How to Say ‘Excuse me’ in French
Excusez-moi
ex-kew-zay mwah
[ex-kew-zay mwah]
💬 Usage Tip: The ending in [excusez] is the [vous] form, so you will see the same shape in [parlez-vous ?] and [pouvez-vous ?]. Use it when speaking to strangers or more formally.
Phrase Breakdown
Excusez
[ex-kew-zay]
excuse
A polite verb form used to get attention or apologize formally.
Dans la rue, je dis « Excusez-moi » pour demander mon chemin.
In the street, I say “Excuse me” to ask for directions.
-moi
[mwah]
me
Object pronoun meaning me, attached with a hyphen in this expression.
Dans la rue, je dis « Excusez-moi » pour demander mon chemin.
In the street, I say “Excuse me” to ask for directions.
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