Short answer
“excuse me” in Korean is 실례합니다
How to say excuse me in Korean?
How to say excuse me in Korean: the standard phrase is 실례합니다 (sillyehamnida). Use it when getting a stranger's attention, interrupting politely, or squeezing past someone. In casual everyday speech, people often switch to 저기요 (jeogiyo) or 잠깐만요 (jamkkanmanyo), and 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida) is the word to choose when you are actually apologizing. The right choice depends on the situation and how formal you need to be.
Common pairings
실례합니다만, ... (Excuse me, but ...)저기요, 잠시만요 (Excuse me, just a second)지나갈게요 (I'll just pass by)잠깐만요, 저... (Wait a second, um...)
How to use it
- 실례합니다 is the safest formal choice with strangers and elders. If you are asking for directions in a public place, use 실례합니다 and then your question.
- 저기요 is friendly and polite enough for ordinary daily situations, like calling a server or stopping someone on the street. It uses the -요 ending and is more natural between younger people.
- Use 죄송합니다 only when you need to apologize or when you have physically inconvenienced someone, such as bumping into them. It does not work as a general attention-getter.
- 잠깐만요 literally means 'just a moment'; use it when you want to stop someone briefly and then ask or say something.
Examples
실례합니다, 지금 몇 시인가요?
Excuse me, what time is it now?
실례합니다 (sillyehamnida) is the formal, polite way to interrupt a stranger with a question.
저기요, 이거 떨어뜨리셨어요.
Excuse me, you dropped this.
저기요 (jeogiyo) is a friendly but still polite attention-getter, used in everyday street or cafe situations.
죄송합니다, 저는 한국어를 잘 못해요.
I'm sorry, I don't speak Korean well.
죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida) means 'I'm sorry' and is the right word when you are apologizing, not just asking for attention.
잠깐만요, 아직 계산 안 했어요.
Excuse me, I haven't paid yet.
잠깐만요 (jamkkanmanyo) literally means 'just a moment' and is useful when stopping someone briefly before you continue.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 실례 |
실례합니다, 몇 시예요? | 실례했어요 is past tense ('I was rude'), not the standard 'excuse me'. Keep the present-form expression 실례합니다. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 실례합니다, 화장실이 어디예요? | 죄송합니다 means 'I'm sorry'; using it just to get attention sounds like you have already done something wrong. Use 실례합니다 to politely interrupt. |
FAQ
- How to say excuse me in KoreanThe standard, polite way is 실례합니다 (sillyehamnida). In casual situations, say 저기요 (jeogiyo) instead.
- What's the difference between 실례합니다 and 저기요?Both work as 'excuse me', but 실례합니다 is more formal and respectful, good for elders, strangers, and official settings. 저기요 is friendly and casual, though it still uses the polite -yo ending.
- Can I use 죄송합니다 as excuse me?죄송합니다 means 'I'm sorry,' not 'excuse me' in the attention-getting sense. Use it when apologizing or after bumping into someone, not when starting a new interaction.