Pardon vs. What – Which is Correct?
When asking someone to repeat themselves, use “pardon?” for a polite, formal response. “What?” also works, but it is more casual and may sound abrupt. Both are correct American English words; they differ in tone, grammatical role, and conversational context, not spelling. Choose the first in professional situations when appropriate.
For another commonly confused pair, compare Affect vs. Effect to see how grammatical roles shape meaning.
Pardon or What – Which is Correct?
Pardon and what are both correct English words, but they are not interchangeable in most situations. As a conversational response, pardon? politely asks someone to repeat what they said. What? can serve the same basic purpose, but it is shorter, more casual, and sometimes sounds impatient or rude.
The expression “pardon or what?” is not normally used as a polite alternative. In that construction, or what? can sound challenging, sarcastic, or confrontational. For example, “Are you going to apologize or what?” pressures someone to choose an action. If you simply did not hear someone, say “Pardon?”, “Sorry?”, or “Could you repeat that?” instead.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the politeness test: if you could say it comfortably to a supervisor, customer, or stranger, choose pardon? If you are speaking casually with a close friend, what? may be acceptable. Remember: “Pardon?” preserves courtesy; “What?” prioritizes brevity.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| pardon | Noun, verb, interjection | Forgiveness; an official release from punishment; or a polite request for repetition | “Pardon? I could not hear you.” |
| what | Pronoun, determiner, adverb, interjection | A word used to ask about identity, information, choice, or meaning | “What did you say?” |
How to Use Pardon
Pardon has several meanings. As an interjection, “Pardon?” is a polite way to ask someone to repeat a statement. It is especially appropriate in formal, professional, or unfamiliar social situations. In British English, “Pardon?” is particularly common, while American speakers may also prefer “Excuse me?”, “Sorry?”, or “Could you repeat that?”
As a verb, pardon means to forgive someone or excuse an offense. As a noun, it can mean forgiveness or an official decision by a government authority to forgive a criminal offense or reduce its legal consequences.
Example 1: “Pardon? Would you mind repeating the last part of the instructions?”
Example 2: “The governor granted the former prisoner a pardon.”
Example 3: “Please pardon my interruption, but I have an important question.”
Etymology of the Word Pardon
Pardon entered English through Old French pardoner, meaning “to forgive,” and ultimately comes from the Latin phrase per donare, meaning “to give thoroughly” or “to give freely.” Its meanings developed from general forgiveness to official legal forgiveness and then to the polite interjection used when asking for repetition.
How to Use What
What is a highly versatile question word. It can function as a pronoun in questions such as “What happened?” and as a determiner before a noun, as in “What time is the meeting?” It can also introduce exclamations, such as “What a surprise!”
When used alone as “What?”, the word usually signals that the speaker did not hear, understand, or believe something. Although grammatically correct, this one-word response can sound blunt. Add a polite phrase when tone matters: “What did you say?”, “What was that?”, or “Could you say that again?”
Example 1: “What are you planning to do after work?”
Example 2: “What? I did not hear the announcement.”
Example 3: “What an impressive performance!”
Etymology of the Word What
What comes from Old English hwæt, a form related to other Germanic question words. It has close relatives in words such as the German was and Dutch wat. Over time, its uses expanded from asking about identity or information to introducing exclamations, emphasis, and indirect questions.
Related Concepts
Understanding tone, politeness, and grammatical function makes the difference between pardon and what easier to recognize.
- Register: Register describes the level of formality in language. Pardon? generally belongs to a more polite or formal register, while a standalone what? is usually casual.
- Interjections: Interjections are words or short expressions that communicate an immediate reaction. Both “Pardon?” and “What?” can function as interjections when a speaker requests repetition.
- Politeness strategies: Longer expressions such as “Could you repeat that, please?” soften a request and reduce the risk of sounding impatient.
- Pragmatic meaning: Pragmatics concerns the meaning created by context and tone. The dictionary meaning of what? may be neutral, but its delivery can make it sound surprised, confused, annoyed, or hostile.
Examples from Media and Literature
Writers and performers use these words to reveal a speaker’s personality, relationship, and emotional state.
- Formal dramas: In courtroom and historical dramas, characters often use expressions such as “Pardon me” or “I beg your pardon” to maintain social formality or express offense.
- Contemporary films: In casual movie dialogue, a character who says “What?” may be showing surprise, irritation, disbelief, or a failure to hear another character.
- Classic literature: Period novels frequently use pardon in phrases such as “I beg your pardon”, reflecting older conventions of courtesy and social etiquette.
- Comedy: A character repeating “What?” several times can create humor by showing confusion or exaggerating a misunderstanding.
- News and official reporting: The noun pardon commonly appears in reports about executive clemency, legal forgiveness, and government decisions.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. In some cases, both words may be grammatically possible, but one is more appropriate for the context.
- You are speaking with a customer and did not hear the address: “_____? Could you repeat that, please?”
- You are texting a close friend who just made a surprising comment: “_____?”
- The president signed an official _____ for the former prisoner.
- _____ color would you like for the walls?
- “I beg your _____,” the guest said after interrupting the conversation.
Answer Key
- Pardon — it is the more polite choice in a customer-service interaction.
- What — it is acceptable in a casual conversation, although tone still matters.
- Pardon — the noun refers to official forgiveness for a crime.
- What — it introduces a question about a choice or detail.
- Pardon — the fixed expression is “I beg your pardon.”
Pardon Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Excuse me | A polite expression used to request attention, apologize, or ask someone to repeat something. |
| Sorry? | A casual but generally polite request for repetition. |
| Forgive | To stop feeling anger or resentment toward someone for an offense. |
| Clemency | Mercy or leniency, especially in a legal or governmental context. |
| Amnesty | An official decision to forgive certain offenses, often for a group of people. |
What Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Which | Used to ask about one person or thing from a limited set of choices. |
| Whatever | Anything or everything of a particular kind; it can also express indifference. |
| Anything | Any object, event, or matter, especially in questions or negative statements. |
| How | Used to ask about the manner, condition, or method of something. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “pardon?” more polite than “what?”
Yes. “Pardon?” is generally more courteous and formal. “What?” is grammatically correct but may sound abrupt, especially when spoken with a sharp tone.
Question 2: Is “pardon or what?” a correct phrase?
The words are individually correct, but the combined phrase is not a standard polite request for repetition. The ending “or what?” often sounds challenging or impatient. Use “Pardon?” by itself when you did not hear someone.
Question 3: What should I say instead of “what?” in a professional setting?
Use “Pardon?”, “Excuse me?”, “Could you repeat that, please?”, or “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.” These alternatives clearly communicate that you need repetition without sounding dismissive.
Conclusion
Pardon and what are both correct words, but they communicate different levels of formality when used to request repetition. Choose pardon? for politeness, especially at work or with unfamiliar people, and use what? mainly in relaxed conversations. Pro Tip: Choosing courteous wording protects your professional reputation, even when a shorter alternative is technically correct.
