“Per se” is the correct spelling. “Per say” is a common misspelling, not a real phrase. The mix-up happens because the Latin word “se” is pronounced exactly like the English word “say,” so writers naturally spell the phrase the way it sounds. “Per se” means “by itself” or “intrinsically” — it isolates one thing from everything connected to it. This guide covers the meaning, pronunciation, correct usage, and the mistakes worth avoiding.
Quick Answer: Is It “Per Se” or “Per Say”?
“Per se” is correct in every setting — casual conversation, academic writing, business communication, and legal documents. “Per say” is always wrong. It isn’t a recognized English phrase; it’s simply a spelling that matches how “per se” sounds out loud.
| Per se (correct) | Per say (incorrect) | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Standard Latin-derived phrase | Common misspelling |
| Meaning | “By itself,” “intrinsically” | No meaning — not a real phrase |
| Example | The color itself isn’t the problem, per se. | ~~The color itself isn’t the problem, per say.~~ |
What Does “Per Se” Mean? (Definition, Pronunciation & Origin)
Simple Definition
“Per se” means “by itself,” “in itself,” or “intrinsically.” Use it when you want to isolate one specific thing from everything connected to it. Saying “the plan isn’t bad per se” means the plan, considered purely on its own, isn’t bad — even if something related to it, like the timing or the cost, might still be a problem.
How to Pronounce “Per Se”
Say it “per-SAY,” with two syllables and the stress on the second one.
- American English: /pər ˈseɪ/ — the “r” is pronounced, roughly “purr-SAY”
- British English: /pɜːˈseɪ/ — the “r” is silent, roughly “puh-SAY”
Dictionaries agree that the “se” always sounds like “say,” never like “see” or “seh.” That single detail explains most of the spelling confusion. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster)
Where the Phrase Comes From
“Per se” comes directly from Latin: “per” means “by” or “through,” and “se” is a reflexive pronoun meaning “itself.” Together, they literally translate to “by itself.” English writers have used the phrase since at least the early 1500s. It later gave rise to a more familiar word, too: “ampersand” comes from “and per se and,” an old way of reading the symbol “&” as “the symbol, by itself, means ‘and.'” (Source: Etymonline, Oxford English Dictionary)
Is “Per Se” a Noun, Adverb, or Adjective?
“Per se” functions mainly as an adverb: “The idea isn’t bad per se.” Occasionally it works as a postpositive adjective, placed right after the noun it describes: “a crime per se.” It’s never used as a noun, and its form never changes — no plural, no different tenses.
Why Do People Confuse “Per Se” and “Per Say”?
“Per se” is heard far more often than it’s read. Most people pick it up from conversation, interviews, or podcasts long before they ever see it written down. When it’s time to write it, they spell it the way English usually works — matching the sound “say” to the letters s-a-y.
Common Reasons for the Mistake
- The phrase is Latin, so its spelling doesn’t follow normal English sound-to-letter patterns.
- “Se” and “say” sound identical when spoken.
- Many people only ever hear the phrase; they rarely see it printed.
- Spell-check often misses the error, since “say” is a real word on its own.
Other Common Misspellings of “Per Se”
Besides “per say,” a few other incorrect versions show up in casual and online writing:
- per see
- persay
- perse (this one is a real, unrelated word — see the FAQ below)
- per-se (hyphenated)
None of these are correct. The only accepted spelling is two separate words: per se.
How to Use “Per Se” Correctly in a Sentence
Best Use Cases
Use “per se” when you want to:
- Clarify that something isn’t inherently wrong, even if something related to it is
- Avoid overgeneralizing about a person, idea, or thing
- Narrow a statement so it applies to one specific element, not the whole picture
Example Sentences
- Everyday: I don’t dislike the restaurant per se — I just hate how long the wait usually is.
- Workplace: The proposal isn’t unrealistic per se, but the deadline is.
- Academic: The theory isn’t flawed per se; the data supporting it is incomplete.
- Formal writing: The policy is not discriminatory per se, though its effects fall unevenly across groups.
Quick Tip: Test It by Removing “Per Se”
If a sentence still makes sense without “per se,” you’re using it correctly — the phrase should sharpen the meaning, not carry it. “The food wasn’t bad” and “The food wasn’t bad per se” both work; adding “per se” just narrows the focus to the food itself, hinting that something else — service, price, atmosphere — might be the real issue.
Do You Need a Comma Before or After “Per Se”?
Usually not. Style guides vary slightly on this point, but most agree on a simple default: when “per se” sits at the end of a clause or right after the word it modifies, skip the comma.
✅ The rule isn’t unfair per se.
Add a comma before and after “per se” only when it interrupts the sentence as a genuine aside, the way you’d set off any parenthetical phrase.
✅ The rule, per se, isn’t unfair — it’s how it’s enforced that causes problems.
Both versions are grammatically correct. The difference is how strongly you want to pause on the phrase. When in doubt, leave the commas out; the no-comma version is more common and reads more naturally.
Common Mistakes with “Per Se” (and How to Fix Them)
1. Spelling It as “Per Say”
Incorrect: The movie isn’t bad per say. Correct: The movie isn’t bad per se. Explanation: “Per say” isn’t a real phrase — it’s a misspelling based purely on pronunciation.
2. Overusing the Phrase
Incorrect: The report isn’t wrong per se, and the summary isn’t misleading per se, and the chart isn’t inaccurate per se. Correct: The report isn’t wrong, and neither the summary nor the chart is misleading — the conclusion is just too broad. Explanation: Repeating “per se” in close succession sounds stiff and pulls attention toward the phrase instead of the point being made.
3. Misplacing It in a Sentence
Incorrect: Per se, the idea isn’t unreasonable. Correct: The idea isn’t unreasonable per se. Explanation: “Per se” almost always follows the word or idea it modifies. Placing it at the very start of a sentence reads as unnatural in modern English.
Words and Phrases Similar to “Per Se”
| Phrase | Closest meaning | Typical register |
|---|---|---|
| in itself / by itself | Considered on its own | Neutral |
| as such | In that specific capacity | Formal |
| intrinsically | By its basic nature | Formal / academic |
| essentially | Fundamentally, at its core | Neutral |
| strictly speaking | Using the exact or technical meaning | Formal |
These aren’t always perfect substitutes. “As such” usually needs to refer back to something already named, and “strictly speaking” leans toward correcting a technical point rather than isolating one factor. Pick whichever fits the sentence’s exact logic, not just the general meaning.
“Per Se” in Legal Language
Outside everyday writing, “per se” carries a precise, technical meaning in law: something is treated as automatically true, illegal, or negligent, without the need to prove additional facts.
Negligence Per Se
“Negligence per se” means an action is automatically treated as negligent because it broke a safety law — the injured party doesn’t have to separately prove the person acted carelessly. A common example is running a red light and causing a collision: the traffic violation itself establishes negligence. (Source: FindLaw; Wikipedia legal reference)
Illegal Per Se
“Illegal per se” describes conduct that’s automatically unlawful by its nature, with no need to examine intent or consequences. Price-fixing between competing businesses is a frequently cited example in U.S. antitrust law. (Source: Wikipedia legal reference; USLegal)
Both legal senses use the same core meaning as everyday “per se” — “by itself” or “on its own terms” — just applied to a formal, rule-based context. This is general information, not legal advice.
Formal vs. Informal Usage
“Per se” reads as slightly formal in any English-speaking country. There’s no meaningful difference between American and British English in how it’s spelled, defined, or used. The only real variation is pronunciation, where American English pronounces the “r” and British English typically doesn’t (see the pronunciation section above). In casual conversation or informal writing, plainer alternatives like “by itself” or “not really” often communicate the same idea more naturally.
Quick Practice: Test Yourself
- Choose the correct spelling: “The idea isn’t wrong ___.” (per se / per say)
- Fill in the blank: “It’s not the price ___ that bothers me, it’s the shipping fee.” (per se / per say)
- Correct the sentence: “Per say, the plan works fine.”
- True or false: “Perse” is simply an alternative spelling of “per se.”
- Choose the correct word class: “Per se” is most commonly used as a(n) ___. (noun / adverb / verb)
- Fill in the blank: “The color ___ — a dark grayish blue — has nothing to do with the Latin phrase.”
- Correct the sentence: “Per se the movie was fine, but the theater was too cold.”
- Choose the better sentence: (a) “He’s not lazy, per say, just easily distracted.” (b) “He’s not lazy per se, just easily distracted.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it “per se” or “per say”?
“Per se” is correct. “Per say” is a common misspelling based on how the phrase sounds, not a valid alternative spelling.
What does “per se” mean?
It means “by itself,” “in itself,” or “intrinsically.” It’s used to isolate one specific thing from everything else connected to it.
How do you pronounce “per se”?
“Per-SAY,” with the stress on the second syllable. American English pronounces the “r” (/pər ˈseɪ/); British English typically doesn’t (/pɜːˈseɪ/).
Why is “per se” so often misspelled?
Because the Latin “se” sounds exactly like the English word “say.” Most people hear the phrase long before they see it written, so they spell it phonetically.
Do you need a comma with “per se”?
Not usually. Skip the comma when “per se” ends a clause. Use commas on both sides only when it’s inserted as a true parenthetical aside.
Is “per se” formal or informal?
It leans formal. It fits academic, legal, and professional writing comfortably, but can sound slightly stiff in very casual conversation.
Can “per se” start a sentence?
Grammatically it’s possible, but it’s unnatural. “Per se” almost always follows the word or idea it modifies, so it typically appears mid-sentence or at the end.
What does “negligence per se” mean?
It’s a legal doctrine where breaking a safety law automatically counts as negligence, without needing separate proof that the person acted carelessly.
Is “perse” a real word?
Yes, but it has nothing to do with “per se.” “Perse” is an existing English word for a dark grayish-blue color, unrelated in origin and meaning.
What’s a simple way to remember the correct spelling?
Think “se” = “self,” since “per se” literally means “by itself” in Latin. If you can mentally swap in “by itself” or “in itself,” you know “per se” is the spelling you need.
Remember: It’s “Per Se,” Not “Per Say”
“Per se” is the only correct spelling of this Latin phrase, meaning “by itself” or “intrinsically.” “Per say” is simply a mishearing turned misspelling. The easiest way to keep them straight: “se” means “self,” so per se literally means “by itself” — and that’s exactly the idea it expresses every time you use it correctly.
Practice Answer Key
- per se — “Per se” is the only correct spelling.
- per se — The sentence isolates “the price” from other factors, which is the core use of “per se.”
- Per se, the plan works fine. — Only the spelling needs correcting; placement and punctuation here are acceptable since it opens as a parenthetical aside, though “The plan works fine per se” is more natural.
- False — “Perse” is a real, unrelated English word for a grayish-blue color, not an accepted spelling of “per se.”
- Adverb — “Per se” most commonly modifies a verb, adjective, or idea.
- perse — Referring to the color, spelled without a space, distinct from the two-word Latin phrase.
- The movie was fine per se, but the theater was too cold. — “Per se” reads more naturally after the phrase it modifies rather than at the start of the sentence.
- (b) — “He’s not lazy per se, just easily distracted.” Correct spelling, and no comma is needed since “per se” sits at the end of its clause.
