If you have heard someone say “per se,” you may wonder whether it should be written “per se” or “per say.” The two expressions sound similar when spoken, which is why the confusion is common.
The standard written expression is per se.
Per se is used to mean “by itself,” “in itself,” or “intrinsically.” It is often used when a person wants to separate something from its effects, associations, or surrounding circumstances.
For example:
“I don’t dislike the job per se; I just don’t like the long commute.”
Here, the speaker is saying that the job itself is not the problem. The problem is the commute.
Per say is not the standard spelling of this expression. In most cases, when someone writes “per say,” they mean per se.
Understanding the difference is simple once you connect the spelling with the meaning.
Quick Answer
Per se is correct.
Per say is generally a misspelling of per se when the writer intends the expression meaning “by itself” or “in itself.”
| Context | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Formal writing | per se | This is the standard expression. |
| Academic writing | per se | It expresses the idea of something considered in itself. |
| Business writing | per se | It can clarify that something itself is not the issue. |
| Everyday conversation | per se | It is common in spoken and written English. |
| “By itself” meaning | per se | This is the intended expression. |
| Writing “per say” for this meaning | per se | “Per say” is not the standard form. |
A useful way to remember it is:
Per se = by itself / in itself
The say in “per say” does not represent the verb say in this expression.
Why People Confuse Them
The main reason for the confusion is pronunciation.
When people hear per se, especially in quick conversation, the final sound can resemble the beginning of say. Someone who has learned the expression by hearing it rather than seeing it written may reasonably guess that it is spelled per say.
That guess, however, is not the standard spelling.
The expression is written as two words:
per se
The pronunciation does not turn se into the English verb say.
Another reason for the confusion is that English contains many expressions whose spelling is not immediately obvious from their pronunciation. When a phrase is heard frequently but rarely read, people can create a spelling based on what they think they hear.
That is especially easy with expressions that contain words from another language.
In per se, the phrase is not functioning as an ordinary English combination of per + say. Treating se as if it were the English word say leads to the incorrect form.
Key Differences At A Glance
There is an important point to make here: per se and per say do not represent two standard expressions with different meanings.
The comparison is mainly about correct usage versus a common written error.
| Feature | Per Se | Per Say |
|---|---|---|
| Standard expression | Yes | No |
| Meaning “by itself” | Yes | No |
| Commonly seen as a mistake | No | Yes |
| Appropriate in formal writing | Yes | No |
| Can mean “in itself” | Yes | No |
| Pronunciation-based confusion | Can cause confusion | Often results from hearing “per se” |
So, if your intended meaning is “by itself” or “in itself,” use per se.
Meaning and Usage Difference
Per se is an expression used to focus on something in isolation or on its essential nature.
Consider this sentence:
“The price isn’t expensive per se, but the extra fees make the purchase costly.”
The speaker is making a distinction between the price itself and the overall cost.
The basic idea can be expressed as:
X per se = X considered by itself
For example:
“There’s nothing wrong with working from home per se.”
This means that working from home itself is not considered a problem.
Another example:
“The movie isn’t bad per se, but it is much longer than I expected.”
The speaker is not saying that the movie is good. Instead, the speaker is clarifying that the movie itself is not necessarily the problem.
This makes per se useful when someone wants to make a careful distinction.
It often appears after the noun, adjective, or idea being discussed:
“The rule isn’t unfair per se.”
“I’m not against technology per se.”
“The location isn’t inconvenient per se.”
In each case, per se adds the idea of “considered in itself.”
What “Per Say” Means
When someone writes per say in a sentence such as:
“I’m not against the idea per say.”
they almost certainly intend:
“I’m not against the idea per se.”
The first version does not create a useful alternative meaning. It is simply the incorrect spelling of the expression.
Tone, Context, and Formality
Per se can appear in both everyday and formal English.
It is not restricted to academic writing, although it may sound somewhat more formal or precise than a simple phrase such as “by itself.”
For example, in casual conversation, someone might say:
“I don’t hate the restaurant per se. I just didn’t like the service.”
That sounds natural, especially when the speaker is making a distinction.
In more formal writing, the expression can also be useful:
“The policy is not problematic per se, but its implementation creates difficulties.”
However, you do not need per se every time you mean “by itself.” A simpler phrase can often be clearer.
Compare:
“The software isn’t difficult per se.”
with:
“The software isn’t difficult by itself.”
The first sounds more analytical, while the second is more straightforward. The better choice depends on the sentence and audience.
The key point is that per se is the established form. Per say should not be substituted for it.
Which One Should You Use?
Use per se when you mean:
- by itself
- in itself
- considered on its own
- intrinsically
For example:
“There’s nothing wrong with the plan per se.”
This means:
“There’s nothing wrong with the plan itself.”
Use per se in emails, essays, reports, conversations, and other situations when that meaning is appropriate.
Avoid writing per say when you intend this expression.
If you are unsure, replace the phrase temporarily with “by itself.”
For example:
“The design isn’t ugly per se.”
Ask yourself:
“The design isn’t ugly by itself.”
If that is the idea you are trying to express, per se is probably the form you need.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
The clearest example is a sentence where per say is being used to mean “in itself.”
Incorrect:
“The proposal isn’t unreasonable per say.”
Correct:
“The proposal isn’t unreasonable per se.”
Another example:
Incorrect:
“I don’t dislike coffee per say.”
Correct:
“I don’t dislike coffee per se.”
The same applies to formal writing:
Incorrect:
“The method is not ineffective per say.”
Correct:
“The method is not ineffective per se.”
The problem with per say is not that it has a special competing meaning in these sentences. The issue is that the writer is using the wrong form for the intended expression.
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
Mistake 1: Writing “per say”
Incorrect:
“I don’t object to the idea per say.”
Correct:
“I don’t object to the idea per se.”
Mistake 2: Treating “se” as “say”
The se in per se should not be changed to the English word say.
Think of the expression as one established phrase rather than two ordinary English words that can be changed independently.
Mistake 3: Using “per se” without a clear contrast
The phrase works best when the writer is distinguishing something itself from another factor.
For example:
“The apartment isn’t small per se, but it feels crowded with four people.”
The expression helps separate the apartment’s size from how crowded it feels.
Mistake 4: Assuming “per say” is an alternate spelling
In standard US English, per say is not the normal alternative spelling of per se.
If you are writing an article, email, school assignment, or professional document, use per se.
Mistake 5: Overusing the expression
Even though per se is correct, it does not need to appear in every sentence where “itself” could work.
Sometimes the clearer sentence is simply:
“The problem is the cost itself.”
instead of:
“The problem is the cost per se.”
Choose the wording that communicates the idea most naturally.
Everyday Examples
Here are practical examples of per se in modern US English.
Example 1: Work
“I don’t mind working late per se, but I don’t want to do it every night.”
The speaker does not object to working late itself.
Example 2: Food
“I don’t dislike spicy food per se; I just can’t eat very spicy meals.”
The speaker is separating the food itself from the level of spiciness.
Example 3: Technology
“The new phone isn’t expensive per se, but the accessories add up.”
The phone’s price itself is not the main concern.
Example 4: School
“The assignment isn’t difficult per se, but there are a lot of steps.”
The assignment is not inherently difficult; its number of steps creates the difficulty.
Example 5: Travel
“The flight wasn’t bad per se, but the delay made the trip exhausting.”
The flight itself was not necessarily bad.
Example 6: Business
“There’s nothing wrong with the product per se. The problem is the packaging.”
The product itself is acceptable.
Example 7: Entertainment
“The show isn’t boring per se, but the first few episodes are slow.”
The speaker is making a distinction between the overall show and its beginning.
Example 8: Social situations
“I’m not uncomfortable around large groups per se. I just prefer smaller gatherings.”
The speaker does not object to large groups in themselves.
Example 9: Money
“The subscription isn’t expensive per se, but several subscriptions can become costly.”
The individual subscription is not the main issue.
Example 10: Daily life
“There’s nothing wrong with the neighborhood per se, but it’s far from my office.”
The neighborhood itself is not being criticized.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
Per se: Not a verb. It is an expression used to mean “by itself” or “in itself.”
Per say: Not a standard verb expression in this comparison. When it appears as a mistaken spelling of per se, it should be corrected to per se.
For example:
“The plan isn’t bad per se.”
Here, per se does not function as a verb.
Noun
Per se: Not a noun. It functions as an expression within a sentence.
Per say: Not a noun in the intended comparison.
Neither form should be treated as a noun meaning “an idea,” “a statement,” or “a saying.”
Synonyms
Per se: The closest plain alternatives include:
- by itself
- in itself
- itself
- considered on its own
The best replacement depends on the sentence.
For example:
“The idea isn’t harmful per se.”
can be expressed more simply as:
“The idea isn’t harmful in itself.”
Per say: It does not have a separate set of synonyms because it is not the standard form of the expression.
If someone uses per say to mean “by itself,” the appropriate correction is per se, not a synonym.
Example Sentences
Per se:
“The rule isn’t unfair per se.”
“I don’t dislike the job per se.”
“The product isn’t expensive per se, but shipping is costly.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the design per se.”
“The change isn’t bad per se.”
Per say:
When per say is intended to mean “by itself” or “in itself,” it should be replaced with per se.
Incorrect:
“The policy isn’t harmful per say.”
Correct:
“The policy isn’t harmful per se.”
Word History
Per se is an established expression associated with the idea of something being considered in itself or by itself.
The important point for modern writers is that the expression is conventionally written per se, not per say.
The spelling per say commonly appears because the expression can be misunderstood when heard aloud. There is no need to invent a separate meaning or history for per say when it is simply being used as a mistaken version of per se.
Phrases Containing
Per se commonly appears in constructions such as:
- not bad per se
- not wrong per se
- not harmful per se
- not difficult per se
- not a problem per se
- nothing wrong with it per se
- not opposed to it per se
- not expensive per se
Examples:
“The idea isn’t wrong per se.”
“It’s not a problem per se.”
“I’m not opposed to the change per se.”
“The process isn’t difficult per se.”
These constructions work because per se identifies the thing being considered on its own.
Per say should not be substituted for per se in these expressions.
FAQs
Is it per se or per say?
Per se is correct. It means “by itself,” “in itself,” or “considered on its own.” Per say is generally a misspelling of the expression.
What does per se mean?
Per se means “by itself” or “in itself.” It is used when you want to discuss something on its own, separate from other factors.
Example: “The idea isn’t bad per se, but it needs some changes.”
Is per say ever correct?
In standard US English, per say is not the standard form of the expression meaning “by itself.” If that is the intended meaning, write per se.
Why do people write per say instead of per se?
The confusion usually comes from pronunciation. When per se is spoken, the final sound can be misunderstood as the English word say. People who learn the expression by hearing it may therefore spell it incorrectly as per say.
How do you use per se in a sentence?
Use per se when you mean that something is being considered by itself.
Example: “I’m not against the policy per se; I just think it needs to be revised.”
Is per se formal or informal?
Per se can be used in both everyday conversation and formal writing. It may sound somewhat more formal or precise than simply saying “by itself,” but it is not limited to academic or professional contexts.
What is another way to say per se?
Depending on the sentence, alternatives include “by itself,” “in itself,” “itself,” and “considered on its own.”
For example:
“There’s nothing wrong with the plan per se.”
can become:
“There’s nothing wrong with the plan itself.”
Is per se one word or two words?
Per se is written as two words. The standard spelling is not “perse” or “per say.”
Can I use per se in academic writing?
Yes. Per se can be appropriate in academic writing when you need to express the idea of something considered in itself. However, use it only when it adds clarity; a simpler phrase such as “in itself” may sometimes be easier for readers.
What part of speech is per se?
Per se is an established expression rather than a noun or verb. It generally functions within a sentence to mean “in itself” or “by itself.”
Is “not bad per se” correct?
Yes. “Not bad per se” is a natural construction. It means that something is not bad in itself, although another aspect of it may be undesirable.
Example: “The restaurant isn’t bad per se, but the service is slow.”
Is “per se” the same as “itself”?
They can have similar meanings in some sentences, but they are not always interchangeable word-for-word. Per se emphasizes considering something in itself or on its own.
How do you remember the correct spelling of per se?
A simple memory trick is:
Per se = by itself.
If you mean “by itself” or “in itself,” choose per se, not per say.
Conclusion
When choosing between per se and per say, use per se.
Per se is the standard expression meaning “by itself,” “in itself,” or “considered on its own.” It is useful when you want to distinguish something itself from its effects, circumstances, or related factors.
Per say is generally a misspelling that results from hearing per se and spelling it according to its sound.
