Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| przepraszam | /pʂɛˈpra.ʂam/ |
| proszę wybaczyć… | /ˈprɔ.ʂɛ vɘˈba.t͡ʂɘt͡ɕ/ (word by word) |
| wybaczą państwo… |
Przepraszam is the most general and commonly used term for 'excuse me' in Polish. To express a deeper level of apology or to convey urgency, you can use Przepraszam bardzo. When speaking to a single person you are familiar with, you may use the informal Przepraszam Cię, while Przepraszam was is used to address a group of people in an informal manner.
What does it mean word for word?
The form przepraszam is the first-person singular present tense of the verb przepraszać, which translates to 'I apologize' or 'I am sorry'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal way to ask for forgiveness or to say excuse me, use proszę wybaczyć, which means 'please forgive [me]'. For highly formal situations when addressing a group of people, you can use wybaczą państwo, meaning 'will you [plural/formal] forgive [me]'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of przepraszam is /pʂɛˈpra.ʂam/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- While przepraszam is a common apology, the formal państwo used in wybaczą państwo actually shares an ancient-sounding linguistic ancestry with the English word 'cow'.
- The word państwo functions as a polite way to address a group, but it also carries the meaning of 'state' or 'country' in other contexts.
- In Poland, saying przepraszam while trying to pass someone in a crowded space is often accompanied by a slight nod or a hand gesture to signal a request for passage.
Examples in context
- Przepraszam, gdzie są jajka?Excuse me. Where are the eggs?This example shows how to use przepraszam to ask for the location of eggs.Tatoeba #952098 by zipangu, translation #1235191 by CK
- Przepraszam. Gdzie jest metro?Excuse me. Where's the subway?This example shows how to use przepraszam to ask for the location of the subway.Tatoeba #4730645 by BeataB, translation #4728332 by paper1n0
- Przepraszam, gdzie jest poczta?Excuse me, where is the post office?This example shows how to use przepraszam to ask for the location of the post office.Tatoeba #930153 by zipangu, translation #2146144 by jeedrek
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Małgorzata accidentally bumps into Paweł on a busy street.
- MałgorzataPrzepraszam, nie chciałam wpaść na pana.Excuse me, I didn't mean to bump into you.
- PawełNic nie szkodzi.No problem.
- MałgorzataCzy wszystko u pana w porządku?Are you okay?
- PawełTak, wszystko jest w porządku.Yes, everything is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries przepraszam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (proszę, wybaczyć) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries państwo, proszę, przepraszam, wybaczyć, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
