Excuse Me in Spanish: Disculpe, Perdón + Con Permiso

Spanish has several natural equivalents of “excuse me.” Use disculpe to address one usted person, disculpa with one tú person, perdón for a brief interruption or small bump, and con permiso when passing through, entering, or leaving. The best phrase depends on what you need the other person to do.

The Real Academia Española entry for disculpar includes asking someone to overlook an action or omission. Its entry for permiso covers the authorization or consent behind con permiso. Those meanings explain why English “excuse me” splits into an attention phrase and a space-or-permission phrase in Spanish.

Choose the phrase by purpose

The categories overlap. A speaker may say perdón where another prefers disculpe. Focus on the action—attention, movement, interruption, or apology—rather than searching for one replacement that must work everywhere.

Pronounce disculpe and con permiso

Disculpe is approximately dees-KOOL-peh; disculpa ends in -pah. Stress the middle syllable cul. Con permiso is approximately kohn pehr-MEE-soh, with the main stress in permiso on mi.

In much of Spain, the s sound in permiso may contrast with a “th”-like sound for c or z in other words. In much of Latin America those letters share an s sound. Neither distinction changes which phrase you choose here. Use native audio to refine the accent after you can retrieve the full sentence.

Get attention without stopping at excuse me

Disculpe works best as an opening to a clear request:

Disculpe, ¿podría decirme dónde está el baño?

Excuse me, could you tell me where the bathroom is?

The next sentence should tell the listener why you interrupted. Build it in three moves:

1. Open with disculpe, disculpa, or perdón.
2. State one precise question or request.
3. Close the answer with gracias, even if the person cannot help.

The guide to please in Spanish provides complete request frames, while thank you in Spanish helps you close the exchange. For the high-pressure travel version, practise the full bathroom location question and its most common direction replies.

Use con permiso for physical space

When the task is passing between people, leaving a table, or entering a room, con permiso is often more precise than disculpe:

Con permiso, ¿me deja pasar?

Excuse me, will you let me through?

Con permiso, tengo que salir.

Excuse me, I have to leave.

The phrase does not guarantee permission in every setting. In a restricted area, formal meeting, or private space, wait for an actual answer instead of treating con permiso as self-authorization.

Four short situations to practise

Asking for directions

Disculpe, ¿dónde está la plaza? — Siga derecho.

Excuse me, where is the square? — Continue straight ahead.

Moving through a crowd

Con permiso. — Sí, pase.

Excuse me. — Yes, go ahead.

Interrupting a colleague

Disculpa, ¿tienes un momento? — Sí, dime.

Excuse me, do you have a moment? — Yes, tell me.

Asking for repetition

¿Perdón? No oí la última palabra. — Claro, la repito.

Pardon? I didn’t hear the last word. — Of course, I’ll repeat it.

If the interruption caused real harm or inconvenience, move from attention to repair with the guide to sorry in Spanish.

Excuse me, sorry, and excuse yourself

English hides three different jobs under similar language. Disculpe can open a polite interaction. Perdón can acknowledge a momentary breach. Lo siento expresses regret or sympathy. Con permiso signals movement or departure.

For “excuse yourself” as leaving temporarily, you might say con permiso and name the action: Con permiso, tengo que contestar esta llamada (“Excuse me, I have to answer this call”). That is clearer than translating the English reflex word by word.

Common mistakes and boundaries

Using excúsame as the default everywhere. It exists, but disculpa, disculpe, perdón, and con permiso cover many everyday tasks more naturally.

Mixing disculpa and disculpe randomly. The first aligns with tú and the second with usted. Disculpen addresses more than one person in common Latin American usage.

Saying con permiso and pushing through immediately. The phrase is polite, but safety and consent still matter. Wait when movement could affect someone.

Assuming identical regional frequency. Phrase choice, plural address, and the strength of perdón vary. A native Spanish reviewer should verify a local script before publication for a specific market.

A fast decision rule

Use disculpe/disculpa to open a request, con permiso to move through or leave, and perdón for a quick breach or “pardon?” If the event needs a real apology, switch to lo siento and name what you will repair.

Disclosure: LinguaLive publishes commercial language-learning software and may benefit from search traffic to Spanish phrase guides. This article does not show that any script, app, or drill creates learning or social outcomes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most polite way to say excuse me in Spanish?

Disculpe is a dependable opening with one usted addressee. Follow it with a specific courteous request.

What is the difference between disculpa and disculpe?

Disculpa uses the familiar tú form. Disculpe uses the usted form. Regional relationship rules determine which one fits.

How do I say excuse me when walking past someone?

Say con permiso. You can add ¿me deja pasar? if you need the person to make space.

Can perdón mean excuse me?

Yes. Perdón can mark a brief interruption, request repetition, or acknowledge a small accidental breach. It can also be part of an apology.

Sources and editorial review

This guide was checked against its primary official or academic reference on 27 August 2026. Language usage can vary by region, relationship, and situation. Review the primary source.