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We know a lot of you guys wonder when to say “sorry” and when to use “excuse me.” So, let’s get into it.

We often say “excuse me” when we commit small breaches of etiquette that might inconvenience someone else, such as sneezing loudly or coughing in the middle of a business meeting. However, we mostly say “excuse me” before we inconvenience other people. This way we apologize in advance. For example, if you were trying to get to a seat in the middle of a row of a packed movie theater and you needed to get by people who are already seated, you would say, “Excuse me,” as you passed each person because it’s similar to asking for permission.

Sometimes, we also say “excuse me” as a polite way to get someone’s attention or to apologize for interrupting when someone is busy. For instance, if you were in the office and needed to talk to a coworker who was otherwise engaged, you would say, “Excuse me, John, can I talk to you for a minute?” or “I didn't realize you were in a meeting. Excuse me.” In a restaurant, you can also say, “Excuse me, could I have a menu, please?” Similarly, you would use “excuse me” if you need to ask someone a question. For example, let’s say you need directions from a stranger on the train. You would say, “Excuse me, is this the right train for New York?”
You can also say “excuse me” when you would like to be “excused,” which means to be pardoned, released or exempted from a duty or an event. Let’s say you’re sitting at the dinner table and need to get up to use the restroom or to answer your phone, you would say, “May I please be excused,” “Please excuse me for a moment,” or “Please excuse me for a minute. I need to take this call.”

On the other hand, we say “sorry” after having inconvenienced someone because it’s like asking for forgiveness. We also use it to apologize for small and large offenses, ranging from stepping on someone’s toe to accidently burning down someone’s house. For example, if you were squeezing or scooching pass someone, which means to move in or pass through a restricted space, and you accidentally dropped some of your popcorn on their lap, you would say, “I'm sorry!” If you were late to an important meeting you would say, “I'm so sorry. I am running late.” If you said or did something rude to someone, you would say, “I'm sorry if I offended you.” If you missed what someone has said, you can say, “I'm sorry. What were you saying?” And when you need a more formal apology that is a little stronger than just “sorry,” you can say, “I’m ever so sorry.”
To sum it up: We usually use “excuse me” when we are about to do something that inconveniences other people, and we tend to use “I’m sorry” to express regret after we have inconvenienced or wronged someone.

Remember to always say “excuse me” so you don’t rub people the wrong way. And always say “sorry” so they don’t get bent out of shape over any mistakes you make. Want to know more about the phrases “to rub someone the wrong way” and “to get bent out of shape?”

More about this in our next video. Thanks for watching!

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