desculpas

Desculpas is the Portuguese term for “apology” or “excuse,” used both as a noun and as a formulaic expression to request forgiveness for a perceived fault, inconvenience, or breach of etiquette. The singular form, desculpa, can also function as an interjection (“Desculpa!”) equivalent to “Sorry!” in English. The word derives from the Latin verb *discūlpāre*, a compound of *dis-* (a privative prefix) and *culpa* (“fault” or “blame”), and entered Portuguese via Old Galician-Portuguese in the medieval period.

In everyday speech, desculpas serves several communicative functions: it can acknowledge responsibility, mitigate social tension, or preface a request. Grammatically, it is a feminine noun, with the plural desculpas usually referring to multiple instances of apology or to a collection of excuses. The verb form “desculpar” means “to excuse” or “to pardon,” and its reflexive counterpart “desculpar‑se” denotes the act of asking for forgiveness.

Culturally, the use of desculpas is embedded in Portuguese-speaking societies’ norms of politeness. In Brazil, for example, casual “Desculpa” is common in informal settings, while a more formal “Peço desculpas” is reserved for official or serious contexts. In Portugal, the expression may be accompanied by additional phrases such as “com licença” to emphasize deference. Legal systems in Portuguese-speaking countries differentiate between moral apologies and formal retractions, the latter sometimes required in defamation cases.

The concept also appears in literature and media, where characters’ apologies can reveal aspects of honor, remorse, or social hierarchy, illustrating the term’s significance beyond mere politeness.