Cool MateBeg pardon vs Excuse me vs Forgive me vs Sorry
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Beg pardon
Excuse me
Forgive me
Sorry
| Beg pardon | Excuse me | Forgive me | Sorry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //bɛg ˈpɑːdn//🇺🇸 //bɛg ˈpɑːrdən// | 🇬🇧 //ɪkˈskjuːz miː//🇺🇸 //ɪkˈskjus mi// | 🇬🇧 //fəˈɡɪv mi//🇺🇸 //fərˈɡɪv mi// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɒri/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɑːri/"]/ |
| Meaning | Say 'excuse me' or 'sorry' to get someone's attention. | A polite way to get someone's attention or ask for something. | Please excuse me or let me off the hook. | A word used to express regret or apology. |
| Example | I beg pardon, could you repeat that? | Excuse me, could you please help me? | Forgive me for being late to the meeting. | I'm really sorry for the mistake I made. |
| Register | Formal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | - | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |||
| Collocations | beg pardon for, beg pardon politely, beg pardon in conversation | excuse me, please, excuse me for interrupting, excuse me, do you mind? | forgive me for something, forgive me if, please forgive me | be, feel, seem, extremely, fairly, very, about, for, be sorry to disappoint somebody, be sorry to hear about something/that…, be sorry to interrupt (somebody/something), be, feel, seem, extremely, fairly, very, about, for, be sorry to disappoint somebody, be sorry to hear about something/that…, be sorry to interrupt (somebody/something), be, feel, seem, extremely, fairly, very, about, for, be sorry to disappoint somebody, be sorry to hear about something/that…, be sorry to interrupt (somebody/something) |
| Antonyms | - | ignore me, overlook, disregard | - | happy, unapologetic |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'pardon me', which is more casual., Overusing in informal contexts., Not using it at all when needing to interrupt. | Using 'excuse me' in a rude way, Saying 'excuse me' too loudly in quiet places, Not using it when walking past someone | Confused with 'forgive' used without an object., Using inappropriately informal contexts., Incorrectly conjugating 'forgive' (e.g., forgiving me). | Using 'sorry' when it's not needed, making it seem insincere., Confusing 'sorry' with 'I'm sorry' — they can be used interchangeably, but 'I'm sorry' can sound more formal., Not using 'sorry' in situations where an apology is expected. |
| Usage notes | Use 'beg pardon' in formal settings or when being polite. It may sound outdated in casual conversation. | Use this phrase when you need to interrupt or ask for help politely. It's appropriate in most situations but avoid using it in very formal contexts. | Use 'forgive me' when apologizing. It's appropriate in personal and professional contexts, but avoid it in very casual situations. | Use 'sorry' to apologize in casual and formal situations. It’s polite in conversations if you've made a mistake. Avoid overusing it in professional settings where you need to be more specific about the issue. |
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Frequently asked questions: Beg pardon vs Excuse me vs Forgive me vs Sorry
What's the difference between Beg pardon, Excuse me, Forgive me, and Sorry?
Beg pardon: Say 'excuse me' or 'sorry' to get someone's attention. Excuse me: A polite way to get someone's attention or ask for something. Forgive me: Please excuse me or let me off the hook. Sorry: A word used to express regret or apology.
Which is more formal: Beg pardon, Excuse me, Forgive me, and Sorry?
Beg pardon is the most formal of these.
Can you show an example of each?
Beg pardon: I beg pardon, could you repeat that? Excuse me: Excuse me, could you please help me? Forgive me: Forgive me for being late to the meeting. Sorry: I'm really sorry for the mistake I made.
Can I use Beg pardon, Excuse me, Forgive me, and Sorry interchangeably?
Not always. Beg pardon, Excuse me, Forgive me, and Sorry are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.