perdón
/peɾˈdon/
The English phrase 'perdon' is translated into Spanish as perdón.
perdón is used to apologize for a minor mistake or to politely ask for someone's attention. You can use perdón as a standalone interjection when you want to ask someone to repeat something they just said. If you want to convey genuine sympathy or strong regret, you should use lo siento mucho to say 'I'm really sorry'.
Which one should you use?
While perdón can be used for a minor mistake or to get attention, the phrase lo siento is a stronger expression used to convey genuine sympathy or regret. Additionally, when trying to get a stranger's attention, disculpe is often preferred over perdón.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin American countries, the formal 'excuse me' disculpe is commonly used. In some Latin American countries, the informal perdóname can be used instead of perdona. In Spain, Perdóneme is commonly used as a formal way of saying perdón.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word perdón is a noun and requires an accent on the 'o' to indicate the stress is on the final syllable.
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾˈdon/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word perdón shares the same ancient root as the English word 'donation'. Both stem from the Latin dōnō, meaning to give.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone says perdón after a minor bump, a common response is no pasa nada, which literally means 'nothing happens'.
- In some dialects, saying perdón with a rising intonation can act as a prompt for the speaker to continue a story they accidentally interrupted.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿está ocupado?Excuse me, are you busy?
- Le pido disculpas por el retraso.I apologize for the delay.
- Perdona, no te escuché bien. ¿Puedes repetirlo?Sorry, I didn't hear you well. Can you repeat it?
- Disculpa, llegué tarde porque había mucho tráfico.Sorry, I'm late because there was heavy traffic.
- Lo siento mucho, no era mi intención herir tus sentimientos.I'm really sorry, it wasn't my intention to hurt your feelings.
- Perdón, no te vi.Sorry, I didn't see you.
- ¿Perdón, me puede repetir eso?Excuse me, can you repeat that?
- ¡Perdón! Se me olvidó llamarte.Sorry! I forgot to call you.
Example conversation
Daniel accidentally bumps into Lucía in a crowded hallway.
- DanielPerdón, Lucía, no fue mi intención.Sorry, Lucía, it wasn't my intention.
- LucíaNo pasa nada, Daniel.It's no problem, Daniel.
- DanielPerdón, ¿estás bien?Sorry, are you okay?
- LucíaSí, estoy muy bien, gracias.Yes, I am very well, thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry perdón, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perdón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
