French · Greetings & Essentials
"Excuse me" in French: excusez-moi
excusez-moi
Excuse me in French is excusez-moi with strangers (vous). With friends say excuse-moi. Use it to interrupt, pass by, or get attention.
Crowded metro
Excusez-moi, je descends.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce excusez-moi
Say it
ex-kew-zay-MWAH
/ɛk.sky.ze.mwa/
Excusez-moi is ex-kew-zay-MWAH. The ez sounds like ay. Soft s like z between vowels.
"Excuse me" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| excusez-moi | excuse me (formal / plural) Default with strangers and staff. | Default with strangers and staff. |
| excuse-moi | excuse me (informal) With tu. | With tu. |
| pardon | sorry / excuse me Short bump-into or soft interrupt. | Short bump-into or soft interrupt. |
| s'il vous plaît | please (to get attention) Calling a waiter, sometimes with excusez-moi. | Calling a waiter, sometimes with excusez-moi. |
How to use excusez-moi in real life
- 1Crowded metro
Excusez-moi, je descends.
Excuse me, I'm getting off.
Polite path-clearing.
- 2Shop question
Excusez-moi, où sont les essuie-mains ?
Excuse me, where are the towels?
Getting staff attention.
- 3Meeting start
Excusez-moi du retard.
Sorry I'm late.
Excusez-moi + reason.
Mistakes English speakers make with excusez-moi
Incorrect: Excuse moi monsieur.
Correct: Excusez-moi, monsieur.
With monsieur use the vous form excusez-moi, and hyphenate.
Incorrect: Excusez moi.
Correct: Excusez-moi.
Write it with a hyphen: excusez-moi.
Good to know
In queues and on transport, a soft excusez-moi or pardon is expected before squeezing past. Skipping it feels abrupt even if you smile.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Asking for directions politely
ChatPal
Excusez-moi, la rue Rosiers est par ici ?
Excuse me, is Rue des Rosiers this way?
You
Excusez-moi, je ne suis pas d'ici.
Excuse me, I'm not from around here.
ChatPal
Pas de souci. Je regarde sur mon téléphone.
No worries. I'll check on my phone.
You
Merci de votre aide.
Thanks for your help.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Excuse me" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Excuse me" in French
How do you say excuse me in French?
Excusez-moi (formal) or excuse-moi (informal).
Excusez-moi or pardon?
Both work; pardon is shorter for bumps; excusez-moi for asking something.
When do I use vous?
With strangers, older people, and anyone you don't call tu — so excusez-moi.
How do you pronounce excusez-moi?
Ex-kew-zay-MWAH.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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