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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/fr-pardon

You bump into someone on the Paris metro. What quick French word says 'Sorry!'?

Pardon ! is the quick sorry.

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  1. Merci !
  2. Bonjour !
  3. Pardon ! ✔

Why: Pardon is the short, polite sorry when you bump someone or squeeze past. It also works as 'Pardon?' when you didn't hear something.

Huh, didn't know that: Said as a question, 'Pardon ?' asks someone to repeat, like 'Sorry?' in English.

The dad joke
Why did the French teacher keep apologizing in class? She kept saying pardon my French.
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References

Answer: Pardon !. Pardon is the short, polite sorry when you bump someone or squeeze past. It also works as 'Pardon?' when you didn't hear something.

  1. Larousse French-English: pardon www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais-anglais/pardon
    oh, pardon ! [pour s'excuser] sorry !, excuse me !
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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