It's easy to get confused about when and how to use scusi and scusa, which both mean "Excuse me," or "I'm sorry." Let's go back to the origins of this common expression.
Scusare is a transitive verb that means "to excuse," or "to forgive." We often find it in the infinitive, preceded by a modal verb, such as dovere (to have to) or potere (to be able to).
No, Lei mi deve scusare, io non lo sapevo che mi stesse aspettando.
No, you have to forgive me, I didn't know you were waiting for me.
Captions 25-26, La linea verticale EP 5 - Part 5
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Puoi scusarmi un attimo?
Can you excuse me a moment?
Caption 10, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 15
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However, when it's used in the reflexive form, scusarsi, it means "to apologize." We can conjugate it and precede it with a reflexive particle. Being a true reflexive verb, the subject is both initiating and receiving the action of excusing.
Mi scuso (I apologize)
Ti scusi (you apologize)
Si scusa (he/she apologizes)
Ci scusiamo (we apologize)
Vi scusate (you [plural] apologize
Si scusano (they apologize)
Perché ti scusi?
Why are you apologizing?
Caption 15, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1 EP6 Buio - Part 19
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E domani mi scuso con Gavina.
And tomorrow I'll apologize to Gavina.
Caption 48, Provaci ancora prof! S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso - Part 22
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And we can use modal verbs, here, too. But the situation is different from our first examples, where the object and the subject are two different people. Here it's the same person. While scusare remains in the infinitive, the modal verb is conjugated. So, in the following example, it's mi + devo (both in the first person singular).
Io mi devo scusare per oggi.
I have to apologize for today.
Caption 15, Liberi tutti EP7 Quanto vale una pera al Milanetto? - Part 7
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If instead, I don't exactly want to apologize, I want to ask (or demand) forgiveness, then I might say:
Mi puoi scusare per oggi (can you forgive me for today)?
Tu mi devi scusare per oggi (you have to forgive me for today).
Mi (me) remains as the object, but the "forgiver" is tu (you).
We can also use the imperative, the command form of scusare.
In the following examples, scusare is used in the second person plural imperative with a noun that's not a person. If you are late for a meeting, you might say:
Scusate il ritardo.
Forgive the delay.
Scusate per il ritardo
Sorry for the delay.
Caption 24, Sposami EP 6 - Part 13
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Here, you (1 person) are talking to more than one person about your being late.
But what about simply scusi and scusa? We hear these all the time. These commands have to do with one-on-one communication. One person, talking to one person. If you are talking to someone formally, or to an authority figure, you will actually be using the third-person subjunctive (Lei form), which acts as a formal "exhortation." So you say, Scusi (excuse me) or Mi scusi (excuse me). You can use this both when jostling a person by mistake, to apologize, or to ask someone something, for example, directions, or the menu in a restaurant.
Che cosa significa questa storia? -Ah, scusi signor Preside, ma perché Anna non può stare qui?
What does this thing mean? -Uh, excuse me, Mister Principal, but why can't Anna be here?
Captions 40-41, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP3 La terza vittima - Part 2
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When we personalize this further, with mi, note that in the Lei form, the particle comes before the verb.
Ah, un'altra cosa, signora, mi scusi.
Oh, one more thing, Ma'am, excuse me.
Caption 56, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP5 Misericordia - Part 13
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Attenzione: We might be tempted to think that with its i ending, scusi is second-person informal conjugation of the verb scusare. And it would be true, as in the example below, which we saw at the beginning of this lesson, but it is also the formal singular imperative (which comes from the third-person singular subjunctive).
Perché ti scusi?
Why are you apologizing?
Caption 15, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1 EP6 Buio - Part 19
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It's not imperative, it's the second-person conjugation of the reflexive form scusarsi.
But if you are talking to a friend, then you use the second-person imperative, scusa.
Scusa, perché ridi?
Sorry, why are you laughing?
Caption 47, La compagnia del cigno EP 5 - Part 13
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Here, too, we can personalize the command with mi. The mi gets attached to the end of the root verb.
Scusami, non posso tornare a casa con te.
Sorry, I can't go home with you.
Caption 23, La compagnia del cigno S1 EP4 - Part 14
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Consulting the conjugation chart for the verb scusare might be helpful in sorting out what we have presented in this lesson. We hope that you now understand how to apologize to a friend or to a boss or authority figure. Have questions? Write to us at [email protected].
We use the imperative form of verbs to give commands. We use it in circumstances such as getting someone's attention. Even when you are saying mi scusi or scusa (excuse me), you are using the imperative form. On any conjugation chart, you will find the imperative form for a verb, where applicable. For example, the verb andare (to go).
Vai! Va' (imperative form, familiar second person singular). Go!
Vada! (imperative formal second person singular). Go!
Andate! (imperative informal second person plural). Go!
Vadano (imperative formal second person plural) Go!
Andiamo! (first person plural imperative). Let's go.
Vai via, non seguirmi più.
Go away, don't follow me anymore.
Caption 48, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 7
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But there is another common way to form an imperative in certain circumstances. When a command is directed at the public in general, not a specific person, the infinitive is often used. For example, we'll hear the infinitive in a command at a train station:
Attenzione. Allontanarsi dalla linea gialla.
Attention please. Step back from the yellow line.
Caption 7, Sposami EP 2 - Part 26
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In navigating instructions:
Tenere la destra, tenere la sinistra.
Bear right, bear left.
Caption 22, Stai lontana da me Rai Cinema - Part 16
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Instructions for staying safe during Covid-19.
Lavarsi bene le mani con sapone, per almeno venti secondi
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, for at least twenty seconds,
Caption 54, COVID-19 Domande frequenti - Part 2
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Putting someone on hold.
Attendere, prego.
Wait, please.
Caption 3, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP3 Vicini - Part 6
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The infinitive is also used for negative informal commands in the second-person singular. So to form a negative command, instead of using non with the conjugated verb, we use non with the infinitive of the verb.
non andare
No, aspetta, aspetta, Lara. Aspetta. Non andare.
No, wait, wait, Lara. Wait. Don't go.
Captions 7-8, Il Commissario Manara S2EP4 - Miss Maremma - Part 1
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non fare così
Avanti, dai, Tiziana, non fare così. Vieni qua.
Come on, please, Tiziana, don't be like this. Come here.
Caption 25, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 7
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non piangere
Dai, dai, non piangere più, calmati un po'.
Come on, come on, stop crying, calm down a little.
Caption 64, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 4
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non mi lasciare!
Amore, non mi lasciare.
Love, don't leave me.
Caption 74, Sposami EP 2 - Part 18
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non fare lo scemo
Ma non fare lo scemo, dai!
But don't be an idiot, come on!
Caption 27, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 8
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And when the command is negative and addressed to the general public, the same holds true. Non plus the infinitive.
Non calpestare l'erba (don't walk on the grass).
Non attraversare col rosso (don't cross with a red light).
Think of some commands such as: parla (speak)! And then make it negative: non parlare (don't speak).
Verbs to try: If you're not sure of the right conjugation, look it up in WordReference.
aspettare (to wait), dormire (to sleep), correre (to run), rallentare (to slow down), guardare (to look), etc.
One way to get someone’s attention is to use the imperative command form of a verb. Two useful verbs for this purpose are ascoltare (to listen) and sentire (to hear). In Italian it’s important to know to whom you are giving the command; this will determine both the word choice and its conjugation.
Commissioner Manara has a familiar relationship with Lara and uses the informal form of address: He’s getting her attention by saying ascolta (listen). There’s a slight urgency with ascolta.
Ascolta Lara, a volte bisogna prendere delle scorciatoie, no?
Listen Lara, sometimes you have to take shortcuts, right?
Caption 36, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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In the next example, there’s a bit of urgency, but this is Manara’s boss talking to him. They use the polite or formal form of address:
Manara, mi ascolti bene.
Manara, listen to me carefully.
Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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Note that the imperative verb can stand alone, or be paired with an object personal pronoun as in the above example. It adds to the urgency, and makes it more personal. Manara’s boss could have added mi raccomando (make sure) for extra urgency:
Manara, mi ascolti bene, mi raccomando!
This next example is between two people who really don’t know each other at all. It’s a formal situation, so the Lei form of “you” is used. Senta is more passive and less intrusive than ascolti. In fact, it means “hear” or “listen,” but is actually a way of saying “excuse me.”
Senta signora, oltre a Lei, chi lo sapeva di queste lettere?
Excuse me ma'am, other than you, who knew about these letters?
Caption 64, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi
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Senta (listen, excuse me, or hear me) is a command you’ll use in a restaurant when wishing to get the attention of the cameriere (waiter).
Senta, possiamo ordinare?
Excuse me, may we order?
Often, senta (listen) goes hand in hand with scusi (excuse me), to be extra polite.
Buonasera. Senta scusi, Lei conosceva il dottor Lenni, giusto?
Good evening. Listen, excuse me. You knew Doctor Lenni, right?
Caption 4, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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And in a familiar situation, such as between Marika and the mozzarella vendor in Rome, there’s no urgency but Marika wants to get the vendor’s attention before asking her a question.
Senti, ma quante mozzarelle dobbiamo comprare per la nostra cena?
Listen, but how many mozzarellas should we buy for our dinner?
Caption 50, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli
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In the next example, the speaker could have said, Ascolta, Adriano, and it would have meant the same thing. Personal preference and regional usage often account for the difference.
Senti, Adriano, io lavoro qui da quando avevo dodici anni.
Listen Adriano, I've been working here since I was twelve years old.
Caption 37, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2
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Without necessarily studying all the conjugations of sentire and scusare, it’s a good idea to just remember that in polite speech, the imperative has an “a” at the end of senta, but an “i” at the end of scusi. The familiar command form would be senti, scusa. These endings can be tricky for beginners because they seem wrong, being the opposite of the indicative endings. It’s quite easy to get mixed up. The command form originally comes from the subjunctive, which is why it has a different, special conjugation.
Learning suggestion:
Getting someone’s attention is part of the basic toolkit you need to communicate in Italian, so why not practice a bit, in your mind? Look at someone and get their attention using the correct verb and correct form.
If you don’t know the person, or you address them formally for some other reason, you use:
Senta! Senta, scusi.
Senta, mi scusi.
[Mi] ascolti. (Not so common, and a bit aggressive, useful if you’re a boss.)
If you’re trying to get the attention of a friend, you’ll use:
Senti... (It’s almost like saying, “Hey...”)
Ascolta...Ascoltami... (This can be aggressive or intimate depending on the tone and the context.)
Learn more about the imperative in Italian here.
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