promiňte
[ˈpromɪɲtɛ]
promiňte is the Czech way to say excuse me.
promiňte is a formal expression used to get someone's attention or when apologizing. For a more sincere apology, such as when you accidentally bump into someone, you might use Omlouvám se.
Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
promiňte is the imperative form of the verb prominout, which means to forgive. Literally, it translates to forgive (you/plural).
Which one should you use?
promiňte is the polite form used for excuse me or sorry, whereas promiň is used when addressing friends or children.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite or plural form is promiňte. If you are speaking informally to one person, you can use promiň or promiň mi to mean forgive me.
When do people say it?
If someone says excuse me to you, you can respond with Ano? to acknowledge them.
Did you know?
- In Czech culture, using the informal promiň with a stranger is often perceived as an aggressive or condescending act rather than a friendly one.
- The root of promiňte relates to 'missing' or 'omitting' something. In a historical sense, to forgive someone was to let a mistake be 'omitted' or overlooked.
- To express a very deep, formal apology, Czechs might use the phrase prosím o odpuštění, which moves the concept from a simple 'excuse me' to a request for 'absolution'.
Examples in context
- Promiňte. Můžu tu projít?Excuse me. Can I get by here?This sentence shows how to use promiňte to ask permission to pass.Tatoeba #4423624 by lipao, translation #244181 by CM
- Promiňte, kde jsou vejce?Excuse me, where are the eggs?This sentence shows how to use promiňte to ask for directions or locations.Tatoeba #10464043 by aldar, translation #1230782 by alec
- Promiňte, je toto místo volné?Excuse me, is this spot available?This sentence shows how to use promiňte to ask if a seat is available.Tatoeba #14007281 by Ergulis, translation #14007275 by zogwarg
- Promiňte, ale mohu se zeptat, kde je nejbližší banka?Excuse me, may I ask where the nearest bank is?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukáš accidentally bumps into Lucie in a store.
- LukášPromiňte, vůbec jsem vás neviděl.Excuse me, I didn't see you at all.
- LucieTo nic nenÍ, je to v pořádku.It's nothing, it's okay.
- LukášJeště jednou promiňte, Lucie.Excuse me once again, Lucie.
- LucieVážně to nic nebylo, Lukáši.Really, it was nothing, Lukáš.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries promiňte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
