In Human, as we have explained here, there are two ways to say excuse me: pado (/’pado/) and skuʃa (/skuza/). They both means sorry: “I am sorry for interrumpting you”.
You say pado when you expect others to stop what they are doing and listen to you. You say skuʃa when they don’t have to.
Let’s see how it works in different contexts:
• You see a passerby accidentally dropping his wallet > pado
• Trying to get a passerby’s attention while handing him out a commercial leaflet > skuʃa
• A city clerk asking you your name > pado
• A stranger asking you your name > skuʃa
• Asking your teacher to clarify what he has said > pado
• Asking a stranger who is not talking to you to clarify what he has said > skuʃa
• Emailing your lawyer for professional advice > pado
• Emailing your lawyer for a favour > skuʃa
• Asking a trivial thing to your friend who is working > pado
• Asking a trivial thing to a stranger who is working > skuʃa
• Calling your partner in the middle of the night because you are sad > pado
• Calling your friend in the middle of the night because you are sad > skuʃa
This simple pragmatical device is very useful to understand immediately if you have to pay attention to something or (if you are busy) not.
Yichi Hu and Gabriele Vietti
(Last updated on 13th June 2022)
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