🇬🇧 Pardon meaning: English Vocabulary Flash Card

We say “Pardon?” when we did not hear or understand what someone said, and we want them to kindly repeat it. It’s a polite way to ask, “Can you say that again, please?” without sounding rude.

“Pardon?” I asked the teacher, hoping she’d repeat it slower, but she repeated it faster like a racing robot.

The teacher said something about “extra homework,” and the whole class shouted, “Pardon?” in horror.

I thought Grandma said, “Let’s eat the homework,” so I had to ask, “Pardon?” just to be sure.

I heard Dad say, “We’re getting a pet shark,” so I yelled, “Pardon?” and he said, “I said pet cat!”

People sometimes say “Pardon?” instead of “What?” because it sounds more polite—especially when you can’t believe someone just said “broccoli ice cream.”

A girl is at a cake shop. The woman speaks fast. The girl says Pardon? The woman says it again. The girl says Pardon? The woman speaks slow. The girl says Pardon? The girl says Pardon? The woman says it again. The girl says Pardon? The woman says it one more time. The girl smiles, says Thank you, and pays.

This word is featured in some playlists to help boost your English vocabulary! Check out where “pardon” (exclamation) makes an appearance and dive into themed playlists that make learning fun. 👍

This word is at the A1 level, which means it is one of the first words you learn when starting English. It’s commonly used in everyday conversations and helps you communicate basic ideas like greetings, family, or daily activities.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.