Ways to say it
| Albanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| më falni | [məˈfalni] (narrow) | formal |
| më fal | [məˈfal] (narrow) | informal |
The phrases are used to say sorry or to offer an apology. While më falni is the standard way to say excuse me in formal contexts, you might also encounter Ju lutem to politely request someone's attention or apologize for an inconvenience and Më lejoni to ask permission or politely interrupt someone, meaning 'may I?'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase më falni literally means 'forgive me' (plural or formal), while the phrase më fal literally means 'forgive me' (singular/informal).
Which one should you use?
Use më falni when addressing a stranger, a group or someone you wish to show respect to. In contrast, use më fal for friends, family or children.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
më falni is a formal and polite way to say excuse me. më fal is the informal version.
How does it change in a sentence?
The difference between the two forms is the conjugation of the verb fal (to forgive): falni is the second-person plural/polite form, and fal is the second-person singular form.
Did you know?
- The verb fal used in apologies might actually come from a South Slavic word meaning 'to praise' rather than 'to forgive'.
- If you use the informal më fal with a stranger, it can come across as grammatically correct but socially blunt or even rude.
- The formal më falni uses a plural verb form even when speaking to one single person to show respect.
Examples in context
- Më falni, çfarë është ora?Excuse me, what time is it?This sentence is useful for practicing how to use më falni when asking a question.Tatoeba #944754 by mayok, translation #385392 by Mouseneb
- Më falni për vonesën.Excuse me for the delay.
- Më falni, nuk ju dëgjova.Excuse me, I did not hear you.
Example conversation
Alban accidentally bumps into Elira in a hallway.
- AlbanMë falni, zonjë Elira!Excuse me, Ms. Elira!
- EliraNuk është problem, Alban.It is not a problem, Alban.
- AlbanIshte gabimi im.It was my fault.
- EliraMos u shqetëso.Don't worry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries më falni, më fal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fal, më, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
