Stop Saying ‘Excuse Me’ Wrong. Here’s How Spaniards Do It.

There is no single way to say “excuse me” in Spain. Spaniards reach for at least six different Spanish expressions, and the right one depends entirely on the situation: perdona (excuse me, informal) for everyday bumps, perdone (excuse me, formal) with strangers and elders, disculpa / disculpe (pardon me) for polished or business settings, con permiso (with permission) to move through a crowd, oiga / oye (listen / hey) to get attention, and lo siento (I am sorry) only for a genuine apology. Match the phrase to the moment and you sound like a local instead of a textbook.

Get this wrong and you sound painfully foreign. Get it right and locals light up. Here is how native speakers actually do it, phrase by phrase, with the exact moment each one belongs to.

Why “excuse me” splits into six phrases in Spain

In English, “excuse me” does triple duty: it gets attention, it apologises, and it lets you slip past someone in a crowd. Spanish refuses to bundle those jobs into one phrase. Each task gets its own word, and the formality of the situation changes the ending. Once you see the pattern, choosing the right phrase becomes second nature.

Perdona vs. perdone: the one you’ll use most

Forget the textbook default of perdón (pardon). In Spain, the word you hear most is perdona (pair-DOH-nah), meaning “excuse me” in the informal tú form. Bumped into someone on the metro? Perdona. Need to squeeze past at a bar? Perdona. Want someone to repeat themselves? Perdona, ¿qué has dicho? (Excuse me, what did you say?). It comes from the verb perdonar (pair-doh-NAR, to forgive), and you use it with anyone your age or younger, friends, and shop staff.

Switch to a formal situation, like speaking to an elderly person or a police officer, and you need perdone (pair-DOH-nay). Same word, different ending. That -e signals the respectful usted form and tells the other person you honour the social distance. This single pair handles the bulk of everyday “excuse me” moments, so it is the first thing to lock in.

Disculpa and disculpe: the polished version

Disculpa (dis-COOL-pah) and disculpe (dis-COOL-pay) are the more polished cousins of perdona. Think of the gap between “sorry” and “I beg your pardon” in English. You hear disculpe in hotels, formal restaurants, and business settings; it is the phrase a receptionist uses, and the one to choose when you approach a stranger with a serious question.

Disculpa is the informal version and sits between perdona and disculpe on the formality scale, slightly softer than perdona and popular in professional-but-friendly situations. Real talk: among close friends, disculpa can sound a touch stiff. Ordering coffee or chatting with a neighbour? Stick with perdona. Save disculpe for when you genuinely need to impress. This subtle calibration is one of many Spanish social etiquette rules that locals clock instantly.

Con permiso: moving through crowds

Con permiso (con pair-MEE-so) literally means “with permission,” and it is the phrase Spaniards use to physically move through a space. Squeezing through a crowded tapas bar? Con permiso. Reaching past someone at a market stall? Con permiso. Getting up from a packed table? Con permiso.

The beauty of it is that it works everywhere: formal, informal, north, south. It is universally polite and never sounds out of place, and the expression has been in steady use across Spain for centuries. In casual settings you can shorten it to just permiso (pair-MEE-so), which locals do constantly in busy spots like the markets where you’ll hear plenty of other slang too.

Oiga and oye: getting attention without being rude

Now for territory your textbook never taught you. Oiga (OY-gah) comes from the verb oír (oh-EER, to hear) and literally means “listen” or “hear me.” It sounds aggressive in English, but it is not. In Spain, oiga is a perfectly acceptable way to get a waiter’s attention, flag down a shop assistant, or call to someone on the street. Direct, not rude.

The informal version is oye (OY-ay), which you hear between friends all the time: Oye, ¿tienes un momento? (Hey, got a minute?). Regional flavour matters here. In Andalusia you might catch eh, perdona or even a friendly ¡eh!, since Andalusians lean more relaxed with formality, while in the north oiga stays common in formal settings.

Lo siento: save it for a real apology

Lo siento (lo see-EN-toh) means “I am sorry” and carries real emotional weight. It is for genuine apologies, not minor bumps. Using it when you brush past someone is like saying “I deeply regret this” after stepping on a toe. For small everyday moments, perdona is the right call; keep lo siento for when you actually mean it.

Common mistakes foreigners make

Let’s save you some awkward moments. These are the biggest slip-ups learners make with Spanish expressions in Spain:

• Using lo siento for everything. It is reserved for heartfelt apologies. For accidental bumps, use perdona.
• Mixing up formality levels. Saying perdona to a judge or disculpe to your flatmate both feel off. When in doubt with a stranger, perdone is the safe bet.
• Saying con permiso when you mean perdona. Con permiso is only for physical movement. To interrupt a conversation, use perdona or disculpa.
• Translating “excuse me” literally. The English phrase covers three jobs; Spanish splits them into separate words. Understanding that split is half the battle.

For more of these textbook-defying details, the team at Audaz Revista digs into the everyday Spanish that classrooms skip.

Quick reference cheat sheet

Try these today: your excuse me challenge

Lock these in with a quick challenge. Read the scenario, say your answer out loud, then check it:

• Busy Madrid café, the waiter hasn’t noticed you. Say: ¡Oiga! or ¡Perdone!
• Squeezing through a packed metro carriage. Say: ¡Con permiso! or just ¡Permiso!
• You step on someone’s foot at a concert. Say: ¡Perdona! (informal) or ¡Perdone! (formal)
• You need to interrupt your boss in a meeting. Say: Disculpe…

Say each one aloud right now. The muscle memory matters more than the reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common way to say “excuse me” in Spain?

Perdona (excuse me, informal) is the everyday default in Spain for bumps, squeezing past people, and asking someone to repeat themselves. Use the formal perdone with strangers, elders, and officials.

What’s the difference between perdona and disculpa?

Perdona is the casual, all-purpose “excuse me” for friends and everyday life. Disculpa (and its formal form disculpe) is more polished and fits hotels, business, and professional-but-friendly settings. Among close friends, disculpa can sound a little stiff.

When should I use con permiso?

Use con permiso (“with permission”) only when you physically move through a space: slipping through a crowd, reaching past someone, or leaving a packed table. It works in any setting, formal or informal, and shortens to permiso in casual situations.

Is it rude to say oiga to a waiter in Spain?

No. Oiga (formal) and oye (informal) are normal, accepted ways to get a waiter’s or shop assistant’s attention in Spain. They mean “listen” and come across as direct, not rude.

What’s the difference between perdona and lo siento?

Perdona is for small everyday moments like bumping into someone. Lo siento means “I am sorry” with real emotional weight and is reserved for genuine apologies, so save it for when you truly mean it.

Your Spanish is ready

Six phrases cover every “excuse me” situation in Spain. The secret is not more vocabulary; it is choosing the right phrase for the right moment. Want to keep sounding like a local? Build on this with our guide to common Spanish phrases for beginners, then go out and use these words today. You’ve got this.