Inklingo

discúlpenme

dis-COOL-pen-mehdisˈkul.pem.me

discúlpenme means Excuse me (plural, formal) in Spanish (Asking a group for attention or permission).

Excuse me (plural, formal), Forgive me (plural, formal)Also: Pardon me (plural, formal)

VerbB1regular arformal
A colorful illustration of a person politely raising their hand, palm open, to address a small group of three people who are all looking at the speaker.
past Participledisculpado
infinitivedisculpar
gerunddisculpando

📝 In Action

Discúlpenme, señores, ¿podrían mover sus maletas?

B1

Excuse me, gentlemen, could you move your bags?

Discúlpenme por llegar tarde, el tráfico fue terrible.

B1

Forgive me for arriving late, the traffic was terrible.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • perdonen (forgive (plural formal))
  • lo siento (I'm sorry)

Common Collocations

  • Discúlpenme la interrupciónExcuse the interruption (plural)

Indicative

Imperfect

yodisculpaba
disculpabas
él/ella/usteddisculpaba
nosotrosdisculpábamos
vosotrosdisculpabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdisculpaban

Present

yodisculpo
disculpas
él/ella/usteddisculpa
nosotrosdisculpamos
vosotrosdisculpáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdisculpan

Preterite

yodisculpé
disculpaste
él/ella/usteddisculpó
nosotrosdisculpamos
vosotrosdisculpasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdisculparon

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yodisculpara
disculparas
él/ella/usteddisculpara
nosotrosdisculpáramos
vosotrosdisculparais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdisculparan

Present Subjunctive

yodisculpe
disculpes
él/ella/usteddisculpe
nosotrosdisculpemos
vosotrosdisculpéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdisculpen

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: discúlpenme

Question 1 of 1

If you are talking to your two best friends, which word would you use instead of 'discúlpenme'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
disculpa(apology)Noun
disculpar(to excuse/forgive)Verb
discúlpame(excuse me (singular informal))Verb
🎵 Rhymes
llámenmequédense
📚 Etymology

The verb 'disculpar' comes from the Latin prefix 'dis-' (meaning 'away' or 'apart') combined with 'culpa' (meaning 'fault' or 'blame'). Essentially, it means to remove or clear away the blame.

First recorded: 13th century (as disculpar)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: desculpem-meItalian: scusatemi

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'discúlpenme' and 'perdónenme'?

Both mean 'forgive me' or 'excuse me,' addressing a formal group. 'Discúlpenme' is generally softer and more common for interrupting or asking permission. 'Perdónenme' is often used for deeper apologies.

Why does 'discúlpenme' have an accent mark?

The accent mark is needed to preserve the original stress of the verb 'discúlpen' when the pronoun 'me' is attached. Without it, the stress would incorrectly shift to the last syllable.