pardon

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/paʁ.dɔ̃/

interjection

excuse me (to get past or to attract attention)

sorry (short apology)

pardon?/come again? (asking someone to repeat)

Pardon, vous pouvez me laisser passer ?

Excuse me, can you let me pass?

Synonyms:excusez-moi, désolé

nounmasculine

forgiveness (being forgiven)

pardon (an official act of clemency or amnesty)

Il a demandé pardon à sa sœur après la dispute.

He asked his sister for forgiveness after the argument.

Synonyms:absolution, grâce, excuse

Notes

GENERAL INFO

Pardon means "excuse me," "I'm sorry," or "forgiveness." It functions primarily as an interjection but can also be a masculine noun ("un pardon").

USAGE

As an interjection, use pardon to apologize briefly, ask someone to repeat themselves ("Pardon?"), or politely get attention.

As a noun, it refers to an act of forgiveness (e.g., "demander pardon").

TRAPS

While similar to "excusez-moi," pardon is often used for minor apologies or when you didn't hear something.

For more serious apologies, "Je suis désolé(e)" is generally preferred over "pardon."