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perdonar

to forgive

verb pehr-doh-NAHR Rare

Origin: From Latin 'perdonare' (to give completely), from 'per-' + 'donare' (to give).

Also means

to pardon

Usage Note

Perdonar is used both for forgiving a person (te perdono = I forgive you) and excusing an action or interruption (perdona la molestia = sorry for the trouble). Perdón is the standalone apology/request for forgiveness. It is a regular -ar verb. Note that perdona (imperative) is softer and more common than disculpa in many Spanish-speaking regions, though both are used.

Examples

"Ella decidió perdonar a su amigo."

Natural Translation

She decided to forgive her friend.

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