Ways to say it
| Slovak | Note |
|---|---|
| prepáčte | formal |
| prepáč | informal |
| ospravedlnte |
Prepáčte is a common way to say "excuse me" in Slovak. For more formal apologies or to seek forgiveness, you might use ospravedlňujem sa, while veľmi sa ospravedlňujem translates to "I am very sorry". To politely ask for attention or permission, you can also use prosím vás, which literally means "please".
Which one should you use?
Prepáčte is the version used for formal situations or when addressing multiple people. Prepáč is a shorter and friendlier version of prepáčte used among friends or in casual encounters.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Prepáčte is the formal form and should be used when speaking to strangers, elders or more than one person. In contrast, prepáč is the informal form, intended only for use with friends, family or children.
Did you know?
- The word ospravedlňujem contains the root pravda, which means 'truth'. To apologize is linguistically linked to the act of establishing what is true or just.
- While prepáčte functions as 'excuse me', it is grammatically an imperative verb. You are not just saying a phrase but are literally commanding the other person to 'forgive'.
- The root of prepáčte relates to the idea of 'passing through' or 'overlooking' something, suggesting that you are asking the other person to let a mistake pass by without consequence.
Examples in context
- Prepáčte, koľko je hodín?Excuse me, what time is it?This sentence shows how to use prepáčte to ask for the time.Tatoeba #1046965 by Soninka, translation #385392 by Mouseneb
- Prepáčte, nepoznám vaše meno po otcovi.Excuse me, I don't know your patronymic.This sentence demonstrates using prepáčte when addressing someone you do not know well.Tatoeba #10092845 by Dominika7, translation #10072418 by AlanF_US
- Prepáčte, mohli by ste hovoriť trocha potichšie?Excuse me, could you lower your voice a little?This sentence illustrates using prepáčte to make a polite request regarding noise levels.Tatoeba #9068970 by Dominika7, translation #4144832 by CK
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Barbora accidentally bumps into Peter in a hallway.
- BarboraPrepáčte, že som vás narazila.Excuse me for bumping into you.
- PeterTo je v poriadku, nič sa nestalo.That's alright, nothing happened.
- BarboraJe ste v poriadku, Peter?Are you okay, Peter?
- PeterÁno, všetko je v poriadku.Yes, everything is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
