"Sorry" vs. "Excuse me" vs. "Pardon"
...
LanguageLearningBase.com (short: llb.re) is an online community for learning foreign languages.
It represents an open knowledge base. Every member can share and gain knowledge about a new language.
"Sorry" vs. "Excuse me" vs. "Pardon"
Excuse me and pardon me are polite expressions that you use when you do something that could be slightly embarrassing or rude.
You usually use sorry to apologize after you have done something wrong.
According to Macmillan Dictionary,excuse me is used fo:
Sorry is used for :
1. We usually say excuse me before we interrupt or disturb somebody;
we say sorry after we disturb or trouble somebody.
Compare:
I beg your pardon is a more formal way of saying sorry.
2. If we do not hear or understand what people say, we usually say Sorry?What? (informal) or (I beg your) pardon?
Americans also say Pardon me?
More examples: