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How to Say ‘Sorry’ in French

Pardon

par-DOHN

[par-DOHN]

🇫🇷 In France: This is the everyday word for squeezing past someone, bumping into them or getting a waiter's attention. Save Je suis désolé for real apologies.

Phrase Breakdown

Pardon

[par-DOHN]

sorry / excuse me / pardon

Short, polite word to apologize, get past someone, or ask someone to repeat.

Example

Pardon, je peux passer ?

Excuse me, can I get by?

Related guides

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.How to Learn to Speak French, Not Just Read ItWhy reading French doesn't make you speak it, and a practical way to learn to speak French: real conversations, speaking out loud from day one, and practice with people.

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