“I Beg Your Pardon?” vs. “Sorry?”: What’s the Difference?
Jul 25, 2023
Engram
The difference between “I beg your pardon?” and “sorry?”
- "I beg your pardon?" is more formal than "Sorry?" and is typically used in more professional situations.
- "I beg your pardon?" is often used as a way to show respect or politeness; whereas "Sorry?" is more casual, although still more formal than "What?"
- "I beg your pardon?" is used more often to ask someone to repeat themselves, while "Sorry?" is more frequently used to apologize for not hearing or understanding.
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What is the definition of “I beg your pardon?” and “sorry?”?
I beg your pardon?
- A polite expression used in formal settings to indicate that the speaker did not hear or understand what was said.
- It is considered a more formal way of asking someone to repeat themselves or clarify what they said.
- It can also be used as a way of apologizing or showing respect in some cultures.
Sorry?
- A casual expression used in informal settings to indicate that the speaker did not hear or understand what was said.
- It is considered a more relaxed and less formal way of asking someone to repeat themselves or clarify what they said.
- It can also be used as a way of apologizing or showing sympathy for a mistake or misunderstanding.
Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?
“Sorry?” is the more popular variant on the web.
I beg your pardon?
2,220,000 results on the web
Examples
- I beg your pardon? Could you please repeat what you just said?
- I beg your pardon? I didn't catch your name.
- I beg your pardon? I didn't mean to interrupt you.
More popular
Sorry?
967,000,000 results on the web
Examples
- Sorry, could you say that again, please?
- Sorry, can you repeat what you just said?
- Sorry, I didn't quite catch what you said. Could you repeat it?
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