perdón, no
/peɾˈdon ˈno/word by word
The English phrase "sorry, no" is translated into Spanish as perdón, no.
perdón, no is used as a polite way to refuse a request or to say no to an offer. It functions as a soft refusal.
Which one should you use?
While perdón, no is a polite way to refuse a request, lo siento, no is used when you want to express actual regret or empathy for the situation.
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾˈdon ˈno/
Did you know?
- The word perdón comes from the Latin perdōnāre, which combines the prefix per- with dōnō, meaning 'to give'. Literally, asking for 'pardon' is asking for a gift of forgiveness.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, doubling the refusal to no, no can actually sound more polite than a single no because it mimics a hesitant, softer tone.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying perdón, no is often paired with a slight head tilt or a small hand gesture to further soften the impact of the rejection.
Examples in context
- ¿Podrías prestarme dinero?Could you lend me some money?
- Lo siento, pero en este momento no puedo ayudarte económicamente.I'm sorry, but I can't help you financially right now.
- Agradezco la invitación, pero tengo otro compromiso.I appreciate the invitation, but I have another commitment.
- Gracias por pensar en mí, pero ya tengo planes.Thanks for thinking of me, but I already have plans.
- ¿Quieres un poco más de café? Perdón, no, gracias.Do you want a little more coffee? Sorry, no, thank you.
- Perdón, no puedo ir a la fiesta.Sorry, I can't go to the party.
- Perdón, no tengo dinero ahora.Sorry, I don't have money right now.
Example conversation
Daniel offers Lucía a piece of cake.
- Lucía¿Quieres un trozo de pastel, Daniel?Do you want a piece of cake, Daniel?
- DanielPerdón, no, gracias, Lucía.Sorry, no, thank you, Lucía.
- Lucía¿Estás seguro? Está muy rico.Are you sure? It is very tasty.
- DanielSí, estoy lleno ahora.Yes, I am full now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (perdón, no) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, perdón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
