Inklingo

excusas

ehx-KOO-sahseksˈkusas

excusas means excuses in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

excuses

Also: pretexts, apologies
NounfA1
A small, cartoonish figure standing next to a task they clearly failed, like a poorly built stack of blocks. The figure is holding three different, flimsy objects (a feather, a twig, and a puff of smoke) in their hands, offering them as substitute explanations, symbolizing excuses.

📝 In Action

No quiero escuchar más excusas, simplemente hazlo.

A1

I don't want to hear any more excuses, just do it.

Siempre tiene una lista de excusas para llegar tarde.

A2

He always has a list of excuses for arriving late.

Sus excusas no fueron muy convincentes para el jefe.

B1

His excuses were not very convincing for the boss.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pretextos (pretexts)
  • justificaciones (justifications)

Common Collocations

  • poner excusasto make excuses
  • aceptar excusasto accept excuses

you excuse

Also: you forgive
VerbA2regular ar
A friendly person comforts a smaller, apologetic person by placing a hand on their shoulder, offering a gesture of forgiveness and relief.
infinitiveexcusar
gerundexcusando
past Participleexcusado

📝 In Action

excusas mi ignorancia, pero ¿qué significa esa palabra?

B1

You excuse my ignorance, but what does that word mean?

Si tú excusas su comportamiento, él nunca aprenderá.

B2

If you excuse his behavior, he will never learn.

Indicative

Present

yoexcuso
excusas
él/ella/ustedexcusa
nosotrosexcusamos
vosotrosexcusáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesexcusan

Imperfect

yoexcusaba
excusabas
él/ella/ustedexcusaba
nosotrosexcusábamos
vosotrosexcusabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesexcusaban

Preterite

yoexcusé
excusaste
él/ella/ustedexcusó
nosotrosexcusamos
vosotrosexcusasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesexcusaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yoexcuse
excusas
él/ella/ustedexcuse
nosotrosexcusamos
vosotrosexcuséis
ellos/ellas/ustedesexcusen

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoexcusara
excusaras
él/ella/ustedexcusara
nosotrosexcusáramos
vosotrosexcusarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesexcusaran

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "excusas" in Spanish:

apologiesexcusespretextsyou excuseyou forgive

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: excusas

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'excusas' as a noun (a thing)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
usasmusas
📚 Etymology

The word comes directly from the Latin verb *excusare*, which meant 'to release from a charge or debt' or 'to plead as an excuse.' It has kept its original meaning very closely over time.

First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

English: excuseFrench: excuser

💡 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

How do I know if 'excusas' is a noun or a verb?

Look at the words around it! If you see 'las' or 'tus' (the/your) right before it, it's definitely the plural noun (excuses). If you see 'tú' (you) right before it, it's the verb form (you excuse/forgive).

Why is the noun 'excusa' feminine?

Most Spanish nouns that end in '-a' are feminine. There is no deep logical reason, it's simply the gender assigned to the word when it developed from Latin.