I am getting conflicting information on these phrases in Spanish. It seems to be a little different in some countries. What is the preferred forms in Costa Rica, based on your experience?

1. when you've accidentally trodden on someone's shoe
2. when you want to interrupt someone in conversation
3. to get someone's attention
4. when you've just jumped up and startled the 5 cops that found you sleeping on a park bench at 6am

Please choose from the following:

Disculpa
Perdon
Lo Siento

Barring expert experience, what do you use when visiting, and what differences have you found in different countries?

Another one for you BD...if you want to pass by someone in a crowd or get to something on a shelf they are blocking, say 'permiso' not pardon (me).

gracias.

When ticos/ticas would thank me for something I used to use my Spanish that I learned from my Cuban ex-wife and say ''de nada", it means "it was nothing". My tico friend who attempted to civilize me told me Costa Ricans viewed that as flippant and rude and preferred "con much gusto" meaning roughly, ''with much pleasure"...

Like if you're talking to a local and you want to break the ice by saying, "forgive my terrible spanish, but...." both in a joking and a you're gonna cringe at my spanish kind of way?

Or if you're trying to tease a girl like when she does something silly you can say "Don't worry you're so cute I forgive you! " I know it's corny, but it gives me ideas.

"Perdoname" fits, though it's more of a serious form of "Pardon Me!". I haven't heard it used in this form, but "Perdona mi mal español!" ... or "Perdona mi español, es muy terrible!" is clearly a humourous jab.

"Don't Worry" = "No te preocupes". As for the 'forgiveness' angle, I would say (for better or worse) "que yo te perdono" (or better) "que voy a perdonarte".

I suggest care in trying to translate English humor into Spanish. It requires idiom which does not translate well. I once caused a shit-storm by calling a Nica "niña tonta" ... literally "silly girl". Except "niña tonta" (in her idioma) is a way of saying "you're a phucking retard!". It all went downhill from there.

Also, my novia explained that there is a pseudo-reflexive form of "Perdonar" ("Perdonarse") that is used in the low-rent barrios of Limon as a idiomatic way of being cute in conversation. But when she relocated to Cartago she said it was considered very insulting and she had to stop using it.

I'm not sure the exact pronoun placement, but it seemed to be a way of saying "I'll pardon myself here, but that dress makes you look fat!". In other words, the speaker is forgiving himself for the insult he's about to speak.

I am getting conflicting information on these phrases in Spanish. It seems to be a little different in some countries. What is the preferred forms in Costa Rica, based on your experience?

1. when you've accidentally trodden on someone's shoe
2. when you want to interrupt someone in conversation
3. to get someone's attention
4. when you've just jumped up and startled the 5 cops that found you sleeping on a park bench at 6am

Please choose from the following:

Disculpa
Perdon
Lo Siento

Barring expert experience, what do you use when visiting, and what differences have you found in different countries?