Excuse Me in Mandarin Conversation

Excuse Me in Mandarin

借过 (jiè ɡuò): If you’re really in a hurry, you can repeat this while you’re running. It means “I want to borrow (借过 – jiè) your road, please let me pass 过 (ɡuò).”

Example:
“有位乘客不断喊着‘借过借过’，但直到车门即将关闭时，才满头大汗地挤下了车“
“yǒu wèi chéngkè bùduàn hǎn zhe’jièɡuò, jièɡuò‘, dàn zhídào chēmén jíjiāng guānbì shí, cái mǎntóudàhàn de jǐ xià le chē”
“A passenger was constantly yelling “excuse me, excuse me,” but it was only until the car doors were about to close that he – face full of sweat – was able to get out of the car”

借 光。=jiè guāng. = Excuse me please (when someone is in your way). (casual)


让一让(ràng yi ràng): This is a polite way of asking someone to “allow (让 – ràng)” you to pass. You can use it by itself, and also with other words, eg:
麻烦您让一让. (má fan nín ràng yi ràng.)
请让一让. (qǐng ràng yi ràng.)
劳驾您让一让. (láo jià nín ràng yi ràng. – “劳驾” is covered at the end)

让一下(ràng yi xià): Similar to 让一让(ràng yi ràng).
请 让 一 下。=qǐng ràng yí xià.=Excuse me please (when someone is in your way). (formal)
“他高大的身躯，遮挡了身后观众的视线，有人示意他让一下“
“tā gāodà de shēnqū, zhēdǎng le shēnhòu guānzhòng de shìxiàn, yǒu rén shìyì tā ràngyixià“
“His tall and big frame blocked the line of sight of the audience behind him, and someone signaled for him to move out of the way“

过一下 (ɡuò yi xià): This is similar to 让一下, but the difference is that the subject is yourself rather than the person you are speaking to. You are asking if you can “pass (过 – ɡuò)”, rather than if they can “let (让 – ràng)” you pass.
To be polite, it’s best that  this one is used together with “劳驾 (láo jià),” as in “劳驾, 过一下” (láo jià, ɡuò yi xià“).

劳驾 (láo jià): This is perhaps the most polite, and it’s also flexible. You can also use this word for other tasks.
“坐在赵燕侠里面，要出去，说了声‘劳驾’，请她让一让“
“zuò zài zhàoyànxiá lǐmiàn, yào chūqù, shuō le shēng’láojià ‘, qǐng tā ràngyiràng”
“Sitting on the inside of Zhao Yanxia (a famous Peking opera actress), (she) wanted to go out, and said “excuse me,” asking to let her pass”

bonus:
You can add 对不起 before you say excuse me for politely way.
对不起=duì bu qǐ=unworthy/to let down/I'm sorry/excuse me/pardon me/if you please/sorry? (please repeat)

Waiter/excuse me=服务员=fú wù yuán
excuse-me=不好意思=buhaoyisi/bù hǎo yì si=to feel embarrassed/to find it embarrassing/to be sorry (for inconveniencing somebody), excuse me in restaurant (commonly used in Hongkong and Taiwan).

Excuse me. (when asking questions)=请 问=qǐng wèn

你可以帮我吗? = nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ ma? = (excuse me) can you help me?

打扰了= Dǎ rǎo le = excuse me.

失陪一会儿 = Shī péi yí huìr = Excuse me, I need to leave (for a moment).

对不住 = Duì bú zhù = excuse me (pardon me).

请原谅 = qǐnɡ yuán liànɡ = excuse me (pardon me).

打扰一下 = dǎ rǎo yí xià =  excuse me (to disturb in a while).

请再说一遍 / 請再說一遍 = qǐnɡ zài shuō yī biàn = excuse me (pardon me).

恕我冒昧 = shù wǒ mào mèi = excuse me.