Inklingo
← Dictionary

perdonen

pehr-DOH-nenpeɾˈdonen

“perdonen” means “forgive” in Spanish (asking a group for forgiveness).

forgive, excuse

Also: pardon
VerbA2regular ar
Latin AmericaSpain
A person standing with open palms and a gentle expression before a group of people who are smiling and reaching out to offer a hug.
gerundperdonando
past Participleperdonado
infinitiveperdonar

📝 In Action

Perdonen, ¿saben dónde está la estación?

A1

Excuse me (everyone), do you know where the station is?

Perdonen la tardanza, había mucho tráfico.

A2

Forgive the lateness (everyone), there was a lot of traffic.

Espero que me perdonen por lo que dije.

B1

I hope they (or you all) forgive me for what I said.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • disculpen (excuse (plural))
  • exculpen (exonerate/free from guilt)

Antonyms

  • culpen (blame (plural))
  • condenen (condemn (plural))

Common Collocations

  • perdonen la molestia – pardon the inconvenience
  • perdonen la interrupción – forgive the interruption

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoperdonara
túperdonaras
él/ella/ustedperdonara
nosotrosperdonáramos
vosotrosperdonarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesperdonaran

Present Subjunctive

yoperdone
túperdones
él/ella/ustedperdone
nosotrosperdonemos
vosotrosperdonéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesperdonen

Indicative

Preterite

yoperdoné
túperdonaste
él/ella/ustedperdonó
nosotrosperdonamos
vosotrosperdonasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesperdonaron

Imperfect

yoperdonaba
túperdonabas
él/ella/ustedperdonaba
nosotrosperdonábamos
vosotrosperdonabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesperdonaban

Present

yoperdono
túperdonas
él/ella/ustedperdona
nosotrosperdonamos
vosotrosperdonáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesperdonan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "perdonen" in Spanish:

excuse→forgive→pardon→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: perdonen

Question 1 of 1

You are walking through a crowded market and need a group of people to move. What do you say?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
perdón(forgiveness / pardon) — Noun
perdonar(to forgive) — Verb
perdonable(forgivable) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the verb 'perdonar', which comes from the Latin 'per-' (completely) and 'donare' (to give). It literally means to give something up completely, like a debt or a grudge.

First recorded: 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: pardonFrench: pardonner

💡 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

Is 'perdonen' formal or informal?

In Latin America, it is used for any group. In Spain, it is specifically used to be formal or polite when addressing a group.

What is the difference between 'perdonen' and 'disculpen'?

They are almost identical. 'Perdonen' is like 'forgive' or 'pardon,' while 'disculpen' is more like 'excuse.' Both are very common and polite.