# The politeness toolkit: por favor, disculpe, con permiso

> id: usage.politeness-formulas · category: usage · depth: standard · levels: A1, A2 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Por favor, gracias, disculpe/perdón (attention or apology), con permiso (passing through), buen provecho, ¿se puede? — small words that carry the culture.

Attention-getters: disculpe (formal), perdón, oiga/oye. Moving past someone: con permiso — answered pase or propio (Bolivia/Southern Cone). Entering: ¿se puede?

Buen provecho greets people eating (expected in Bolivia when crossing a dining room). A la orden / para servirle close service interactions.

These small words carry the culture: con permiso to pass through (answered pase or, in Bolivia and the Southern Cone, propio), ¿se puede? to enter, and buen provecho to people who are eating — expected in Bolivia when you cross a dining room. Service interactions close with a la orden or para servirle.

## Examples
- Con permiso. — Propio. — Excuse me (passing). — Go ahead.
- Disculpe, ¿me ayuda con esto, por favor? — Excuse me, could you help me with this, please?
- Con permiso. —Propio. —Gracias, muy amable. — Excuse me (coming through). —Go ahead. —Thanks, very kind.

Related: usage.thanks-responses, usage.apologies

License: CC BY-SA 4.0 — Spanish Rules Library — spanishruleslibrary.com