoy de acuerdo. ” (per-DOAN-ah-may PE-ro no ESS-toy day ac-WARE-do): “Pardon me, but I don’t agree. ”
“Con permiso” is especially popular in Latin America, but you can also use it in Spain without any trouble. “Con permiso, tengo que entrar. ” (con per-MEE-so TEN-go KAY EN-trar): “Excuse me, I have to come in. ” “Con permiso, quiero más arroz. ” (con per-MEE-so KYE-ro mahs ar-ROSE): “Excuse me, I want more rice. ”
“Con permiso, necesito llamar a mi esposa. ” (con per-MEE-so ness-ess-EE-to YAM-ar ah me ess-POS-ah): “If you’ll excuse me, I need to call my wife. ” “Con permiso, voy a trabajar. ” (con per-MEE-so voy a tra-BA-har): “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to work. ”
“Permiso, tengo que irme. ” (per-MEE-so TEN-go KAY EER-may): “If you’ll excuse me, I need to leave. ” “Permiso, ¿puedo pasar?” (per-MEE-so poo-EH-do PAH-sar): “Excuse me, can I get through?”