Learning a new language means more than just knowing words and rules. It’s also about understanding how to express feelings adequately. Apologizing is key in talking to others and shows how deeply you can connect with another culture. When speaking with Spanish speakers, knowing how to say sorry helps in social situations and deepens your cultural understanding. Apologies in Spanish can be formal or casual, depending on the situation. “Lo siento,” which means “I am sorry,” works in many cases, from minor mistakes to big regrets. For everyday interactions, you might use “Perdón” to excuse me or interrupt someone politely.
But for profound apologies or in formal settings, you might say “Lo siento mucho” or “Te pido disculpas” to show you mean it. It’s important to know when and how to use these phrases. You need to get the language right and also understand the cultural context. This makes apologizing in Spanish a great way to get a real feel for the language and culture.
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How to say sorry to someone you have hurt
Apologizing is about acknowledging the pain you’ve caused. It requires honesty and humility, showing the person you’re truly sorry. A simple, heartfelt apology can go a long way in mending a relationship and rebuilding trust.
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I’m sorry | Perdón | pɛɾˈðõn | pear-don | One of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry |
| I’m sorry | Lo siento | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto | loh see-en-toh | One of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry |
| I apologize | Disculpa | disˈkulpa | dis-cool-pah | One of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry |
| I lament it | Lo lamento | lo laˈmɛ̃nto | lo lah-men-toh | One of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry |
| I’m truly sorry | En verdad lo siento | ɛ̃m bɛɾˈðað lo ˈsjɛ̃nto | en ver-dad lo see-en-toh | A more genuine way of saying I’m sorry |
| I’m so, so sorry | Lo siento tanto | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈtãnto | lo see-en-toh tan-toh | A more genuine way of saying I’m sorry |
| I feel terrible, I’m so sorry | Me siento terrible, lo siento mucho | me ˈsjɛ̃nto tɛˈriβle | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo | meh see-en-toh teh-ree-bleh lo see-en-toh moo-cho | Emphasizes your role in the situation and a feeling of remorse |
| I’m so sorry, that was thoughtless of me | Lo siento mucho, fue muy descuidado de mi parte | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo | ˈfwe mwi ðɛskwiˈðaðo ðe mi ˈpaɾte | lo see-en-toh moo-cho foo-eh moo-y des-coo-e-da-doh deh me par-teh | Emphasizes carelessness on your behalf |
| I’m very sorry for the way I behaved | Lo siento mucho por mi comportamiento | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo poɾ mi kõmpoɾtaˈmjɛ̃nto | lo see-en-toh moo-cho pore me com-pore-tah-me-en-toh | Emphasizes that your behavior was wrong |
| I apologize, I was out of line | Una disculpa, eso estuvo fuera de lugar | ˈuna ðisˈkulpa | ˈeso ɛsˈtuβo ˈfwɛɾa ðe luˈɣaɾ | oo-nah dis-cool-pah | Emphasizes improper behavior |
| A thousand apologies | Mil disculpas | ˈmil disˈkulpas | meel dis-cool-pas | Casual yet genuine |
| I owe you an apology | Te debo una disculpa | te ˈðeβo ˈuna ðisˈkulpa | teh deh-bo oo-nah dis-cool-pah | Centers the person you need to apologize to |
| Forgive me | Perdóname | pɛɾˈðoname | pear-doh-nah-meh | Simple way to ask for forgiveness |
| I’m sorry, it wasn’t on purpose | Lo siento, no lo hice a propósito | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈno lo ˈise a pɾoˈposito | lo see-en-toh no lo e-say ah pro-poh-see-toh | Clarifies that your mistake wasn’t intentional |
| I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking | Lo siento, no sé en qué estaba pensando | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈno ˈse ɛ̃n ˈke ɛsˈtaβa pɛ̃nˈsãndo | lo see-en-toh no say en keh es-tah-bah pen-san-doh | Emphasizes a lapse of judgment on your behalf |
| I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that | Perdón, no quise hacerlo | pɛɾˈðõn | ˈno ˈkise aˈsɛɾlo | pear-don no key-seh ah-ser-lo | Clarifies that your mistake wasn’t intentional |
How to say you’re sorry if something bad happened to someone you care for
When someone you care about is hurting, saying sorry can feel tough. But offering genuine comfort can make a real difference. The right words show you understand their pain and care deeply, giving them a sense of support and healing. It’s not about fixing things—it’s about being there.
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I’m so sorry to hear that | Lamento mucho oír eso | laˈmɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo oˈiɾ ˈeso | la-men-toh moo-cho oh-ear eh-so | You can use this when anything bad happens to someone you care about |
| My deepest sympathies | Mi más sentido pésame | mi ˈmas sɛ̃nˈtiðo ˈpesame | me mas sen-tee-doh peh-sa-meh | You can use this when someone is grieving a loss |
| I’m sorry that happened to you | Lo siento tanto que eso te haya sucedido | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈtãnto ˈke ˈeso te ˈaʝa suseˈðiðo | lo see-en-toh tan-to kay eh-so teh ah-yah sue-say-dee-doh | You can use this when anything bad happens to someone you care about |
| My deepest condolences | Mi más sincero pésame | mi ˈmas sĩnˈsɛɾo ˈpesame | me mas seen-seh-ro peh-sa-meh | You can use this when someone is grieving a loss |
| You don’t imagine how sorry I am to hear that | No sabes cuánto lamento escuchar eso | ˈno ˈsaβes ˈkwãnto laˈmɛ̃nto ɛskuˈʧaɾ ˈeso | no sah-bes coo-an-toh lah-men-toh es-coo-char eh-so | You can use this when something very bad happens to someone you care about |
| I’m sorry about your… | Siento lo de tú… | ˈsjɛ̃nto lo ðe ˈtu | see-en-toh lo deh too… | You can use this in many contexts, just add what you’re sorry about at the end |
| I’m sorry about your… loss | Lamento la pérdida de tu… | laˈmɛ̃nto la ˈpɛɾðiða ðe tu | la-men-toh la pear-dee-dah deh too… | You can use this when someone’s lost a loved one |
| I share your feelings | Te acompaño en tus sentimientos | te akõmˈpaɲo ɛ̃n tus sɛ̃ntiˈmjɛ̃ntos | teh ah-come-pah-nyo en toos sen-tee-mee-en-toes | You can use this to show that you empathize with someone |
| I share your pain | Te acompaño en tu dolor | te akõmˈpaɲo ɛ̃n tu ðoˈloɾ | teh ah-come-pah-nyo en too doh-lore | You can use this to show that you empathize with someone |
| I sympathize with you | Te compadezco | te kõmpaˈðɛsko | teh come-pah-dess-koh | You can use this to show that you sympathize with someone |
| I sympathize with you (formal) | Le compadezco | le kõmpaˈðɛsko | leh come-pah-dess-koh | You can use this to show that you empathize with someone |
| I am in pain for what you’re going through | Me duele mucho lo que te está pasando | me ˈðwele ˈmuʧo lo ˈke tɛ ɛsˈta paˈsãndo | meh doo-eh-leh moo-cho lo kay teh es-tah pah-san-doh | You can use this to show that you empathize with someone |
| I’m sorry, you can count on me | Lo siento, cuenta conmigo | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈkwɛ̃nta kõmˈmiɣo | lo see-en-toh, coo-en-tah con-me-go | You can use this to emphasize that they can count on you during hard times |
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How to apologize when you accidentally bump into someone, or you want to get past someone blocking the way
When you bump into someone or need to pass by someone in a crowded space, it’s important to apologize politely. In Spanish, there are several ways to express regret and navigate these awkward moments with respect and kindness. Here are some common phrases that will help you in such situations.
| Phrase (Spanish) | Meaning (English) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Perdón, no te vi. | Sorry, I didn’t see you. | Pehr-DOHN, noh teh VEE. |
| Lo siento, ¿puedo pasar? | I’m sorry, may I pass? | Loh SYEHN-toh, PWEH-doh pah-SAHR? |
| Disculpa, ¿puedo adelantarme? | Excuse me, may I go ahead? | Dees-KOOL-pah, PWEH-doh ah-deh-lahn-TAHR-meh? |
| Perdón, fue sin querer. | Sorry, it was unintentional. | Pehr-DOHN, fweh seen keh-REHR. |
| Disculpa, ¿me dejas pasar? | Excuse me, can you let me pass? | Dees-KOOL-pah, meh DEH-hahs pah-SAHR? |
| Perdón, ¿te hice daño? | Sorry, did I hurt you? | Pehr-DOHN, teh EE-seh DAH-nyoh? |
| Lo siento, fue un accidente. | I’m sorry, it was an accident. | Loh SYEHN-toh, fweh oon ahk-see-DEHN-teh. |
| ¡Ay, lo siento mucho! | Oh, I’m so sorry! | Ay, loh SYEHN-toh MOO-choh! |
| Disculpa, te molesté. | Excuse me, did I bother you? | Dees-KOOL-pah, teh moh-lehs-TEH. |
| Perdona, no era mi intención. | Sorry, it wasn’t my intention. | Pehr-DOH-nah, noh EH-rah mee een-tehn-SYOHN. |
| Lo siento, me equivoqué. | I’m sorry, I made a mistake. | Loh SYEHN-toh, meh eh-kee-boh-KEH. |
| ¿Te importaría si paso? | Would you mind if I pass? | Teh eem-pohr-tah-REE-ah see PAH-soh? |
| Perdón por el tropiezo. | Sorry for the stumble. | Pehr-DOHN pohr el troh-PYAY-soh. |
| ¡Qué torpe de mi parte, perdón! | How clumsy of me, sorry! | Keh TOHR-peh deh mee PAHR-teh, pehr-DOHN! |
| Perdón, te estaba buscando. | Sorry, I was looking for you. | Pehr-DOHN, teh es-TAH-bah boos-KAHN-doh. |
| Disculpa, ¿me puedes dar paso? | Excuse me, can you let me through? | Dees-KOOL-pah, meh PWEH-dehs dahr PAH-soh? |
| Lo siento, fue sin querer queriendo. | I’m sorry, it was unintentionally intentional. | Loh SYEHN-toh, fweh seen keh-REHR keh-RYEHN-doh. |
| Disculpa, no vi que estabas allí. | Excuse me, I didn’t see you there. | Dees-KOOL-pah, noh VEE keh es-TAH-bahs ah-YEE. |
| Perdona, ¿puedo pasar por allí? | Excuse me, may I pass through there? | Pehr-DOH-nah, PWEH-doh pah-SAHR pohr ah-YEE? |
| Perdón, no era mi intención interrumpir. | Sorry, it wasn’t my intention to interrupt. | Pehr-DOHN, noh EH-rah mee een-tehn-SYOHN een-tehr-room-PEER. |
| Disculpa, ¿me haces un favor y te apartas? | Excuse me, can you do me a favor and move? | Dees-KOOL-pah, meh AH-sehs oon fah-VOHR ee teh ah-PAHR-tahs? |
| Perdón, me distraje. | Sorry, I got distracted. | Pehr-DOHN, meh dees-TRAH-heh. |
| Lo siento, ¿puedo avanzar? | I’m sorry, may I move forward? | Loh SYEHN-toh, PWEH-doh ah-vahn-SAHR? |
| Perdón, me equivoqué de dirección. | Sorry, I went the wrong way. | Pehr-DOHN, meh eh-kee-boh-KEH deh dee-rehk-SYOHN. |
| Disculpa, estaba apurado. | Excuse me, I was in a hurry. | Dees-KOOL-pah, es-TAH-bah ah-poo-RAH-doh. |
| Perdona, no te vi venir. | Sorry, I didn’t see you coming. | Pehr-DOH-nah, noh teh VEE beh-NEER. |
| Lo siento, no fue mi intención chocar. | I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you. | Loh SYEHN-toh, noh fweh mee een-tehn-SYOHN choh-KAHR. |
| Disculpa, ¿me dejas espacio? | Excuse me, can you give me some space? | Dees-KOOL-pah, meh DEH-hahs es-PAH-syoh? |
| Perdón, no te vi en el camino. | Sorry, I didn’t see you on the way. | Pehr-DOHN, noh teh VEE en el kah-MEE-noh. |
| Lo siento, me distraje mirando algo. | I’m sorry, I got distracted looking at something. | Loh SYEHN-toh, meh dees-TRAH-heh mee-RAHN-doh AHL-goh. |
Conclusion
Mastering how to apologize in Spanish goes beyond just knowing the words. It’s about understanding and respecting the culture too. Using phrases like “Lo siento,” “Perdón,” and “Te pido disculpas” the right way can improve how you get along with others and solve conflicts. This skill is key, whether with friends or at work, because it helps everyone communicate better and connect on a deeper level. So, keep practicing and talking with people who speak Spanish natively. It’s the best way to get good at this part of speaking Spanish.
