perdón por irme
/peɾdon poɾ iɾme/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for sorry for leaving is perdón por irme.
This phrase is used to offer an apology when someone is departing from a place or a social gathering.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of perdón (pardon/forgiveness), por (for) and the reflexive verb irme (to leave/to go away).
Which one should you use?
You can also use perdón por haberme ido if you are apologizing for having already left a place in the past.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb irse is used in its reflexive form to indicate the act of departing or leaving a place, rather than just the act of 'going' (ir).
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾdon poɾ iɾme/
Did you know?
- The word perdón is rooted in the Latin dōnō, meaning 'to give'. Etymologically, asking for 'pardon' is like asking for a gift of forgiveness.
- In some Latin American countries, instead of apologizing for leaving, people might say con permiso while physically moving toward the door. This phrase, which means 'with permission', serves as a social lubricant for your departure.
- While perdón por irme is a direct apology, Spanish speakers often pair a departure with the phrase no me quiero ir, meaning 'I don't want to leave', to soften the blow.
Examples in context
- Disculpe mi partida tan repentina. No fue mi intención causar problemas.Please excuse my sudden departure. It was not my intention to cause problems.
- Perdón por irme tan temprano.Sorry for leaving so early.
- Perdón por irme sin avisar.Sorry for leaving without letting you know.
- Perdón por irme de la fiesta.Sorry for leaving the party.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are at a coffee shop when Mateo's phone rings.
- MateoPerdón por irme, tengo una llamada urgente.Sorry for leaving, I have an urgent call.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, Mateo.Don't worry, Mateo.
- MateoNos vemos mañana, Sofía.See you tomorrow, Sofía.
- SofíaVale, hasta mañana.Okay, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perdón, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
