scuzați-mă
[skuˈzat͡simə]
The Romanian phrase for 'excuse me' is scuzați-mă.
scuzați-mă is a standard way to say 'excuse me' in a formal context.
Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative verb scuzați (excuse/forgive) and the pronoun mă (me).
Which one should you use?
The default form scuzați-mă is the polite or plural form, used when addressing strangers, elders or a group of people. In contrast, scuză-mă is the informal singular version used with friends, family or children.
Did you know?
- If someone says scuzați-mă because they sneezed, the common response is sănătate, which means 'health'.
- While scuzați-mă is for apologies, if you want to say 'pardon me' because you didn't hear someone, Romanians use poftim or ce ați spus.
- If you are seeking attention from a stranger in a shop, Romanians may use mă scuzați instead of scuzați-mă. Shifting the pronoun to the front can slightly change the nuance from an apology to a polite interruption.
Examples in context
- Scuzați-mă, care-i numele dumneavoastră?Excuse me, what is your name?This example shows how to use scuzați-mă when asking for someone's name.Tatoeba #13247601 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13247598 by Ioan_Cristian
- Scuzați-mă, unde sunt periuțele de dinți pentru copii?Excuse me, where are the toothbrushes for children?This example shows how to use scuzați-mă when asking for the location of an item.Tatoeba #14006604 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #14006602 by Ioan_Cristian
- Scuzați-mă. Cine sunteți?Excuse me. Who are you?This example shows how to use scuzați-mă to ask someone's identity.Tatoeba #13598946 by Ioana_Dobre, translation #933733 by CK
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andreea accidentally bumps into Alexandru in a crowded hallway.
- AndreeaScuzați-mă, nu am vrut să vă lovesc.Excuse me, I didn't mean to bump into you.
- AlexandruNu-i nicio problemă, Andreea.No problem, Andreea.
- AndreeaSunt foarte grăbită azi.I am in a big hurry today.
- AlexandruÎnțeleg perfect, nicio problemă.I understand perfectly, no problem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries scuzați-mă, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
