Disculpe vs Disculpa: Get Attention in Spanish + Audio
Hear Disculpe, Disculpa and Perdón in Spanish. Learn how tú and usted address differ, then practise getting someone’s attention and asking for help.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr LearnYour first Spanish phrases
Listen to a phrase, then try saying it aloud. The full conversation is below.
Disculpe
Excuse me (formal, to get attention)
dees-KOOL-pehPerdón
Pardon me / Excuse me
pehr-DOHNDisculpa
Excuse me (informal)
dees-KOOL-pah
In Spanish, the phrase you choose for "excuse me" depends on what you need: stopping a stranger to ask a question, getting a server's attention, or cutting into a conversation that is already in progress. This lesson teaches five broadly useful Latin American Spanish phrases for those situations. It does not cover apologizing for mistakes; that is a different skill with different wording. Focus here on tone, timing and the small words that make an interruption sound polite rather than abrupt.
By the end, you can…
- politely get a stranger's attention in a public place using Spanish.
- interrupt a conversation in progress without sounding rude.
- choose between informal and formal ways to address someone I do not know.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Disculpe
Excuse me (formal, to get attention)
dees-KOOL-peh
A useful polite default with strangers, staff, or in formal settings. Informal and formal address vary with the relationship and regional usage.
Perdón
Pardon me / Excuse me
pehr-DOHN
Short and soft. Good for squeezing past someone or breaking into a conversation already underway. Common throughout Latin America.
Disculpa
Excuse me (informal)
dees-KOOL-pah
The informal form, used with people you already address as tú: friends, classmates, people your age you know.
Una pregunta
A question / Can I ask you something?
OO-nah preh-GOON-tah
Often paired with Disculpe: "Disculpe, una pregunta." It signals you only need a moment, not a long chat.
Con permiso
Excuse me (to pass by)
kohn pehr-MEE-soh
Often used when passing someone or asking permission to enter, leave, or interrupt. For starting a question, Disculpe or Perdón are useful choices.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Many polite interruptions follow a simple pattern: attention word + short request. For example: "Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño?" (Excuse me, where is the bathroom?) or "Perdón, una pregunta." (Pardon me, a question.) The attention word comes first and stands alone with a slight pause. You can also add the title of the person: "Disculpe, señor" or "Disculpe, señora." This pattern works in shops, offices, streets and restaurants across Latin America.
When to use it
Use Disculpe when addressing someone with usted, and Disculpa when addressing someone with tú. The relationship, setting, and regional norms guide the choice; age alone does not decide it. Perdón can introduce a brief interruption: Perdón, ¿puedo decir algo? means Pardon me, may I say something? Con permiso often accompanies passing, entering, or leaving, and can also politely introduce an interruption. On a crowded bus, Con permiso is a useful choice when asking to pass.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Disculpe, ¿me puede ayudar un momento?
Excuse me, can you help me for a moment?dees-KOOL-peh, meh PWEH-deh ah-yoo-DAHR oon moh-MEN-tohClaro, dígame.
Of course, tell me.KLAH-roh, DEE-gah-mehPerdón, una pregunta: ¿dónde está la estación de metro?
Pardon me, a question: where is the metro station?pehr-DOHN, OO-nah preh-GOON-tah: DOHN-deh es-TAH lah es-tah-SYOHN deh MEH-trohEstá a dos cuadras, a la derecha.
It's two blocks away, on the right.es-TAH ah dohs KWAH-drahs, ah lah deh-REH-chahA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, "Disculpe" with a stranger is normal and expected, while "Disculpa" can sound too familiar with someone older or in a formal setting. "Perdón" is softer and works well in casual interruptions. Titles like señor and señora are still common and polite with older strangers; using them with "Disculpe" sounds respectful, not old-fashioned.
One thing to watch for
Using "Disculpa" with an older stranger or a formal official because it is shorter and easier to remember.
Try this instead: Use "Disculpe" with strangers and formal situations. Say "Disculpe, ¿me ayuda?" (Excuse me, can you help me?) rather than "Disculpa, ¿me ayudas?" The informal form assumes a tú relationship that may not exist yet.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You need to stop an older man on the street to ask for directions. Which phrase do you start with?
Show a sample answer
Disculpe, señor.
Disculpe, señor is a polite option for this scenario. Perdón can also work. Informal address varies by region and relationship, so Disculpa is not universally wrong with a stranger.
2Two coworkers are talking, and you need to add something quickly. What short phrase fits?
Show a sample answer
Perdón, ¿puedo decir algo?
Perdón, ¿puedo decir algo? directly asks to add something to the conversation. Con permiso can also introduce a polite interruption; it is not restricted to physically passing someone.
3You are moving through a crowded bus and need people to let you pass. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Con permiso.
"Con permiso" is specifically for passing by someone physically. "Disculpe" could also be heard, but "Con permiso" is the standard phrase for this exact situation.
Match the phrase to the moment: "Disculpe" for formal attention, "Disculpa" with people you address informally, "Perdón" for soft interruptions, and "Con permiso" when you are physically passing by.
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