Perdão
pehr-DOWNG
How to say itPart of: Please & sorry
“Pardon; forgive me; pardon?”
Perdão is the stronger apology: pardon, forgive me, said when it matters, a notch more sincere and formal than desculpa. With a rising tone, perdão? is “pardon? what did you say?”. Me perdoa (forgive me) is the personal version; pedir perdão is to ask forgiveness. The noun is also forgiveness itself.
Looking for please, sorry and excuse me? Please and sorry in Portuguese: the guide
PoliteAll Brazilalso: me perdoa, perdoe-meReply: Tudo bem.
How Brazilians use it
“Perdão, eu exagerei ontem.”
“Forgive me, I went too far yesterday.”
A sincere apology.
“Perdão? Não entendi.”
“Pardon? I didn’t catch that.”
Rising tone: pardon?
“Me perdoa, não vai acontecer de novo.”
“Forgive me, it won’t happen again.”
Between people who are close.
“Ela pediu perdão à mãe.”
“She asked her mother’s forgiveness.”
The noun: forgiveness.
In a real book
“— Perdão: você está procurando com u: deve ser com o!”“— Não há perdão! Dê cá a mão! Dê cá! Vamos! Sem-vergonha! Dê cá a mão!”How to reply
- Tudo bem.It’s fine.
- Está perdoado / perdoada.You’re forgiven; a little solemn.
Similar expressions
Brazil vs Portugal
The same word and weight in Portugal, where perdão? for “pardon?” is a little more common than in Brazil, which prefers oi? and como?.
Common mistakes
- Don’t say perdón: Spanish. The Portuguese is perdão, with the nasal ão.
- Don’t use perdão for a small bump: desculpa; perdão sounds like you did something.
- Don’t say it like “per-dao”: the ão is nasal, pehr-DOWNG, through the nose.
Frequently asked questions
What does perdão mean?
Pardon, forgiveness, forgive me. As an apology it is stronger than desculpa; with a rising tone, perdão? is “pardon? what did you say?”.
What is the difference between perdão and desculpa?
Desculpa is everyday sorry, for a bump or a late reply. Perdão is for something that mattered, and it is also the noun forgiveness: pedir perdão, to ask forgiveness.
How do you say forgive me in Portuguese?
Me perdoa (informal) or me perdoe (formal), or simply perdão. Mil desculpas is “a thousand apologies”, a warmer desculpa.
How do you pronounce perdão?
pehr-DOWNG: stress on the second syllable, and the ão nasal, through the nose, with no hard n at the end.