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An adult comfortingly places a hand on the shoulder of a small child who looks remorseful, symbolizing the act of granting forgiveness or pardon.

disculpo

dees-KOOL-poh

verbA2regular ar
I excuse?I pardon someone else,I forgive?forgiving a minor offense
Also:I justify?defending someone's actions

Quick Reference

gerunddisculpando
infinitivedisculpar
past Participledisculpado

📝 In Action

Yo disculpo su tardanza porque el tráfico estaba terrible.

A2

I excuse their lateness because the traffic was terrible.

No te preocupes por el error, yo te disculpo.

A2

Don't worry about the mistake, I forgive you.

Disculpo a mi hermana porque sé que no lo hizo con mala intención.

B1

I excuse my sister because I know she didn't do it with bad intentions.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • perdonar (to pardon, to forgive)
  • excusar (to excuse)

Antonyms

  • castigar (to punish)
  • culpar (to blame)

Common Collocations

  • disculpo el error – I excuse the mistake
  • disculpo a la persona – I excuse the person

💡 Grammar Points

Action on Others

The form 'disculpo' means 'I excuse' or 'I pardon' someone else. You must specify who you are forgiving (e.g., 'disculpo a él').

The Reflexive Difference

To apologize or excuse yourself (like saying 'I'm sorry'), you must use the reflexive form: 'Me disculpo' (I apologize/I excuse myself).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'I excuse' and 'I apologize'

Mistake: "Using 'Disculpo' when you mean 'I apologize' ('I excuse myself')."

Correction: Use 'Me disculpo' when you are the one saying sorry. 'Disculpo' is only for forgiving others.

⭐ Usage Tips

For Minor Offenses

'Disculpar' is often used for small mistakes or inconveniences (like being late), while 'perdonar' can be used for more serious forgiveness.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

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

present

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

indicative

imperfect

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

present

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

preterite

yodisculpé
él/ella/usteddisculpó
túdisculpaste
vosotrosdisculpasteis
nosotrosdisculpamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesdisculparon
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: disculpo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'disculpo' in its non-reflexive meaning?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

disculpa(apology, excuse) - noun
disculpar(to excuse, to pardon) - verb
disculparse(to apologize) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'disculpar' and 'perdonar'?

'Disculpar' usually means to excuse or overlook a minor fault (like interrupting or being late). 'Perdonar' means to forgive, often used for deeper or more serious offenses.

Is 'disculpo' the same as 'disculpa'?

No. 'Disculpo' means 'I excuse' (a verb). 'Disculpa' can mean either 'excuse me' (a command form) or 'an apology' (a noun).