Cool MateBeg pardon vs Forgive me vs Pardon vs Sorry
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Beg pardon
Forgive me
Pardon
Sorry
| Beg pardon | Forgive me | Pardon | Sorry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //bɛg ˈpɑːdn//🇺🇸 //bɛg ˈpɑːrdən// | 🇬🇧 //fəˈɡɪv mi//🇺🇸 //fərˈɡɪv mi// | 🇬🇧 //ˈpɑː.dən//🇺🇸 //ˈpɑrdən// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɒri/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɑːri/"]/ |
| Meaning | Say 'excuse me' or 'sorry' to get someone's attention. | Please excuse me or let me off the hook. | To excuse someone for something they did wrong. | A word used to express regret or apology. |
| Example | I beg pardon, could you repeat that? | Forgive me for being late to the meeting. | Could you please PARDON my interruption during the meeting? | I'm really sorry for the mistake I made. |
| Register | Formal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (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 | forgive me for something, forgive me if, please forgive me | pardon me, pardon my interruption, pardon my mistake | 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 | - | - | blame, condemn, punish | 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. | Confused with 'forgive' used without an object., Using inappropriately informal contexts., Incorrectly conjugating 'forgive' (e.g., forgiving me). | Confused with 'forgive' - 'pardon' is more formal., Used inappropriately in casual conversations., Omitting the object, e.g., saying 'pardon?' without context. | 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 'forgive me' when apologizing. It's appropriate in personal and professional contexts, but avoid it in very casual situations. | Use 'pardon' in formal situations or when asking for forgiveness. Less common in casual settings. | 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 Forgive me vs Pardon vs Sorry
What's the difference between Beg pardon, Forgive me, Pardon, and Sorry?
Beg pardon: Say 'excuse me' or 'sorry' to get someone's attention. Forgive me: Please excuse me or let me off the hook. Pardon: To excuse someone for something they did wrong. Sorry: A word used to express regret or apology.
Which is more formal: Beg pardon, Forgive me, Pardon, and Sorry?
Beg pardon is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Beg pardon, Forgive me, Pardon, and Sorry?
Sorry is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Beg pardon: I beg pardon, could you repeat that? Forgive me: Forgive me for being late to the meeting. Pardon: Could you please PARDON my interruption during the meeting? Sorry: I'm really sorry for the mistake I made.
Can I use Beg pardon, Forgive me, Pardon, and Sorry interchangeably?
Not always. Beg pardon, Forgive me, Pardon, 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.