let me pass by or let me pass through? (2025)

If someone is in my way , and the person is blocking the path.

What should I say then?

Excuse me, let me pass by or let me pass through?

'Pass by' and 'pass through' both sound wrong in this context.

I'd say something like 'Excuse me, can I come through?'. Or, more informally 'Can I squeeze past?'

Excuse me is usually enough. Anything more would be unnecessary and could sound rude, in my view.

May I come through, please is much less offensive - not offensive at all, really - than let me pass etc.

English people tend to make these requests very gently.

Cross-posted. Heypresto makes good points, as usual.

Thomas Tompion said:

Excuse me is usually enough. Anything more would unnecessary and probably sound rude, in my view.

May I come through, please is much less offensive - not offensive at all, really - than let me pass etc.

English people tend to make these requests very gently.

Cross-posted

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so, let me pass will make myself understood. I shouldn't use by or through .

You surprise me, Sparky. Rough lot you Americans, giving orders right and left.

I think it's the imperative which would irritate a lot of Brits.

Cross-posted with Heypresto again, with whom I emphatically agree.

rituparnahoymoy said:

so, let me pass will make myself understood. I shouldn't use by or through .

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I'm pressing you to avoid the imperative, unless you happen to be a Field Marshall and this an Army gathering.

Hi,

Another question to this post. What if someone is sitting down, for example on a plane, and your seat is by the window and you want to go to your seat? Can I say 'May I come/pass through, please?' I may say this especially when someone gives me an askance look.

london calling said:

I wouldn't use either of those verbs in that particular context. As a frequent flyer my stock phrase (said with a big smile) is " Sorry to bother you, can I get to my seat, please?" while indicating the seat.

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Thanks

It sounds better. Just so you know, in some Asian countries, we may say 'Sorry! May I come through, please! My seat is next to yours'. It is some sort of a cultural thing. I will use the one you have suggested with native English speakers.

Sparky Malarky said:

Let me pass, pass by, and pass through all sound fine to me.

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While we can say someone in a crowd:
- May / can I get past?

then I'm wondering if we can say:
- "let me get past please"?

PS. I think there are some AE/BE differences here.

A-friend said:

While we can say someone in a crowd:
- May / can I get past?

then I'm wondering if we can say:
- "let me get past please"?

PS. I think there are some AE/BE differences here.

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None of those are idiomatic, I'm afraid. In a crowd "Can you let me through, please?" might work.

london calling said:

None of those are idiomatic, I'm afraid. In a crowd "Can you let me through, please?" might work.

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But I think Americans say:
May I get past.

I fully agree with Thomas Tompion (#3):

Excuse me is usually enough. Anything more would be unnecessary and could sound rude, in my view.

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It is obvious that you want to pass; you don't have to say it. Look beyond the person to where you want to go.

I will confess to having said to a security guard who was attempting ineffectually to "manage" the queue to get into the supermarket last week, without any regard to social distancing himself and who was therefore impossible to get past, "You're in my way!"

Context has a lot of bearing on these things.