Polish · Greetings & Essentials
"Excuse me" in Polish: przepraszam
przepraszam
Excuse me in Polish is przepraszam. Przepraszam politely attracts attention or asks to pass; it is also the ordinary apology word.
A first use of excuse me
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How to pronounce przepraszam
Say it
pzheprasham
/pʂɛpraʂam/
In przepraszam, sz is a hard sh-like sound; rz and ż normally share a zh-like sound, with devoicing in some positions. The content words in przepraszam normally use penultimate stress when they have multiple syllables.
"Excuse me" in Polish: quick reference
| Polish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| przepraszam | Excuse me The main expression for excuse me. | The main expression for excuse me. |
| proszę wybaczyć | Excuse me Alternative wording; compare its context and register below. | Alternative wording; compare its context and register below. |
How to use przepraszam in real life
- 1A first use of excuse me
Przepraszam, gdzie jest dworzec?
Excuse me, where is the station?
This is a natural setting for przepraszam.
- 2A second conversational context
Przepraszam, czy mogę przejść?
Excuse me, may I pass?
Notice how przepraszam fits with the surrounding words here.
- 3Another practical use
Przepraszam, mam pytanie.
Excuse me, I have a question.
Przepraszam politely attracts attention or asks to pass; it is also the ordinary apology word.
Mistakes English speakers make with przepraszam
Incorrect: Przepraszam gdzie jest dworzec?
Correct: przepraszam
For this meaning, the complete Polish form is przepraszam. Przepraszam politely attracts attention or asks to pass; it is also the ordinary apology word.
Incorrect: przepraszam ja przejść
Correct: przepraszam
Keep the wording and grammatical forms in przepraszam; the proposed form changes or breaks this expression.
Good to know
Przepraszam politely attracts attention or asks to pass; it is also the ordinary apology word.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Practice excuse me
Partner
Co powiesz w tej sytuacji?
What will you say in this situation?
You
Przepraszam, gdzie jest dworzec?
Excuse me, where is the station?
Partner
A w innym kontekście?
And in another context?
You
Przepraszam, czy mogę przejść?
Excuse me, may I pass?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"Excuse me" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Excuse me" in Polish
When should I say przepraszam?
Przepraszam politely attracts attention or asks to pass; it is also the ordinary apology word.
Is proszę wybaczyć another way to say excuse me?
Proszę wybaczyć is a useful related expression. The main form here is przepraszam; choose the wording that fits the person and context.
What wording should I avoid with przepraszam?
Avoid Przepraszam gdzie jest dworzec?. The correct expression is przepraszam; Przepraszam politely attracts attention or asks to pass; it is also the ordinary apology word.
Can you show przepraszam in a sentence?
Przepraszam, mam pytanie. — Excuse me, I have a question.
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