perdón
interjectionBeginnerHigh frequency
What does “perdón” mean in English?
sorry
Example sentences
Perdón, no entiendo.
Sorry, I don't understand.
¿Perdón? ¿Puedes repetir?
Sorry? Can you repeat that?
Perdón por llegar tarde.
Sorry for arriving late.
How to use it
Perdón means 'sorry' or 'excuse me'. Used for minor apologies and when asking someone to repeat. Carries an accent on the o (final-syllable stress).
Common mistake
Perdón is for small apologies and 'didn't catch that'; for serious apologies use lo siento. Both can co-occur in formal apologies.
Topics
Related Beginner words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish (Butt, Benjamin & Moreira Rodríguez, Routledge), 30.