When choosing between per se or per say, the correct expression is per se.
It means “in itself,” “by itself,” or “intrinsically.” By contrast, per say is usually a misspelling created by writing the phrase the way it sounds.
Why the Difference Matters
The confusion is easy to understand. In American English, per se is commonly pronounced roughly like per-SAY, so someone who hears the expression before seeing it written may assume the second word is say.
Understanding the meaning makes the spelling much easier to remember. Writers use per se when they want to separate the thing itself from other circumstances, effects, or related factors.
For example:
“The idea isn’t bad per se, but it may cost too much.”
Here, the idea itself is not necessarily bad. The concern comes from another factor: cost.
Quick Answer
Per se is correct. Per say is a common misspelling when the intended meaning is “in itself,” “by itself,” or “intrinsically.”
For example:
“The job isn’t difficult per se, but the long hours are tiring.”
In this sentence, the job itself is not necessarily difficult. Instead, the long hours create the problem.
Because per se sounds roughly like “per-SAY,” people often spell it incorrectly as per say. Remember that the established expression always ends with se, not say.
Why People Confuse Them
The Pronunciation Causes the Mistake
Most confusion comes from pronunciation rather than meaning.
The final word in per se sounds like the English word say. As a result, someone unfamiliar with the written form may naturally spell it as per say.
However, say has nothing to do with the meaning of the expression.
The Meaning Comes From Latin
Per se comes from Latin and carries the idea of something considered on its own.
A helpful memory trick is to connect it with in itself:
“The rule is not unfair per se.”
“The rule is not unfair in itself.”
Since both sentences express nearly the same basic idea, per se is the correct phrase.
Key Differences At A Glance
| Feature | per se | per say |
|---|---|---|
| Standard expression? | Yes | No, not for this intended meaning |
| Core meaning | In itself, by itself, intrinsically | No established equivalent meaning |
| Typical use | Qualifies or limits a statement | Usually a misspelling |
| Pronunciation | Roughly “per-SAY” | Based on how per se sounds |
| Best choice | Use when referring to something itself | Replace with per se when that meaning is intended |
The main distinction is straightforward: per se has an established meaning, while per say does not serve as its accepted alternative.
Meaning and Usage Difference
What Per Se Means
Per se means that something is being considered by itself rather than together with surrounding circumstances.
Consider this example:
“The price isn’t the problem per se; the monthly fees are.”
The speaker is not saying that price is irrelevant. Instead, the price itself is not the exact problem being discussed.
Another example makes the distinction clear:
“Remote work isn’t difficult per se, but communication can be challenging.”
In this case, remote work itself is not necessarily difficult. A related issue—communication—creates the difficulty.
What Per Say Means
When someone writes per say with the intended meaning of “in itself,” the phrase is incorrect.
Incorrect:
“The movie wasn’t boring per say.”
Correct:
“The movie wasn’t boring per se.”
The separate word say is a normal English verb, but it does not belong in this fixed expression.
Tone, Context, and Formality
When Per Se Sounds Natural
Per se often sounds slightly formal or precise, but it is not limited to academic or legal writing.
People also use it naturally in conversation, professional communication, journalism, reviews, and everyday explanations.
For example:
“I don’t dislike the restaurant per se; I just think it’s overpriced.”
The phrase helps the speaker make a careful distinction. The restaurant itself is not necessarily the problem. Its prices are.
When Simpler Wording Works Better
In some sentences, in itself or by itself may sound more direct.
Compare:
“The change is not harmful per se.”
“The change is not harmful in itself.”
Both can work. The second version may feel more conversational, while per se sounds slightly more compact and precise.
Which One Should You Use?
Choose per se whenever you mean “in itself,” “by itself,” or something considered independently from related factors.
| Context | Best Choice | Why |
| Referring to something on its own | per se | This is the established meaning |
| Correcting “not bad per say” | per se | The intended expression is per se |
| Formal or professional qualification | per se | It creates a precise distinction |
| Simple everyday wording | per se or “in itself” | Both may work depending on tone |
| Referring to speaking | Neither automatically | The verb say has a separate meaning |
A useful test is to replace the phrase with in itself.
“The policy isn’t unfair in itself.”
“The policy isn’t unfair per se.”
Since the meaning remains clear, per se fits naturally.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
Per Say Is Wrong in the Fixed Expression
Use of per say sounds incorrect when the writer intends the standard expression.
Incorrect:
“The schedule isn’t confusing per say.”
Correct:
“The schedule isn’t confusing per se.”
Another example:
Incorrect:
“I’m not against the idea per say.”
Correct:
“I’m not against the idea per se.”
The Words Can Appear Separately
The individual words per and say can occasionally appear near each other in an unrelated sentence.
For instance, a writer might use wording such as:
“The fee is calculated per, say, five users.”
Here, say introduces an example. This is not the expression per se and does not change the spelling rule.
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
Mistake 1: Spelling by Sound
Wrong:
“The class isn’t difficult per say.”
Correct:
“The class isn’t difficult per se.”
Quick fix: Remember that the phrase means in itself, not anything related to the verb say.
Mistake 2: Using Per Se as Filler
Sometimes writers insert per se even when the phrase adds no useful meaning.
Weak:
“She was, per se, very excited.”
Better:
“She was very excited.”
Use per se only when you are separating the thing itself from another factor.
Better example:
“The apartment isn’t expensive per se, but parking and service fees add up.”
Mistake 3: Treating Per Se as “Necessarily”
These expressions may overlap in some sentences, but they are not identical in every context.
Per se focuses on something in itself.
For example:
“The rule isn’t unfair per se, but the way it is enforced may be.”
That sentence contrasts the rule itself with how people apply it.
Everyday Examples
Here are natural examples of per se in modern American English:
- “The phone isn’t slow per se, but some apps take too long to load.”
- “I don’t hate early meetings per se; I just need more notice.”
- “The neighborhood isn’t noisy per se, although weekends can get busy.”
- “The proposal isn’t risky per se, but the deadline is aggressive.”
- “She isn’t a manager per se, but she leads most of the team’s projects.”
- “The class wasn’t difficult per se; it simply required a lot of reading.”
- “The restaurant isn’t expensive per se, but drinks can raise the bill quickly.”
- “Working from home isn’t isolating per se if you stay connected with coworkers.”
Each example separates the main subject from another circumstance or qualification.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
Per se: Not used as a verb. The expression functions mainly adverbially and can also appear adjectivally in some established uses.
Per say: Not a standard verb phrase with the meaning of per se. Although say is independently a verb, that does not make per say the correct expression.
Noun
Per se: Not normally used as a noun.
It may appear inside larger noun phrases, especially in legal language, such as per se rule, but per se itself does not function as an ordinary noun.
Per say: Not an established noun corresponding to per se.
Synonyms
For per se, the closest plain alternatives include:
- in itself
- by itself
- intrinsically
- as such, in suitable contexts
- by its very nature, where appropriate
These choices are not automatically interchangeable in every sentence.
For per say, no meaningful synonym list applies when the phrase is simply a misspelling of per se.
There is also no single direct antonym that works naturally across every use of per se.
Example Sentences
Per se:
“The software isn’t complicated per se, but the setup takes time.”
“I’m not against the plan per se; I’m concerned about the budget.”
“The title is not misleading per se, though it could be clearer.”
“The commute isn’t long per se, but traffic makes it unpredictable.”
Per say:
“The software isn’t complicated per say” is incorrect when the intended meaning is “in itself.”
“I’m not against the plan per say” should also be changed to per se.
Word History
Per se: The expression comes from Latin and carries the literal idea of “by itself” or “in itself.”
That meaning closely matches its modern English use. Writers use the phrase to discuss something according to its own nature rather than because of surrounding circumstances.
Per say: This form does not have a parallel history as the established expression. It developed as a common sound-based spelling error because se is pronounced like “say.”
Phrases Containing
Common constructions with per se include:
- not per se
- per se rule
- negligence per se
- libel per se
- illegal per se
Some of these are especially common in legal language.
Per say does not belong in corresponding expressions when the intended phrase is per se.
FAQs
Is it per se or per say?
Per se is the correct expression. It means “in itself,” “by itself,” or “intrinsically.” Per say is a common misspelling caused by the way per se sounds when spoken. When you want the established expression, always write per se.
What does per se mean?
Per se means that something is being considered on its own, apart from related circumstances. For example, “The job isn’t difficult per se, but the long hours are tiring” means the job itself is not necessarily difficult.
Why do people write per say?
People often write per say because per se is pronounced roughly like “per-SAY” in American English. Someone who has heard the expression but has not seen it written may naturally assume that the second word is the English verb say.
How do you use per se in a sentence?
Use per se when you want to separate the thing itself from other factors. For example: “The restaurant isn’t expensive per se, but ordering drinks can raise the bill.” Here, the restaurant itself is not necessarily expensive.
Is per say ever correct?
Per say is not correct when you mean “in itself” or “by itself.” The correct expression is per se. The separate words per and say may occasionally appear near each other in an unrelated sentence, but they do not form the same expression.
What can I use instead of per se?
Depending on the sentence, useful alternatives include in itself, by itself, intrinsically, and sometimes as such. However, these alternatives are not interchangeable in every context. Choose the wording that preserves your exact meaning and sounds natural in the sentence.
Conclusion
For the choice between per se or per say, use per se.
It is the established expression meaning in itself, by itself, or something considered independently from surrounding factors. By contrast, per say is usually a phonetic misspelling caused by the way per se sounds when spoken.
Keep one simple test in mind: replace the phrase with in itself.
If the sentence still expresses your intended meaning, per se is usually the right choice.
“The plan isn’t bad per se.”
“The plan isn’t bad in itself.”
That quick check can help you avoid the spelling mistake every time.
