excuse mi
In Jamaican, "excuse me" is said as excuse mi.
The phrase is used as an apology or to say sorry. You can also use phrases like Pardon, may mi pass by yuh? when you need to request permission to move through a crowded space. If you need to tell someone you will be right there, you might say One moment, mi deh come.
Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)
Did you know?
- In many Jamaican communities, an apology like excuse mi is often accompanied by a slight downward nod of the head to show humility and respect to the person being addressed.
- The pronunciation of excuse mi can be used as a social marker to signal the speaker's social standing or the level of respect they are showing the listener.
- While 'excuse mi' functions as an apology, using 'sorry' in the same context can sometimes imply a much deeper, more formal sense of regret than the casual 'excuse mi'.
Examples in context
- Excuse mi fi di mistake.Excuse me for the mistake.
- Please, excuse mi fi di late response.Please, excuse me for the late response.
- Excuse mi, mi neva mean fi do dat.Excuse me, I didn't mean to do that.
Example conversation
Ricardo accidentally bumped into Latoya in the street.
- RicardoExcuse mi, Latoya, mi neva see yuh deh.Excuse me, Latoya, I didn't see you there.
- LatoyaNo problem, Ricardo, it jus' happen.No problem, Ricardo, it just happened.
- RicardoMi really sorry fi di bump.I am really sorry for the bump.
- LatoyaDon't even worry 'bout it.Don't even worry about it.
