Prepáčte / Prepáč

Excuse Me and Sorry

Level 1

Say Prepáčte to a stranger or a group and Prepáč to one friend. Both mean sorry or excuse me.

How It Works

Two forms:

  • Prepáč: to one person you call ty (a friend, a relative, a child).
  • Prepáčte: to one person you call vy, or to several people.

This is the same choice as in tykanie a vykanie. The forms are commands (see rozkazovací spôsob jednotného čísla and rozkazovací spôsob na -te a -me).

Uses:

  • Getting attention before a question: Prepáčte, kde je stanica?
  • Apologizing: Prepáč, že meškám. (Sorry I'm late.) The reason often follows with že.
  • Getting past someone: Prepáčte, môžem prejsť?
  • Asking forgiveness for something: Prepáč mi to. (I'm sorry about that.) Mi (me) is in the dative: literally "forgive me that".

You will also hear the casual pardon, and in formal situations Ospravedlňujem sa (I apologize).

Examples (6)

  1. Prepáčte, kde je stanica?

    Excuse me, where is the station?

    Getting a stranger's attention politely.

  2. Prepáč, že meškám.

    Sorry I'm late.

    Apologizing to a friend; že introduces the reason.

  3. Prepáčte, hovoríte po anglicky?

    Excuse me, do you speak English?

    A polite question to someone you do not know.

  4. Prepáčte, môžem prejsť?

    Excuse me, may I get past?

    Asking to get through, for example on a bus.

  5. Prepáč mi to.

    I'm sorry about that.

    Word by Word: Forgive me that.

    Mi (me) is in the dative: literally "forgive me that". The person you apologize to is the one you are speaking to.

  6. Prepáčte, nerozumiem.

    Sorry, I don't understand.

    A polite apology when you have not understood.

Common Mistakes

  • Saying prepáč to a stranger.

    Prepáč, kde je stanica?
    Prepáčte, kde je stanica?

    Prepáč addresses the person with ty, which is too familiar with someone you do not know. Use prepáčte.

  • Using the "I" form prepáčim instead of the command.

    Prepáčim, meškám.
    Prepáč, meškám.

    Prepáčim means "I will forgive". To say sorry, you ask the other person to forgive you with the command prepáč or prepáčte.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Prepáčte / PrepáčLevel 1Excuse Me and Sorry

Learn This First

Before Excuse Me and Sorry, learn Informal ty and Polite vy. Prepáčte is the vy form and prepáč the ty form.

Words in This Pattern

prepáčiť