Breakdown of Scusa, sono in ritardo.
essere
to be
in ritardo
late
scusa
sorry; excuse me (informal singular)
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Questions & Answers about Scusa, sono in ritardo.
What does scusa mean here?
Here, scusa means sorry or excuse me.
It comes from the verb scusare = to excuse. In this sentence, scusa is the informal singular imperative, so it is literally something like excuse me when speaking to one person you address with tu.
So Scusa, sono in ritardo is a very natural way to say Sorry, I’m late.
Why is it scusa and not scusami?
Both are possible.
- Scusa = sorry / excuse me
- Scusami = forgive me / excuse me with mi = me
Scusami can sound a little more explicit or slightly more personal, but in everyday speech both are common:
- Scusa, sono in ritardo.
- Scusami, sono in ritardo.
Both are natural in informal situations.
Is scusa formal or informal?