Inklingo

How to Say "forgives" in Spanish

English → Spanish

perdona

per-DOH-nah/peɾˈðo.na/

verbA2general
Use 'perdona' when referring to the act of pardoning someone for their mistakes or offenses in the present tense (he/she/it/you formal).
An illustration of two children hugging warmly, symbolizing peace and reconciliation after a disagreement.

Examples

Ella siempre perdona los errores de su hijo.

She always forgives her son's mistakes.

Si usted me perdona, podemos seguir con la reunión.

If you pardon me, we can continue with the meeting.

Regular AR Verb

Since 'perdonar' ends in -ar, it is a regular verb. This means it follows the most common and predictable pattern for conjugating in all tenses, making it easy to memorize.

excusa

/eks-KOO-sah//ekˈsusa/

verbA2general
Use 'excusa' when implying that someone is overlooking or making excuses for bad behavior, rather than truly pardoning it.
A storybook illustration showing a kind adult smiling gently and raising a hand in a forgiving gesture towards a smaller figure who looks relieved.

Examples

Ella siempre excusa la mala conducta de su hijo.

She always excuses her son's bad behavior.

Usted excusa a los demás, pero nunca se excusa a sí mismo.

You excuse others, but you never excuse yourself.

Reflexive Use

To say 'to excuse oneself' or 'to apologize for oneself,' use the reflexive form: 'excusarse'. For example, 'Me excusé por mi error' (I excused myself for my mistake).

Using 'excusa' for 'Must'

Mistake: “Using 'excusa' where 'debe' is needed (e.g., 'Ella excusa estudiar' for 'She must study').”

Correction: This is incorrect. Use 'excusar' only for forgiving or justifying. For obligation, use 'deber' or 'tener que'.

Perdona vs. Excusa

Learners often confuse 'perdona' and 'excusa' because both can imply overlooking something. Remember that 'perdona' is a direct translation of 'forgives' (pardons), while 'excusa' means to make excuses for or overlook a fault.

Related Translations

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