French Word of the Day: Pardon vs. Excusez-moi
These French words come up often when taking public transport, but did you know the slight difference between them?
It's often the case in French that you'll find several words that mean basically the same thing, and it's not always easy to know which one is appropriate. Our new mini series looks at some of the most common word pairs, and sorts out which should be used and when.
Why do I need to know the difference between pardon and excusez-moi?
Because even though these terms seem interchangeable, there are some subtle differences.
What is the difference?
Pardon (roughly pronounced pahr-don) and excusez-moi (roughly pronounced ex-scoo-zay mwah) are both expressions you might hear while on a crowded bus or train in France.
There are a few small differences between pardon and excusez-moi, though both roughly mean 'excuse me'.
If you want to get someone's attention - perhaps a store clerk - you should begin by saying 'bonjour' and then you can say 'excusez-moi' followed by your query.
As such, you probably would use excusez-moi before an action - either prior to politely informing someone they are in your seat (excusez-moi, je pense que c'est ma place) or before pushing past a crowd.
Pardon is usually reserved for the aftermath. If you have already bumped into someone, you might say pardon.
Examples
Bonjour, excusez-moi. Vous savez où se trouvent les toilettes ? - Hello, excuse me. Do you know where the toilet is?
Oh, pardon, je ne vous ai pas vu - Oh excuse me, I did not see you there.
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It's often the case in French that you'll find several words that mean basically the same thing, and it's not always easy to know which one is appropriate. Our new mini series looks at some of the most common word pairs, and sorts out which should be used and when.
Why do I need to know the difference between pardon and excusez-moi?
Because even though these terms seem interchangeable, there are some subtle differences.
What is the difference?
Pardon (roughly pronounced pahr-don) and excusez-moi (roughly pronounced ex-scoo-zay mwah) are both expressions you might hear while on a crowded bus or train in France.
There are a few small differences between pardon and excusez-moi, though both roughly mean 'excuse me'.
If you want to get someone's attention - perhaps a store clerk - you should begin by saying 'bonjour' and then you can say 'excusez-moi' followed by your query.
As such, you probably would use excusez-moi before an action - either prior to politely informing someone they are in your seat (excusez-moi, je pense que c'est ma place) or before pushing past a crowd.
Pardon is usually reserved for the aftermath. If you have already bumped into someone, you might say pardon.
Examples
Bonjour, excusez-moi. Vous savez où se trouvent les toilettes ? - Hello, excuse me. Do you know where the toilet is?
Oh, pardon, je ne vous ai pas vu - Oh excuse me, I did not see you there.
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