Question

I was on the phone one day with a sales representative and when i couldn't hear a word which she said, I said "Excuse me" and she repeated herself. When i hung up the phone, my mother told me it was incorrect to use excuse me over phone and we should generally use "Pardon" in it's place for this specific scenario. So can anyone tell me if i was wrong or can we use "excuse me" too?

Answer 1

Pardon is much better than excuse me

Answer 2

In the United States it is more about how you say it.  If you say it quickly and casually, it is no problem.  If you make a big production out of it like, "Well Excuuuussssee ME!" or "Paaardon ME!"  then it's taken as being a snob / prude.  Some other polite phrases you can use is, "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" or "Say that again?"

Answer 3

When I was in Britain, people used to say "Pardon".

Answer 4

Excuse me by itself doesn't sound polite.

Answer 5

Both are correct and perfectly polite. However on the phone to a stranger I would more likely say " I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, or " could you repeat that please"

Answer 6

Excuse Me