Excuse me in spanish pronunciation: How to Say “Excuse Me” in Spanish

The 16 Best Ways to Say “Excuse me” in Spanish

There are many ways to say “excuse me” in English and we use different expressions depending on the situation.

Spanish has many ways to use the expression too and if you use them correctly you can speak like a native. 

So the next time you need to ask someone for some more time or to move from in front of you try one of these 16 expressions.

You will sound more fluent and also seem more polite if you use the best expression. 

16 ways to say “excuse me” in Spanish

1. Permiso
2. Con su permiso
3. Perdón
4. Perdóneme
5. Lo siento
6. Permítame
7. Un momento…
8. Espere…
9. ¿Cómo?
10. ¿Cómo fue?
11. Me apena
12. Lamento
13. Disculpe
14. Excúsame
15. Mande
16. Oiga

1. Permiso

The most commonly used expression for “excuse me” in Spanish is ‘permiso.’ When you say this everyone will understand that you are saying “excuse me.”

You can use this at any time for any situation and there will not be any confusion about what you are saying. It is great in colloquial or formal settings. 

Since the expression is only one word and it literally translates to “permission” you do not need to worry about formality. 

For the following example you are standing in the grocery store and want someone to move from in front of your way. 

Example:

You: Permiso.

Excuse me.

Other person: Pase. 

Go ahead. 

2. Con su permiso

If you want to be courteous for interrupting someone during a meeting you could say, “con su permiso.” Because of ‘su’ you know this is a formal sentence. 

You should use this in a formal situation such as in an office or at a university. You always say this when you want to go and do something. 

‘Con’ means with and ‘permiso’ means permission so you are asking someone for permission to do something. 

In the following example you are in an office meeting. You need to excuse yourself to print something and bring it to the meeting. 

Example: 

You: Con su permiso, vengo a traerle los papeles impresos.

Excuse me while I fetch the prints.

Boss: Échale ganas

Okay.

 
The boss is replying by telling you, “go for it.” You can reply to this sentence in many ways and      échale ganas can also mean many things. 

3. Perdón

When you interrupt someone you can use an interjection like in English. ‘Perdón’ is an interjection in Spanish that means “excuse me” and you can use it when you will bother someone for something. 

If you are entering a meeting and want to sit in a seat, you could say this to get someone’s attention. Once you have their attention you will follow up with a question. 

In the following example you are in the grocery store and you need help finding ice cream. You will need to interrupt the person who is working so he can guide you to the ice cream. 

Example:

You: ¿Perdón, puede decirme dónde encontrar helado?

Excuse me, can you tell me where to find the ice cream?

Worker: No se preocupe, está en el tercer pasillo.

No worries, it’s on aisle 3.

 
Make sure that when writing this you add the tilde on the letter ‘o’ because it is stressed in speaking. If you do not include this it will be difficult to understand as “excuse me.”

4. Perdóneme

If you accidentally bump into someone in a line, you could say ‘perdóneme.’ You should reserve this for small mistakes that require an apology. 

Sometimes people will add extra words before this when they want to exclaim. If you want to make this more interesting or if you are surprised you can add ‘uy’ in front of the word. 

When you say, ‘uy, perdóneme’ it indicates that you are both apologizing and saying “excuse me” in the same sentence. 

For context in the following example you are walking into a building and looking at your phone. Because you are looking at your phone you bump into someone. 

The person you bumped into has dropped all of their items. You want to say “excuse me” and express apologies. 

Example:

Person you bumped into: Ah, se me cayó todo. ¡Mira por dónde vas!

Ah, I dropped everything. Watch where you are going!

You: ¡Perdóneme, no te vi!

Excuse me, but I didn’t see you. 

 
The verb is ‘perdonar’ which ends in ‘-ar.’ When you replace the ‘ar’ with ‘e’ and add the reflexive pronoun ‘me’ you are using the subjunctive. 

Reflexive pronouns tell you who the verb is meant for. In this case the reflexive pronoun is ‘me’ so it is directed at yourself. 

Since we cannot ensure the person you’re saying “excuse me” and “sorry” to will accept your apology you must use the subjunctive. The subjunctive is always used for situations which you cannot affirm. 
 

5. Lo siento

Although technically this is an apology, you can use it as “excuse me.” You will need to use this in certain situations. 

You can use this in a similar fashion to ‘perdóneme.’ Usually people use this for actions that have consequences other than what they intended. 

For context in the following example, you have told your friend that her boyfriend kissed another person. You saw this and wanted her to know. 

She has not received the news well and is very upset. You want to excuse your action and apologize at the same time. 

Example:

You: Disculpa, no quise hacerte llorar.
 
Excuse me, I didn’t mean to make you cry.

 
You are both excusing yourself and apologizing at the same time because the result was unintended. You now feel a bit out of place having told your friend.  

6. Permítame

Here is another example of a reflexive pronoun in a verb. The verb here is ‘permitir’ which means “to permit.”

You can probably guess that this means you want to excuse yourself and are politely asking for permission. You would use this in a formal setting when you need to excuse yourself. 

In the following example your phone is vibrating. You see that it’s a doctor and you need to take the call. 

You do not want to be rude so you tell your boss you will step out to take the phone call. 

Example:

You: Permítame atender esta llamada.

Excuse me, I need to take this call. 

7. Un momento

If you are being incorrectly accused of something, you may want to use ‘un momento. ’ It is a polite way of saying “something is not right.”

The literal translation could be “one moment.” You should use this when you have additional information to add after telling someone they are not right. 

In the following example your boss is upset that a report is not complete. It was supposed to be ready for the morning meeting but it’s not done yet. 

He thinks he assigned the report to you, but he assigned this to another employee. You want to let him know about his error politely. 

Example:

Boss: María, ¿por qué no está listo este informe? Te dije que lo necesitábamos para la reunión esta mañana.

Maria, why is this report not ready? I told you we needed it for the morning meeting.

You: Un momento, no me asignaste esto y no lo vi en mi calendario.

Excuse me sir, you didn’t assign this to me and it’s not on my calendar. 

8. Espere

In informal settings you can opt for ‘espere’ instead of ‘un momento. ’ Both of these mean that something isn’t quite right and you need to set the story straight. 

 
You would not use this when speaking to a boss or someone in a position of power. Instead, you should opt for this when talking to friends or family members. 

In the following example your friend has just said you’ve taken her pencil. You do not have it and want to show her that it’s not in your pencil pouch. 

Example:

Friend: Devuélveme mi lápiz, lo necesito para el examen.

Give back my pencil, I need it for the exam. 

You: Espere, no lo tengo. Busca en mi bolsa de lápices.

Excuse me, but I don’t have it. Take a look in my pencil pouch. 

 
When saying this you could be a bit sassy. Quite literally you are telling your friend to “hold their horses.”
 

9. ¿Cómo?

Sometimes if you mishear someone you may want them to repeat what they’ve said. In Spanish it is common to say ‘¿cómo?’

You can use this when talking to anyone and in English it can mean “come again?” or “excuse me, can you repeat that?”

It is not uncommon for long phrases to be shortened in Spanish. Much of the shortening comes from context. 

In the following example you are at the doctor’s office and you did not hear how often to take your medication. You want the doctor to clarify this for you. 

Example:

Doctor: Tome su medicamento dos veces al día durante tres semanas y se sentirá mejor.

Take your medicine twice a day for three weeks and you will feel better.

You: ¿Cómo?

Excuse me, can you repeat that?

 
You can use this if you do not understand something too. It indicates you want someone to repeat something slowly or using different words. 

10. ¿Cómo fue?

Similar to ‘¿Cómo?’ you can say, ‘¿Cómo fue?’ when you do not understand something or miss what was said. You can use this with anyone.

The difference between the two is ‘fue’ which means “was it” in English. The expression  translates to “what was it?”

You can use this when you want more clarification on something. The connotation here is slightly different than just ‘¿Cómo?’ because it shows you want clarification and a repetition. 

In English this can translate to “excuse me, can you say that again more clearly?”

In the following example you are in a Spanish speaking country. You need directions to the nearest store to make a purchase. 

You mostly understand the store clerk but got lost when he told you to turn right on 10th avenue. 

Example:

Store clerk: Gire a la primera derecha en la 10ª avenida, luego inmediatamente a la izquierda, y la tienda está a su derecha.

Take the first right on 10th avenue and then make an immediate left and the store is on your right.

You:¿Cómo fue?

Excuse me, what do I do again?

11. Me apena

An intense form of saying “excuse me” is ‘me apnea.’ You should not use this lightly as it translates to “I regret.”

It also indicates you are sorry about an action you have taken but can translate to “excuse me. ” To use this as an “excuse me” you need to be very sorry for an inconvenience you have caused.

In the following example you have just interrupted someone’s phone call. You are telling them that there is a car accident that just happened. 

You thought the car accident was much worse than it is. You only quickly glanced at the accident. 

Example:

You:¡Oh, no! Mira ese accidente, ¡debemos ir a ayudarlos!

Oh no! Look at that accident, we must go help them!

Other person: Estoy en una llamada importante, pero vamos si es un accidente grave.

You: Mi error, no es tan malo como pensaba. Me apena haberte molestado.

It’s not as bad as I thought. Excuse me for bothering you. 

12. Lamento

You can use ‘lamento’ in the same way you use ‘me apena.’ You use this expression when you want to excuse yourself for an error you made that has caused a situation to become bad.  

‘Lamentar’ is a verb that means “to regret” but it can also be used as a noun “lamento’ for “a regret.” When using this as “excuse me” it is a verb. 

You know it is a verb because you replace the ‘ar’ ending with an ‘o’ for ‘yo’ in Spanish. 

In the following situation you are a doctor. You are telling someone that their family member is in critical condition after a surgery. 

You are walking into the waiting room and interrupt their conversation to break the bad news.

Example:

You: Lamento decirle que su padre está en estado crítico.

Excuse me, I regret to inform you that your father is in critical condition. 

 
Although this expression can also mean “I’m sorry” it can also be used when interrupting someone to give them bad news. 

The doctor is also using ‘le’ instead of ‘tu’ for “you” in Spanish. He is being quite formal.

13. Disculpe

When speaking to someone in Spanish and you need to interrupt them, you can say ’disculpe. ’ You can use this in any formal or informal setting. 

Take note that this verb is used in the subjunctive form. You can ask someone for permission to interrupt them, but you cannot affirm they will grant it. 

The verb ‘disculpar’ can translate to “excuse,” “apologies,” or “sorry.” Using this as “excuse me” will depend on the situation. 

For context, in the following sentence you are trying to ask a question about someone’s presentation. They are speaking too quickly and you cannot understand an important detail. 

Example:

Presenter: Hoy vamos a hablar de los efectos del calentamiento global en los casquetes polares

Today we are going to talk about the effects of global warming on the polar ice caps.

You:Disculpe, ¿puede repetirlo?

Excuse me, can you say that again?

14. Excúsame

Using ‘excúsame’ does literally mean ”excuse me” you cannot use this in the same way as the other examples on this list.  

When you use this it means you are excusing an action taken by someone. You use this more commonly as “I am sorry” in Spanish. 

You only use ‘excúsame’ to excuse yourself for your actions. In the following example you have done something that had a negative outcome. 

You want to excuse yourself for having been rude to the CEO of your company. You did not realize it was him and were upset. 

Example:

You: Excúsame por mis acciones, no sabía que eras tú

Excuse me for my actions, I did not know it was you. 

 
Although you are saying “excuse me” a more accurate translation is “I’m sorry.”

15. Mande

Using ‘mande’ is a very colloquial expression from Mexico. You can use this when you want clarification on something. 

It is an informal and extremely colloquial way to say ‘¿Cómo?’ The saying is so informal that you should only use it when talking to your family or very close friends.  

For context in the following example, you are in the kitchen. Your mom is yelling to you from the kitchen. 

It is hard to hear what she is saying so you mute the tv. 

Example:

Your mom: Deja de ver la televisión y ven a ayudarme a limpiar la cocina.

Stop watching the TV and come help me clean the kitchen. 

You:¿Mande?

Excuse me, what did you say?

16. Oiga

If you want to express anger with someone, you can say ‘oiga.’ You should only use ‘oiga’ when you are angry with someone as it can be quite rude. 

If someone is accusing you of an action that you did not commit you can say ‘oiga. You can also use it when someone has offended you. 

For context, you are talking to someone in Spanish. You are happy to practice, but the person you are speaking to does not welcome it. 

Example:

You:¿Cómo estás y de dónde eres?

How are you and where are you from?

Other person: Habla inglés. El español es mi idioma y tú lo hablas mal.

Speak English. Spanish is my language and you speak it badly. 

You: Oiga, no me hables así. 

Excuse me, how dare you talk to me like that.

 
Here you are trying to make conversation. You start by asking how the person is and “where are you from” in Spanish. 

You did not expect the rude response and wanted to let them know it was very rude. 
 

Conclusion

If you want to express “excuse me” in a variety of settings and styles use one of the examples in this blog post. It will intensify your Spanish appropriately and make you sound more native. 

Using a variety of expressions is key to speaking any language well. 

Marcel Iseli

Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.

How to Say Sorry in Spanish in 93 Sincere, Meaningful Ways

When it comes to learning languages, making mistakes is okay—perhaps even encouraged. But, when you do need to apologize for a mistake, you need to know how to say sorry in Spanish.

When you’re learning Spanish—or any other language—you’re bound to make mistakes. You’ll say the wrong thing, use a word incorrectly, and perhaps even offend someone accidentally. This is all normal! Mistakes help us learn things really well, so you should try to treat mistakes as learning opportunities.

However, sometimes your mistakes will go beyond a simple mispronunciation or incorrect word usage. Sometimes, you’ll hurt people’s feelings. Sometimes, you’ll do things that hurt others, whether by accident or on purpose. And when you do something that hurts or offends others, the best way to move forward is to offer a sincere apology.

If you’ve been studying Spanish online or in person for a while now, you probably know it’s an incredibly diverse language. That means there’s more than a handful of ways to say sorry. There are actually dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to say pardon me in Spanish!

But don’t take that as discouragement. Of course, it’ll take a while to learn all the ways to say you’re sorry in this beautiful language. This article will cover more than 80 ways to say sorry to someone in Spanish so that you know what to do next time you need to apologize!

Pero, sorry for all the fuss. Let’s get into all the different ways to apologize in Spanish!

How to say I’m sorry in Spanish

The biggest difference between apologizing in English versus Spanish is that there are several verbs that are commonly used to express regret. In English, “sorry” is commonly used as an adjective. In Spanish, there are three common verbs used when apologizing:

• Perdonar
• Disculpar
• Lamentar

The first two mean roughly the same thing, whereas the third one has a stronger connotation of regret. So, keep in mind that you’ll be using mostly verbs when apologizing in Spanish, so don’t forget to conjugate them accordingly!

How to say sorry to someone you have hurt

Hurting someone never feels good, and, although sometimes there’s not a lot you can do after the fact, you can always offer a heartfelt apology. With that said, you want to use an apology that fits the bill to be culturally sensitive. Over-apologizing could come across as insincere, whereas under-apologizing might not cut it.

That’s why we’ve included a column with context so that you know exactly what kind of apology to use depending on how bad your mistake was. We’ve also included different sections for different scenarios below, so make sure to read through the entire article!

How to say you’re sorry if something bad happened to someone you care for

Saying sorry isn’t always about apologizing for something you’ve done. Sometimes, you apologize just to show that you’re sorry something happened to someone you love. An example is when a friend or family member is grieving a loss. Unless you were directly involved in the death of their loved one, saying “I’m sorry for your loss” isn’t something that would imply that you’re to blame, right?

Just like in English, there are several ways to express sympathy in Spanish without necessarily admitting fault. Here are some of our favorites:

How to apologize when you accidentally bump into someone, or you want to get past someone blocking the way

Life can be messy. You’ll bump into people, knock things over, or otherwise disturb people. When this happens, all you need is a quick apology to keep it moving.

Here are some of the best ways to apologize when you bump into someone by accident or want to get past someone blocking the way in Spanish.

How to apologize when you need to ask someone to repeat something

We all get distracted. It happens. Even if we’re really invested in the conversation, we can miss what the other person said from distraction or because of external factors, such as a loud motorcycle.

When this happens, it’s probably a good idea to apologize quickly for making the other person repeat themselves.

How to apologize when you have made a small mistake (that didn’t hurt anyone)

Most apologies (I hope!) we use in our day-to-day life are for inconsequential mistakes that we make. Saying sorry for the little things helps us live in society by being polite, just like saying thank you for minor things.

Here are some of our favorite ways to apologize when you have made a small or inconsequential mistake in Spanish.

How to say sorry in a formal or business environment

Nobody likes to mess up at work, but when you do, it’s usually a good idea to own up to it and apologize. However, you have to choose your words very carefully when you need to apologize to a business partner or a supervisor. Also remember to NOT say sorry if you’re not at fault.

But if you do need to sincerely offer apologies? Here’s a few highly polite ways to apologize in Spanish at work.

How to say sorry in Spanish slang

If you’re a little younger, you’ll probably want to use some Spanish slang when apologizing to your friends. Luckily, there are many informal ways to say you’re sorry or “my bad” in Spanish! Here are some of the best Spanish slang words and phrases to say sorry in Spanish.

How to ask for forgiveness

Saying sorry and asking for forgiveness are often two different things. If you’ve just bumped into a stranger in public, you’ll probably apologize but won’t expect a grand gesture of forgiveness. But if you’ve done something very hurtful to a friend, you’ll want to explicitly ask for their forgiveness.

There are several ways to ask for someone’s forgiveness. One of the most common ones is asking how you can correct the situation. Even if you can’t undo the action, you can often make it up in a different way or compensate with something else. Here are a few genuine ways to ask for forgiveness in Spanish.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation	Context
Can you forgive me?	¿Me perdonas?	me pɛɾˈðonas ‖	meh pear-doh-nass	Direct way of asking someone if they’ll forgive you
How can I make it up to you?	¿Cómo te puedo compensar?	ˈkomo te ˈpweðo kõmpɛ̃nˈsaɾ ‖	koh-mo teh poo-eh-doh kom-pen-sar	Offering to make up for the damage/pain that you caused
Sorry, I won’t do it again.	Lo siento, no volverá a suceder	lo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈno βolβɛˈɾa a suseˈðɛɾ	lo see-en-toh no vol-ver-rah ah sue-seh-der	Emphasizes that you will not repeat your behavior
Please, forgive me	Por favor, perdóname	poɾ faˈβoɾ | pɛɾˈðoname	pore fah-vore pear-don-nah-meh	Asking someone to please forgive you
Do you think you could forgive me someday?	¿Crees que algún día me podrías perdonar?	ˈkɾees ˈke alˈɣũn ˈdia me poˈðɾias pɛɾðoˈnaɾ ‖	crehs keh al-goon dee-ah meh po-dree-ahs pear-doh-nar	Could be used after making a serious mistake, or facetiously after making a tiny mistake
Will you absolve me?	¿Me disculpas?	me ðisˈkulpas ‖	meh diss-cool-pass	Direct way of asking someone if they’ll forgive you

How to express regret

Similarly to asking for forgiveness, expressing regret is a way to take your apology one step further. A simple “sorry” doesn’t necessarily imply that you wish you hadn’t done something or that you’re truly remorseful.

Being intentional with your words and vocalizing how you feel can help the other person appreciate how sorry you really are.

How to offer help after making a mistake in Spanish

Offering help immediately after apologizing is a great way to show that you want to do right by the person you’ve hurt. It shows a genuine will to address the situation head-on and compensate them for the troubles you’ve caused. Here are some helpful ways to offer help after making a mistake in Spanish.

How to forgive in Spanish

On the flip side, knowing how to forgive in Spanish is just as important as learning how to say sorry. When someone says sorry to you, a simple “no problem!” can be good enough to let them know there are no hard feelings.

And no, “no problemo” is not the way to say no problem in Spanish! Check out the table below to learn how to actually forgive someone in Spanish!

A few final tips to note

If you’ve made it to the end of the article, congratulations! You are now well-equipped to become the apologizer in your friend group. However, remember:

• Don’t say sorry if you don’t have anything to be sorry for; and
• Be careful not to apologize a little too often, as constant apologies may be perceived as insincere!

While we’re sorry to see you go, we hope you’ve enjoyed learning some Spanish with this article. And if you’re not ready to leave yet, you can check out our Spanish blog for more helpful articles on learning Spanish.

¡Hasta pronto!

Spanish Words And Phrases | Rosetta Stone®

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Basic Spanish Words

Build your confidence up by starting with some basic words to start building your Spanish word bank:

• Hola = Hello
• Adiós = Goodbye
• Por favor = Please
• Gracias = Thank you
• Lo siento = Sorry
• Salud = Bless you (after someone sneezes)
• Sí = Yes
• No = No
• ¿Quién? = Who?
• ¿Qué? = What?
• ¿Por qué? = Why?
• ¿Dónde? = Where?

Now that we’ve got a handle on a few basic Spanish vocabulary words, we can dive into the conversational phrases that’ll help you ease into real-world conversations.

Basic Spanish Phrases

The basic conversational building blocks are a great place to start.

Simple phrases

like good morning, how are you, etc. grease the wheels of daily conversation in most every language, including Spanish.

• Buenos días = Good morning
• Buenas tardes = Good afternoon
• Buenas noches = Good evening
• Hola, me llamo Juan = Hello, my name is John
• Me llamo… = My name is…
• ¿Cómo te llamas? = What’s your name?
• Mucho gusto = Nice to meet you
• ¿Cómo estás? = How are you?
• Estoy bien, gracias = I’m well thank you
• Disculpa. ¿Dónde está el baño? = Excuse me. Where is the bathroom?
• ¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?
• ¿Cómo se dice ‘concert’ en español? = How do you say ‘concert’ in Spanish?
• Estoy perdido/a = I am lost
• Yo no comprendo = I do not understand
• Por favor, habla más despacio = Would you speak slower, please
• Te extraño = I miss you
• Te quiero = I love you

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How to Learn to Pronounce Spanish Words

Because Spanish is a much more phonetically consistent language than English, Spanish words almost always sound the way they are spelled. You can use this phonetic knowledge to pronounce long, multi-syllable words that otherwise might be overwhelming. Rosetta Stone offers an effective way to learn Spanish words and phrases, and getting the pronunciation just right is a snap with TruAccent®, Rosetta Stone’s patented speech recognition technology.

TruAccent listens and compares your accent to native speakers, so you learn how to pronounce Spanish words and phrases quickly and accurately. In addition to helping you tackle tricky pronunciation, you can compare your accent to that of native speakers for a more authentic language-learning experience. Each lesson includes practical exercises that get you speaking Spanish and working on your pronunciation consistently.

Rosetta Stone’s Immersive Approach

Rosetta Stone gives you a skillset beyond vocabulary with an immersive approach that combines learning vocabulary with real-world situations, building toward a greater contextual understanding of key Spanish phrases. Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® method prepares you to adapt in new conversations by applying the context of what you already know to new words and phrases–so you’ll learn the language and build upon it with your own experiences.

By combining solo practice in Rosetta Stone’s award-winning mobile app and practicing with other language learners in the Rosetta Stone online community, you can take control of your progress and accelerate your learning.

BONUS: Spanish Words for Music Lovers

• Despacito = Slowly
• Mi Gente = My people
• Bailando = Dancing
• Bésame mucho = Kiss me a lot
• Gasolina = Gasoline
• La Bicicleta = The bicycle
• Sin Pijama = Without pajamas
• Bella = Beautiful
• Clandestino = Clandestine or secret
• No Me Acuerdo = I don’t remember

Learning to pronounce Spanish words and phrases is much like learning vocabulary in any other language: practice makes perfect.

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3 Totally different ways to say sorry in Spanish

“I’m sorry!” These were the only words that my friend Mark pronounced right after an embarrassing situation:

He accidentally opened the door of women’s restroom and saw someone peeing.

Poor Mark, every time I think about him, I picture that scene of him, suddenly closing his eyes, shutting the bathroom’s door and running away yelling the opening words of this post over and over.

Interestingly though, this lady didn’t speak English and when she went out of the bathroom she was like:

“¿Vieron a ese gringo que me abrió la puerta y me gritó como un loco?”

The most uncomfortable part of this story is that this happened during a family reunion, and the woman who Mark saw was his wife’s aunt.

I still remember his face looking at her during dinner time… Yes, good old and funny days, hahaha!

The good news are:

Mark is fine, he’s still sorry about that uncomfortable incident. Nonetheless, every time he recalls that day, he ends up laughing at the woman.

He is a very shy person, and he’s always thinking of what people think of him.

Imagine how frustrating and embarrassing it must’ have been for him, not being able to communicate and say sorry properly.

How do I say I’m sorry in Spanish?

During dinner, Mark asked me:

—”Pssstt… Diego, How do I say ‘I’m sorry’ in Spanish”.

—”Depends on how sorry you feel “— I reply, making a big effort not to laugh so the woman didn’t think we were making fun of her.

In English, there was only one option, all he could say was: I’m sorry for opening the door while you were peeing.

Now, in Spanish, we have more ways to express this idea.

Read the three different ways that we have in Spanish to say ‘sorry.’ Then, at the end of the article, make a comment telling me what the best option for my friend was.

Note: I don’t want you to be in Mark’s shoes, so read carefully the following ways of saying sorry in Spanish.

3 Different ways to say sorry in Spanish

1- Lo siento:

This is often taught as the Spanish equivalent for “I’m sorry”, but it doesn’t sound natural if you use it in every situation.

When I see people saying “lo siento” for everything they feel sorry about, it sounds like a robot repeating a pre-recorded audio, it just doesn’t sound natural!

In Spanish, we use “lo siento” to express condolences, this has to be something that you REALLY, REALLY feel bad about.

For instance, when there’s someone very sick you can say:

“Siento mucho que estés tan enfermo.

Perhaps, if you feel bad for not helping someone you can also say:

“Siento mucho no poder ayudarte“

Most of the time, people use it when someone dies, you go to a deceased’s relative and say:

“Lo siento mucho”

Bottom line is that “Lo siento” is just for situations that you feel empathy for the other person.

2- Disculpe

This is a very formal way to ask for an apology, it usually goes along with the pronoun “Usted”.

For example, if you are in a business meeting and you want to interrupt someone who is talking, you can say:

“Disculpe que lo interrumpa pero….”

Depending on how informal, or how close you feel to the person who you talk to, there’s a small variation: Disculpa, which goes along with the pronoun “Tú”.

Most Spanish countries use this informal talking with their family and friends. For instance:

“Mamá, disculpa por no lavarlos platos”

Sometimes, Spanish speakers like specific talking and that’s why you can add “me”, to the apology:

1. Discúlpeme que lo interrumpa pero
2. Mamá, discúlpame por no lavar los platos

3- Perdón

Again, with this word, you are asking for an apology.

It’s basically the same meaning as “disculpe“, although “perdón” is a bit more meaningful than “disculpe“.

Just as we saw with the examples of “disculpe”, you can make it more formal or informal:

1. Perdone: sounds formal and goes along with the pronoun “used”.
2. Perdona: Sounds informal and goes along with the pronoun “tú”.

You can also add ‘me’ to specify that it’s you: perdoneme or perdoname.

How will you master these differences?

The difference between “lo siento”, “perdón” and “disculpe” is very simple:

• Lo siento: Something you really feel sorry about.
• Perdón: You ask for an apology.
• Disculpe: You ask for an apology, mostly a small apology.

Now, how can you master these differences?

What can you do to make them flow out of your mouth easily and spontaneously?

I ask these questions because, after getting a nice explanation about this topic, my students always get out of the classroom like:

“It’s pretty clear to me, thanks! Bye Diego!”

Days later, they talk to me in Spanish and every time they make a mistake, they say “Lo siento”. 😩

So, the question is: How can you master the context in which these words are used?

You will do it by training your brain to use and respond to Spanish automatically.

And how can you do that?… Using stories to learn Spanish!

I explain exactly everything you need to do to learn Spanish powerfully and effectively using stories in my free guide: 7 Steps To Understand Fast Speaking People In Spanish Through Compelling Listening Stories.

You may download it in the form at the end of this article.

Oh hey! and before you go… after considering these three different ways to say sorry in Spanish, I have a question for you:

What should Mark have said to express that he was sorry for interrupting the woman’s ritual in the W.C?

Leave your answer in the comments below!

Basic Spanish Phrases with Pronunciation

Once you think you’ve mastered these basic Spanish phrases, try the audio flashcards and exercises to test your memory. Return to the Spanish I Tutorial for more Spanish (and recordings) or head over to Authentic Spanish to listen to how Spanish is actually spoken in various countries, and read along with transcripts.

If you’re interested in buying books to supplement your Spanish studies,
I’ve recommended some books from Amazon and there is a Spanish Interlinear book with literal English translations under the Spanish text. Need more Spanish? Try the Spanish courses at Udemy, the audio and video lessons at SpanishPod101.com, and the authentic videos with subtitles and English translations at Yabla’s LoMásTV and FluentU

Buy Spanish Language Tutorial as a PDF e-book! Spanish Language Tutorial includes a complete vocabulary and grammar review of the Spanish language (much more than what is available online), transcripts of authentic Spanish videos, and Spanish realia photos. The PDF e-book and mp3s – including nearly two hours of recordings by five native speakers from three countries – are available for immediate download with FREE lifetime updates. Thank you for supporting ielanguages.com! Download the first ten pages of Spanish Language Tutorial (including the table of contents).

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If a phrase or question is formal, you should use it with people you do not know, people who are older, and those to whom you want to show respect. In addition, the formal you is also used as the plural you. If a phrase or question is informal, you should use it with family members, close friends, and children.

Hello! / Good morning!	¡Buenos días!
Good afternoon!	¡Buenas tardes!
Good evening! / Good night!	¡Buenas noches!
Hi! / Bye!	¡Hola! / ¡Chao!
Goodbye	Adiós.
Please	Por favor
See you	Hasta la vista
See you later	Hasta luego
See you soon	Hasta pronto
See you tomorrow	Hasta mañana.
Thank you (very much)	(Muchas) Gracias
You’re welcome	De nada
Welcome	Bienvenidos
I’m sorry	Lo siento
Excuse me	Con permiso
Pardon me	Perdón
Pardon me	Disculpe
Let’s go!	¡Vamos!
How are you? (formal)	¿Cómo está usted?
How are you? (informal)	¿Cómo estás?
How’s it going?	¿Qué tal?
Very good	Muy bien
OK / So-so	Más o menos
Very bad	Muy mal
Yes / No	Sí / No
What is your name? (formal)	¿Cómo se llama usted?
What is your name? (informal)	¿Cómo te llamas?
My name is. ..	Me llamo…
Nice to meet you.	Mucho gusto.
Pleased to meet you. (male)	Encantado.
Same here. / Same to you.	Igualmente.
Mister / Mrs. / Miss	Señor / Señora / Señorita
Where are you from? (formal)	¿De dónde es usted?
Where are you from? (informal)	¿De dónde eres?
I am from…	Yo soy de…
How old are you? (formal)	¿Cuántos años tiene usted?
How old are you? (informal)	¿Cuántos años tienes?
I am ____ years old.	Yo tengo _____ años.
Do you speak Spanish? (formal)	¿Habla usted español?
Do you speak English? (informal)	¿Hablas inglés?
I (don’t) speak…	(No) Hablo…
Do you understand? (formal / informal)	¿Entiende usted? / ¿Entiendes?
I (don’t) understand.	(No) Entiendo.
Recommended Resource: Learn to read Spanish with interlinear translations in English
I know.	Yo se.
I don’t know.	Yo no lo se.
Can you help me? (formal)	¿Puede ayudarme?
Of course	Claro que sí
What? Pardon me?	¿Cómo?
Where is … / Where are … ?	¿Dónde está / Dónde están… ?
Here / There	Aquí / Ahí
There is / are… / There was / were…	Hay / Había…
How do you say ____ in Spanish?	¿Cómo se dice ____ en español?
What is that?	¿Qué es esto?
What’s the matter (with you)?	¿Qué te pasa?
It doesn’t matter.	No importa.
It depends.	Depende.
What’s happening?	¿Qué pasa?
Nothing much.	Sin novedad.
I have no idea	No tengo ninguna idea.
Good idea!	¡Buena idea!
Go ahead!	¡Pase!
I’m tired. (male)	Estoy cansado.
I’m hungry.	Tengo hambre.
I’m thirsty.	Tengo sed.
I’m hot.	Tengo calor.
I’m cold.	Tengo frío.
I’m sick. (male)	Estoy enfermo.
I’m bored. (male)	Estoy aburrido.
I don’t care.	No me importa.
Don’t worry	No se preocupe.
That’s alright. / It’s ok.	Está bien.
I forgot.	Me olvidé.
I must go now.	Tengo que ir ahora.
Ready?	¿Listo?
Maybe.	Quizás.
Not yet	Todavía no.
How funny!	¡Qué chistoso!
Have a nice day!	¡Que le vaya bien!
We’ll see you!	¡Nos vemos!
Bless you!	¡Salud!
Congratulations!	¡Felicitaciones!
Good luck!	¡Buena suerte!
It’s your turn. (informal)	Te toca a ti.
Shut up!	¡Callate!
I love you. (informal)	Te amo.

Return to the Spanish I Tutorial

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Common Spanish Phrases – Rocket Languages

These common Spanish phrases are your Spanish language survival kit essentials. Listen to the free audio lesson and repeat these basic phrases after the native speaker–it’s that easy!

Whether you’re traveling to Spain, Mexico or another Spanish-speaking country on business or vacation, or you need to speak in a Spanish language environment closer to home, you’ll need to know these commonly used Spanish expressions and sentences to communicate with those around you.

Resources for further reading:

• Improve your Spanish pronunciation
• The best Spanish learning software: what you need to know

Learn how to greet and farewell people in Spanish, and what to say at different times of the day. Perhaps you want to ask someone how they are, or what they’ve been up to lately… and you’ll need to know what to say when someone asks you! Practice welcoming someone in Spanish, or saying sorry, and numerous other essential phrases…

Listen carefully to the pronunciation on the audio and repeat the Spanish sentences after the native speaker. Think of it as your very own speaking Spanish phrasebook, and remember, you can’t just listen to them, you have to pronounce them… yes, out loud!

Llama, Andean Plateau

Spanish Greetings

Here are some of the most basic Spanish expressions to get you started. Further on in this lesson, we will look at the pronunciation of these and more Spanish sentences.

• ¡Buenos días, Estela! – Good morning, Estela!
• Buenos días, Esteban. ¿Cómo estás? – Good morning, Esteban. How are you?
• Bien, ¿y tú? – Well, how about you?
• Como siempre. – As always.
• Buenos días – good morning
• Buenas tardes – good afternoon
• Buenas noches – good evening
• Hola – hello
• ¿Cómo estás? – How are you? (used with friends or family)
• ¿Cómo está usted? – How are you? (more formal; used with strangers, more senior persons, etc.)

Are you ready? Here is a brief Spanish conversation. Listen to Esteban and Estela as they greet one another.

Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record

Rocket Record lets you perfect your Spanish pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!

¡Buenos días, Estela!

Good morning, Estela!

Buenos días, Esteban. ¿Cómo estás?

Good morning, Esteban. How are you?

Bien, ¿y tú?

Well, how about you?

Como siempre.

As always.

Greetings like “good morning” or “good afternoon” are incredibly important in Spanish. As the Latin culture is more formal, going through the ritual of greeting another person is an important way of showing respect. In fact, in some parts of Latin America, you are expected to greet every person individually, even if they’re in a group. That means that if you’re walking along the road in a village and pass a group of five people, you’ll have to say, “Good morning,” five times!
Here are some common greetings:

buenos días

good morning

buenas tardes

good afternoon

buenas noches

good evening

muy buenos

a shortened version of the above three greetings, suitable anytime

“How are you?” in Spanish

After you greet someone, you’ll want to ask how they are or how’s it going. Here are some common questions that follow a greeting:

¿Cómo estás?

How are you? (used with friends or family)

¿Cómo está usted?

How are you? (more formal; used with strangers, more senior persons, etc.)

¿Cómo te va?

How’s it going?

¿Cómo has ido?

How’ve you been?

¿Qué tal?

What’s up?

¿Qué pasa?

What’s happening?

¿Qué haces?

What are you doing?

What could you say if someone asks you one of these questions?

Bien, gracias. / Muy bien.

Well, thanks. / Very well.

Como siempre.

As always.

Un poco cansado (for men) Un poco cansada (for women)

A little tired.

Estoy enfermo (for men) Estoy enferma (for women)

I’m sick.

Más o menos.

Okay, so-so.

Todo bien.

All good.

Nothing.

A common follow-up question is, “And you?” ¿Y tú?

Casual Greetings in Spanish

Here’s another conversation. This one is much more casual. You’re likely to hear this kind of conversation among young people.

Hola, Estela, ¿qué tal? ¿Qué haces?

Hello, Estela, how are you? What are you doing?

Nada, nada. Estoy enferma.

Nothing, nothing. I’m sick.

Ah, lo siento.

Ah, sorry.

¿Y tú? ¿Cómo te va? ¿Bien?

How about you? How are you doing? Well?

Sí, todo bien.

Yes, all right.

Essential Phrases

The above words are extremely important. From experience, I know that the most important phrase in any language is how to say you’re sorry! Others disagree. They say that there are THREE important phrases that you absolutely must know in any language. They are:

Lo siento.

I’m sorry.

Te amo.

I love you.

Necesito ayuda.

I need help

Hmm, I can’t think of a situation in which I’d need to use all three, but I’ll leave it to your imagination!

How to Say Goodbye in Spanish

You can say goodbye with one of the following phrases:

goodbye

goodbye

hasta luego

hasta pronto

see you soon

hasta la vista

until we see each other again

nos vemos

see ya

Other Common Spanish Phrases

¡Buena suerte!

Good luck!

¡Diviértete!

Have fun!

¡Con mucho amor!

Lots of love!

¡Buen viaje!

Have a good trip!

¡Buen provecho!

Enjoy your meal!

¡Salud!

Cheers!

¡Muy bien!

Well done!

¡Cuídate!

Take care!

¡Cuídese!

Take care! (formal)

Los mejores deseos para…

Best wishes to…

¡Felicitaciones!

Congratulations!

¡Bienvenidos! / ¡Bienvenidas!

Welcome!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

Happy Birthday!

¡Salud!

Bless you!

¡Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year!

¡Salud! has two usages… you use this word when giving a toast “Cheers!” and also when someone sneezes–the Spanish equivalent of “Bless you!”

¡Lo siento!

I’m sorry!

Another way to say “I’m sorry” is Perdón. This one is more of an “Excuse me” phrase. Perdón, pero dónde están los baños? “Excuse me, but where are the toilets?”

¡Perdón!

Excuse me!

One expression that is milder than Lo siento is Disculpeme. And when you’re late for a meeting, you can say…

¡Mil disculpas!

A thousand sorry’s!

When you have to interrupt a meeting, say…

Siento interrumpir.

Sorry to interrupt.

A polite way to ask someone to get out of your way, or if you’re leaving a conversation, or leaving a table is to say…

Con permiso.

Excuse me.

If someone stepped on your toes and apologized you might want to say…

¡No se preocupe!

No worries!

I hope you’ve found this lesson on common Spanish phrases helpful. You’ll soon see how much your attempts to become part of the Spanish-speaking community are appreciated, and it won’t be long before you’re ready to learn more Spanish.

You want to learn more already? Great! I happen to know a super-practical Spanish language course you’re going to LOVE! Come see me at Rocket Spanish and I’ll tell you all about it!

Or if you want to check out more free lessons on Spanish phrases, here are some recommended ones:

• Learn how to say “I love you” in Spanish, along with other very important Spanish romance phrases!
• Knowing these Spanish travel phrases will make your stay in any Spanish-speaking country much more comfortable and enjoyable!

See you soon! ¡Hasta pronto!

Mauricio Evlampieff: Rocket Spanish

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  “I don’t speak Spanish” and other useful phrases

  Content: Video and audio for learning Spanish.

  

  In this section, we will analyze the most necessary phrases for survival that will help you get out of a difficult situation: explain that you do not speak Spanish, ask your interlocutor to repeat, etc.

  PART 1: VIDEO

  Summary of the topic in the form of a video:

  We have collected the most important words and phrases in one video to help you remember them as quickly as possible. Under the video you will find a list of all new words and expressions with explanation.

  PART 2: AUDIO AND EXPLANATION

  Listen to the audio and read carefully the explanations about the use of words in live Spanish speech.

  Do you speak Spanish?

  Let’s study phrases that will help you say what language you speak and ask what language your interlocutors speak. These are the most typical phrases with which foreigners usually start a conversation:

  ¿Usted habla…?
  Do you speak-…?

  ¿Tú hablas…?
  You speak-…?

  ---

  So, we already know the structure, in which we only need to add the language we speak or want to ask about. For now, we will drop the pronoun at the beginning of the sentence to make the phrase sound more natural and add a few examples:

  ¿Habla español?
  Do you speak Spanish?

  ¿Hablas español?
  Do you speak Spanish?

  Habla ingles?
  You speak English?

  Habla ruso?
  Do you speak Russian?

  Hablo… español / ruso / inglés.
  I speak… Spanish / Russian / English

  No hablo… francés / alemán / chino.
  I don’t speak… French/German/Chinese.

  Notes on Living Spanish
  What is the name of the Spanish language: español or castellano?

  ---

  Learners of Spanish often ask, “What is the correct way to say español or castellano? There are countries (for example, Mexico) where it is customary to speak of the language “español”, and there are others where the language is called “castellano” (in Argentina, for example). However, from a linguistic point of view, both names are correct and can be used in relation to the same language. Therefore, you can say both “castellano” and “español”.

  Do you understand me? Yes, understand.

  Try to memorize the following phrases. They will help you avoid misunderstandings and help you out in situations where you see bewilderment on the face of the interlocutor. Does the person I’m talking to understand me? Do I understand it correctly?

  ¿Me entiende?
  Do you understand me?

  ¿Me entiendes?
  You understand me?

  Si, entiendo.
  Yes, I understand.

  No, no entiendo.
  No I do not understand.

  How do you say it in Spanish?

  The following phrases will help us expand our vocabulary by learning the name of something in Spanish. Just point your finger at the object and ask:

  ¿Cómo se dice esto en español?
  How is it in Isnan?

  Literal translation: How do you say it in Spanish?

  No sé cómo se dice esto en español.
  I don’t know how it is in Spanish.

  Esto en español se dice…
  It’s in Spanish…

  “mesa” en ruso se dice “table”.
  “mesa” in Russian is called “table”.
  As you can see, in Spanish we use “se dice”, which literally translates into Russian as “it is said.” In Russian, instead of “as they say” we usually use “as it’s called” or “how to say”.

  Spanish customs
  If you are a foreigner, you can point your finger

  ---

  Pointing your finger at something is considered bad manners almost all over the world, including in Spanish-speaking countries. However, if you are a foreigner and point your finger at something, no one will be offended by you and is unlikely to think badly of you. You can point your finger at something and ask: ¿cómo se dice esto en español? or even point at someone and ask: ¿Cómo él se llama?. People in Spanish speaking countries are always happy when someone tries to speak their language and will likely try to help you in any way they can.

  Please repeat

  The phrases that we will analyze below will help you explain to your interlocutor something very important: that your level of Spanish is not the highest in the world, but that if you have a little patience with you, you can understand what is being said to you:

  Perdon, no entiendo.
  Sorry I do not understand.

  Repita, por favor.
  Repeat, please.

  ¿Podría repetir, por favor?
  Could you repeat, please?

  Spanish customs
  Don’t be alarmed if people talk to you very loudly

  ---

  In normal conversation, people from Spanish-speaking countries speak much louder than, for example, Germans, Russians or Japanese. And if you ask someone to repeat something (Repita, por favor), it may seem to you that they started shouting at you. This is not true at all. This is a natural reaction of Spanish speakers to your question, because speaking louder, they try to be clearer. If you spend some time among Spanish speakers, you yourself will likely get used to talking louder than usual.

  Hable más despacio, por favor.
  Speak slower please.

  Podría hablar más despacio, por favor?
  Could you speak more slowly, please?

  Podría decir esto con otras palabras?
  Could you say it in other words?

  Escribalo, por favor.
  Please write it down.

  ---

  And now let’s use the same phrases, but this time we will address our interlocutor with “you”. Do not forget that in Spanish the pronoun “you” is used much more often than in Russian. For example, if in Spain you stop a random passerby on the street to ask him how to get to your hotel, this passerby expects to hear from you “you” (no matter how surprising it may seem to a Russian person).

  Perdona, no entiendo.
  Sorry, I do not understand.

  Repite, por favor.
  Please repeat.

  Habla más despacio, por favor.
  Speak slower please.

  Escribelo, por favor.
  Write it down please.

  sorry for the delay – spanish translation

  Discúlpeme por el re tras o.

  Thank you sorry for the delay .

  Gracias , perdón por la tardanza .

  I’m sorry for for holding.

  Pido disculpas por el re tras o.

  Sorry for for the delay in replying.

  Pido disculpas por la respuesta tan tardia.

  Colonel, Sorry for the delay I had no one to leave my nephew with. My father is busy today. You said it’s very important.

  disculpe la

  Sorry for this.

  Perdone n por eso.

  Sorry for disturbing .

  Perdone que le moleste.

  Sorry for today.

  Lamento lo de esta tarde.

  Sorry for the intrusion.

  Disculpe la molestia, señora.

  Sorry for the retreat

  Perdone la interrupción.

  Sorry for this.

  Lamento eso

  Sorry for being late.

  Disculpadme por llegar tarde.

  Sorry for disturbing .

  Siento haberle molestado.

  Sorry for disturbing .

  Disculpe mi atrevimiento.

  Sorry for disturbing .

  Perdone que le moleste.

  Sorry

  Excuse me for this.

  Me disculpo por esto.

  Sorry for bad news.

  Siento decirles eso.

  Sorry for complicated chart.

  Perdone n lo complicado del diagrama.

  Sorry for late, mr.

  Perdone n las molestias, amigos, todo ha terminado.

  Excuse me for curiosity.

  Disculpe mi curiosidad.

  Sorry for being late, Natalie.

  Lamento llegar tarde, Natalie.

  Sorry for disturbing . Nothing.

  Os lo ruego, Maestro.

  Sorry for trouble.

  Siento todos los problemas que le…

  Excuse me for

  Sorry for being late. I overslept.

  Perdon por llegar tarde. Me quede dormido.

  Excuse me for stupid voice.

  Lo siento por mi voz tonta.

  Asterix. Yes? Sorry for disturbing.

  Habrá ganado la lotería.

  Dr. Knox, sorry for anxiety.

  Knox, perdone por haberle molestado.

  Sorry for disturbing , Mr Westhus.

  Disculpe que le moleste, Sr. Westhus.

  Sorry for the intrusion, Mr. Wilson.

  Disculpe la interrupción, Sr. wilson.

  Excuse me for this, Lucien.

  Lo siento, Lucienne.

  Sorry for the concern Sir Wilfrid.

  Perdón que lo moleste en su oficina, Sir Wilfrid.

  Sorry for disturbing , good night.

  Le llamare yo el dia 12. No hay prisa.

  Sorry. Sorry.

  Discúlpeme .

  Sorry sorry .

  Lo siento, perdone .

  Colloquial expressions in modern Spanish

  What is characteristic of Spanish colloquial speech? The predominance of simple and incomplete sentences, an abundance of exclamations, emotionally colored interjections and interrogative sentences, which are often used by Spaniards when greeting in order to learn about health, family, business.

  A long, even well-formed phrase will surprise you. But not ridicule – the Spaniards are very respectful of foreigners who can connect a few words in Spanish.

  How to address

  A foreigner in a foreign country needs to attract attention to ask a question (it means you address an unfamiliar Spaniard/Spanish woman with “you” – usted): favor, please), or Perdone (perdone), or Disculpe (disculpe) and formulate a question.

  Your attempt to attract attention with the words Perdón (sorry), Perdóneme (perdoneme, excuse me) or ¡Oiga! (oiga, listen).

  If you say Tendría la bondad (tendria la bondad, (be so kind) or Hágame el favor (agame el favour, do me a favor) when addressing you, the Spaniards will be stunned and will immediately understand that you have read Spanish classical literature and have an idea about Spanish grammar.0003

  However, the streets are more in the course of calling ¡Hola! and ¡Eh! (letter h is not pronounced).

  How to say hello

  Let’s start with the most famous greetings that do not have a stylistic coloring:

  Good morning or good afternoon (until noon) – ¡Buenos días! (Buenos Dias)

  Greeting from noon until dark – ¡Buenas tardes! (Buenas tardes)

  In the evening, after dark – ¡Buenas noches! (Buenas noches)

  If you know the person who greeted you, or want to show your affection for the speaker, you can reply: ¡Muy buenos (muy buenas)!

  In Spain, one can often hear the greeting ¡Hola! (ola). So on the street you can turn to a stranger, but only if he is not much older than you.

  Spanish colloquial speech is characterized by the frequent use of interrogative sentences during greetings: ¿Que tal? (ke tal?), ¿Como va la vida? (como va la vida?), ¿Como te va? (komo te wa?), ¿Todo bien? (todo bien?).

  It is customary to be interested in health and family.

  How to say goodbye

  To say goodbye, you can use: ¡Adiós! (adios), ¡Hasta luego! (hasta luego), ¡Hasta pronto! (asta pronto, see you soon), ¡Hasta mañana! (asta manyana, see you tomorrow), ¡Hasta la vista! (asta la vista, see you later).

  How to make acquaintances

  The form of acquaintance depends on the participation of the intermediary in this process, as well as the age of the people who make acquaintances. Young people consider most forms of human representation to be obsolete and archaic:

  Permítame presentarle (or –les if you are introducing a person to a group of people) a … (permítame presentarle a…).

  Quisiera presentale a …. (quisiera presentale a …).

  Such forms are replaced by a simplified expression: Te presento a… or enkontada). The person being introduced usually answers: El gusto es mío (el thick es mio) or A sus órdenes (a sus ordes, at your service).

  Young people introduce themselves simply: Me llamo … (me llamo, my name is), and simply ask: ¿Cómo te llamas? (como te llamas, what’s your name).

  How to express gratitude or ask

  Simply and briefly thank ¡Gracias! (gracias). You can thank ¡Muchas gracias (options are mil gracias or muchísimas gracias)!

  It is considered good manners not to be limited to a short thank you, but to give thanks in more detail: ¡Muchas gracias por su amabilidad! (muchas gracias por su amabilidad, thank you very much for your kindness), or ¡Gracias por su atención! (gracias por sous atension, thank you for your attention).

  Be sure to say Por favor in the request. This is the accepted norm throughout the Hispanic world, and making a request without a “please” would be impolite. At the same time, Por favor is used in any case: you were pushed – Tenga cuidado por favor (please be careful – tenga cuidado, por favor), order black coffee – Un solo por favor (un solo, por favor).

  Politeness is considered the norm of colloquial speech, and if you do not want or cannot comply with the request, it is better to answer: Lo lamento mucho (lo lamento mucho, I’m sorry). Or Lo siento pero no puedo (lo siento pero but puedo). Do not answer that you do not want – No quiero.

  Some common colloquial expressions

  It’s easy to ask for a price: ¿A cuánto? (and cointo, how much?). And don’t ask difficult questions.

  In Spanish restaurants, what we call “menu” is understood as menu del día (menu del dia, business lunch menu). Correctly say: La carta por favor (la carte). And they will bring you a full menu. The bill is asked for Cóbranos por favor (cobranos, count us) or La cuenta por favor (la cuenta, bill).

  A glass of red/white wine – Una copa de vino tinto/blanco.

  Rare meat – poco hecho (poco echo), medium rare – medio hecho (medio echo), well done – bien hecho (bien echo).

  ¡Eh! ¡Buen provecho! (buen provecho, bon appetit). Just a few phrases, and you will never, as they say in Spain, be able to perder el norte (perder el norte, literally – lose the north, go astray). ¡Suerte! (suerte, good luck).

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  Greetings and farewells in Spanish. Useful Spanish basic phrases – Castellano.su

  Forms of circulation

  Señor (SR) – Mr.

  Señora (SRA) – Mistress (on a married woman)

  Señorita (SRTA) (SRTA) about an unmarried woman)

  Don (D) – Mr.

  Doña (Dª) – mistress

  Don/Doña – more formal than señor/señora , it is most often used when referring to the older generation, to those who are higher in status, or if they want to be emphasized polite.

  After calling Don/Doña , you must use the person’s first name, or first and last name.

  don Paco Peña

  doña Blanca Lopez

  ¡Buenos días, don José!

  If we are talking about a doctor, then the words 9 can be used in the address0111 doctor(a) , about the lawyer – abogado(a) , about the teacher – profesor(a) .

  hello

  ¡ Hola ! – Hi!

  ¡ Buenos dias ! – Good morning Good afternoon!

  ¡ Buenas tardes ! — Good afternoon/evening! (second breakfast to dinner time around 9-10pm)

  ¡ Buenas noches ! – Good / good night! (can be used both when you meet someone late in the evening, and as a wish for a good sleep).

  ¡ Adiós !, ¡ Chao ! – Bye!

  tú, usted

  In Spanish, as in Russian, there is an appeal to you ( tú ) and you ( usted ).

  Tú ( you) is used when communicating with family, friends and acquaintances, and often when communicating with everyone who is close to you in age and status, even if you do not know each other well.

  Usted (You) is used when communicating with strangers, as well as those who are older than you in age or higher in status. If you’ve just met someone, it’s best to use usted until you’re prompted to switch to you. For this, expressions such as podemos tutearnos ( we can communicate on “you” ) or me puedes hablar de tú (you can say “you” to me) are often used.

  How to introduce someone in Spanish

  Éste/ésta es — This is…

  Te/le presento a … — I want to introduce to you/you…

  ¿ És usted el señor …? Are you Mr…?

  ¿ Conoce/conoces a …? — Are you familiar / Are you familiar with . ..?

  ¡ Encantado(a) !, ¡ Mucho gusto ! – Nice to meet you!

  Soy …/ Estoy… (I)

  soltero/a – single

  casado/a – married

  divorciado/a – divorced

  viudo/a – widower/widow

  Estoy separada pero no divorciada. – My husband and I broke up, but not divorced.

  Ella es soltera, el casado es su hermano mayor. She is not married, but her older brother is married.

  Juan es soltero pero tiene novia. Juan is not married, but he has a fiancee.

  With soltero, casado, divorciado both the verb ser and the verb estar can be used. Read more about the difference between these verbs here.

  Useful phrases.

  ¿Cómo estás?/¿Como está usted? — How are you/are you doing?

  ¿Qué tal? — How are you?

  Muy bien, gracias. – Very good, thank you very much.

  ¡Qué tengas un buen dia/fin de semana! – Have a nice day/have a nice weekend!

  Hasta pronto/luego. – Bye / see you.

  Hasta la vista . – Goodbye.

  Hasta mañana. See you tomorrow.

  Hasta el sábado. – See you on Saturday.

  Discúlpame/ discúlpeme. – Sorry/excuse me.

  ¿Cómo? – Excuse me, what? (used if you didn’t hear something)

  No entiendo/comprendo. I don’t understand.

  Habla hable más despacio, por favor. Speak/speak slowly, please.

  Lo siento. – I’m sorry/I’m sorry/I’m sorry.

  Lo hice sin querer. – I didn’t mean it / I accidentally.

  Lo siento, fue culpa mía. – I’m sorry, it’s my fault / it’s my fault.

  Muchas gracias. – Thank you very much.

  De nada./No hay de qué. – Not at all.

  Me gustó mucho. – I liked it very much.

  Me gustaría verte/le/la otra vez. – I would like to see you/him/her again.

  ¡Qué te diviertas/se divierta! – I wish you a good time!

  Buen viaje. – Bon voyage.

  ¡Mucha suerte! – Good luck!

  ¡Que tenga suerte! – All the best! / Good luck!

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