ursäkta mig
/ʉ̟ːˈʂɛkta mɛj/word by word
In Swedish, 'pardon me' is translated as ursäkta mig.
ursäkta mig is used as an apology. It is best suited for minor social interruptions or small slips.
Meaning: sorry, as an apology (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb ursäkta (excuse) and the pronoun mig (me).
Which one should you use?
While ursäkta mig is used for minor social interruptions or small slips, förlåt is used for more sincere apologies or when you have actually hurt someone's feelings.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a standalone request for pardon, the verb ursäkta is in the imperative mood.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʉ̟ːˈʂɛkta mɛj/
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'pardon' can be used to ask someone to repeat a sentence, a Swede is more likely to say vad sa du? ('what did you say?') than ursäkta mig.
- Swedish culture highly values avoiding unnecessary conflict, which is why ursäkta is often used just to 'clear the air' before asking a question, even if no offense was given.
- The verb ursäkta is technically an imperative, meaning that when you say ursäkta mig, you are grammatically issuing a command to 'excuse me' rather than making a polite request.
Examples in context
- Ursäkta mig, talar du engelska?Pardon me, do you speak English?This sentence uses ursäkta mig to ask if someone speaks English.Tatoeba #2014518 by Balamax, translation #456591 by lukaszpp
- Ursäkta mig, kan du snälla säga var närmaste toalett är?Excuse me, could you please tell me where the nearest restroom is?
- Förlåt för besväret.Pardon me for the inconvenience caused.
- Snälla, kan du upprepa det du precis sa?Please, could you repeat what you just said?
- Ursäkta, kan du ge mig saltet?Hey, pardon me, but could you pass me the salt?
- Förlåt mig för att jag glömde din födelsedag.Pardon me for forgetting your birthday.
- Ursäkta mig, jag råkade stöta till dig.Pardon me, I accidentally bumped into you.
- Ursäkta mig, jag kom lite för sent.Pardon me, I arrived a little late.
Example conversation
Linnea and Karl are in a crowded supermarket aisle.
- LinneaUrsäkta mig, Karl, kan jag komma förbi?Pardon me, Karl, can I get past?
- KarlSjälvklart, jag flyttar på mig nu.Of course, I'll move now.
- LinneaTack så mycket för hjälpen.Thank you very much for the help.
- KarlInga problem alls, Linnea.No problem at all, Linnea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pardon me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ursäkta, mig) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
