Tanya
Excuse me in French? What phrase to use when? I can't tell which expressions are formal, which are used if you bump into someone, which you would say if youre trying to be polite when getting someone's attention, etc. Pardon

Excusez-moi

Désolé

Je m'excuse

Apr 26, 2018 2:05 PM
Comments · 3
4

"Je m'excuse" should be avoided. It's rather used in a disagreement. 

Excusez-moi is used for treading on someone's foot : ) or getting someone's attention.

Desole and pardon can also be used to appologize.

Pardon can be used to shove your way through a crowd. : )

Desole can be used when you can't help someone. (If you don't have the time or a lighter for instance)






April 26, 2018
1
Chris a bien expliqué toutes les nuances liées à ces expressions. Le mot passe-partout est "pardon". Ce n'est pas trop long, et c'est d'un niveau de langage tout-à-fait correct. "Excusez-moi" pourrait parfois être mal perçu, puisque l'expression utilise l'impératif. A mon avis, "je m'excuse" ne veut rien dire. 
April 26, 2018
If you want to be very formal, you could say "Je vous prie de bien vouloir m'excuser" ou "je vous prie de m'excuser".

Never say "je m'excuse" even if we use it unfortunately. That's not correct.

"Pardon", "Désolé" and "Excusez-moi" are more or less formal but often used, even in a formal way, but always verbally, not in a letter for example.

Désolé is also used if someone requests you something (a coin or a cigarette for example): "Désole je n'ai pas d'argent".
April 26, 2018