Per Say or Per Se | Correct Spelling & Use
Per se is the correct spelling of the phrase that means “by itself.” It’s used to express that something is considered on its own, without reference to anything else.
Per say is a common misspelling of this phrase and is incorrect.
- The movie wasn’t bad per se, but it wasn’t very funny.
- The movie wasn’t bad per say, but it wasn’t very funny.
- Kira doesn’t dislike the city per se, but she finds the traffic overwhelming.
- Kira doesn’t dislike the city per say, but she finds the traffic overwhelming.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can correct any errors where you mix up these words.
Per se meaning
Per se means “by itself” or “intrinsically.” It comes from Latin:
- “Per” is the Latin preposition for “by,” “through,” or “via.”
- “Se” is the Latin reflexive pronoun for “itself,” “herself,” or “himself.”
Per se can be considered a prepositional phrase, since “per” is a preposition. It could also be considered an adverbial phrase, given that it modifies a verb, adjective, or idea to indicate that the thing in question should be considered on its own merits.
Some synonyms for per se are:
- Essentially
- In itself
- Fundamentally
- On its own
- As such
- Inherently
I don’t dislike pizza per se; I just don’t feel like eating it right now.
The restaurant wasn’t amazing per se, but the atmosphere was pleasant and the service was good.
Per say meaning
Per say doesn’t mean anything, as it is an incorrect spelling of per se. That said, there could be very specific contexts where you see the words “per” and “say” next to each other. In these cases, “say” is generally used as a parenthetical expression to introduce an example, so it is typically set off by commas.
Want to go per, say, Route 66?
Shall we measure this per, say, square foot?
In these examples, “per” means “by” or “for each,” and “say” means “for example.”
How to use per se
You use per se to emphasize that you are talking about the inherent nature of something, rather than its relationship to other things.
It can also be used to soften statements, suggesting that something is not problematic overall but may present issues in specific contexts.
| Example sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The project isn’t difficult per se, but it requires a lot of time and coordination. | Emphasizes that the project isn’t difficult on its own, but executing it requires time and effort |
| He’s not a bad kid per se, but he’s quite disruptive in class. | Softens the statement about the child’s behavior; while he isn’t isn’t inherently bad, he disrupts the class |
Frequently asked questions about per say or per se
- What’s the meaning of per se in law?
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In law, per se means “by itself” or “inherently.”
It is used to refer to something that is inherently illegal or problematic, regardless of the circumstances or context.
People sometimes write “per se” as “per say,” but this is incorrect. A QuillBot Grammar Check can make sure you spell this correctly.
- What is negligence per se?
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“Negligence per se” means “negligence by itself” or “inherent negligence.” Per se means “by itself” or “inherently.”
It’s used when an act is considered negligent because it violates a statute or regulation.
Don’t misspell “per se” as “per say,” which is incorrect. A QuillBot Grammar Check can catch any spelling mistakes you might make.
- What does per mean?
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Per is a preposition that has several meanings. Probably its most common use is almost invisible—in the abbreviation “mph (miles per hour),” where it means “each.”
It’s commonly used in newspaper reporting to mean “according to” (e.g., “The President has been kept informed, per sources close to the Oval Office”).
Per is often found in the phrase per our conversation in emails and letters (e.g., “Per our conversation yesterday, could you let me have the new draft proposal by Friday, please?”).
Per can also refer to how often something happens (e.g., “Take one tablet once per day”), or it can have the meaning of “every” (e.g., there are more cafes per square mile than in any other city”).
Per is also commonly used in the phrase per se to mean “intrinsically” or “by itself” (e.g., “The film isn’t bad per se, but it can’t compare to the book”).
