pardon/paʁ.dɔ̃/
interjection / noun · A1 · Frequency 482
interjection
Meanings
excuse me
Used to get someone's attention or to ask for repetition, common in polite everyday speech.
sorry
Used to express apology, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
Examples
Pardon, pouvez-vous me dire où se trouve la gare ?
Excuse me, could you tell me where the train station is?
Pardon, je voudrais passer pour rejoindre ma famille.
Excuse me, I would like to get through to join my family.
Pardon, je n'aurais pas dû parler aussi brusquement.
Sorry, I should not have spoken so abruptly.
Collocations
- dire pardonsay 'excuse me'
- présenter pardonexpress apology
- demander pardonask for forgiveness
Common mistakes
pardonne
pardon
Mistaking the interjection 'pardon' for the verb form 'pardonne'.
pardonnez-moi
pardon
Learners often use the more formal 'pardonnez-moi' instead of the more colloquial 'pardon'.
Related words
synonymexcusez-moiexcuse me
synonymdésolésorry
nounmasculine
Meanings
pardon, forgiveness
Commonly used as a noun to express a request for forgiveness or pardon.
(polite expression) pardon me, could you repeat that?
Used as a polite expression to indicate that one did not hear or to ask someone to repeat.
Examples
Il a demandé pardon à son frère après leur dispute.
He asked his brother for forgiveness after their argument.
Elle a obtenu le pardon de sa famille après avoir reconnu son erreur.
She received her family's forgiveness after admitting her mistake.
Le pardon peut aider deux amis à reprendre confiance l'un dans l'autre.
Forgiveness can help two friends regain trust in each other.
Collocations
- demander pardonask for forgiveness
- Pardon ?Pardon me?
Common mistakes
Je demande pardon mon ami.
Je demande pardon à mon ami.
With the noun pardon, the person being asked for forgiveness is introduced by the preposition à.
Related words
- synonymexcuseexcuse, forgiveness
synonymrépétitionrepetition
nounmasculine
Meanings
pardon, forgiveness
Commonly used as a noun to express a request for forgiveness or pardon.
(polite expression) pardon me, could you repeat that?
Used as a polite expression to indicate that one did not hear or to ask someone to repeat.
Examples
Les pardons répétés n'effacent pas toujours la douleur causée.
Repeated acts of forgiveness do not always erase the pain caused.
Après plusieurs pardons, elle a finalement décidé de partir.
After several acts of forgiveness, she finally decided to leave.
Ses pardons sincères ont permis à la famille de se réconcilier.
His sincere pleas for forgiveness allowed the family to reconcile.