Spanish word

perdón

Pronunciation

IPA/peɾˈðon/

Meaning

  • interjectionsorry

Example

¡Perdón! No te vi.

Sorry! I didn't see you.

Illustration for perdón (sorry)

More examples

Perdón por interrumpir.

Sorry to interrupt.

Core concept

Brief apology used to excuse an interruption, request permission, or acknowledge a small error.

Common phrases

  • perdón por las molestias

    sorry for the inconvenience

  • perdón por el retraso

    sorry for the delay

  • perdón por interrumpir

    sorry to interrupt

Similar words

disculpa: Apologizes briefly when interrupting someone's speech or attention.
perdona: Expresses a quick, informal apology directed at a familiar person.
con permiso: Politely asks for permission to pass by or move through a space.
lo siento: Expresses sympathy or a sincere, deeper apology for an unfortunate event.

Definition in Spanish

Palabra breve usada para excusar una interrupción, pedir permiso o disculparse por un fallo leve en situaciones cotidianas.

Word origin

Derived from Latin perdonare 'to grant full pardon', with Spanish perdón preserving the idea of a concise pardon or excuse.

Usage tips

  • Written with an acute accent on the o and stressed on the last syllable, per-dón, a frequent spelling and stress trap for English speakers.

Other meanings

  • excuse meinterjection

Related words

Word lists with this word