What do you say when you make a mistake? If you use the word sorry a lot, the expression may lose a bit of its power.
In this article, you will learn the ways and phrases that you can learn more than one way to say "sorry" with explanations and examples.
Ways to say “sorry” in English
Here are 16 ways to say “sorry” in English with meanings and examples:
1. Excuse me: Is a polite way of asking for forgiveness.
- Excuse me; I didn’t realize that wearing shoes indoors was impolite in this country.
2. Forgive me: It is used in speech as a polite way of starting to say something that may seem rude or unpleasant.
- I don't think she's ever quite forgiven me for getting her name wrong that time.
3. How can I make it up to you?: You are asking what you can do to “compensate” for your mistake and make the other person feel good again.
- I’m sorry I had to work late, and missed our date. How can I make it up to you?
4. "stupid/careless/thoughtless" of me: Not considering how your actions and words might upset someone else.
- I should have called her to say we’d be late – it was a bit thoughtless of me.
5. "I/my" apologize for: I apologise is a way to formally admit that you did something wrong.
- I apologise for the delay in replying to your email.
6. I beg your "pardon/pardon me/pardon": Pardon is a verb which means to allow as a courtesy. Pardon me asks the offended or wronged person to excuse your mistake.
- Pardon me; I didn’t mean to offend you.
7. I "messed/screwed" up: Are informal ways to say you did something wrong.
- I can’t believe I forgot your birthday. I messed up.
8. I "Should/shouldn’t" have: You can say it to talk about what the correct/right action would have been (which you didn’t do).
- I shouldn’t have taken your camera. I should have asked you first.
9. I "Truly/really/sincerely" regret: Another way to express that you feel very bad about what you did, and you wish you had behaved differently.
- I truly regret any inconvenience this mistake caused you.
10. I won’t "do it/happen" again: We can use these phrases to promise that we will behave differently in the future.
- That was a mistake. I'll never do it again.
11. I’m ashamed of: To show you feel bad about it.
- I am ashamed of it myself, and for this reason I stoop to beg your pardon.
12. I’m "so/very/really/terribly" sorry!: When the problem is more serious.
- I lost the book you lent me. I’m so sorry!
13. It was my fault: For admitting you were responsible for something a little more serious.
- I had the uncomfortable feeling that it was my fault.
14. Mea Culpa: An acknowledgment of one's fault or error.
- “Well, whose fault was that?” “Mea culpa!” Frank said
15. My "bad/fault/mistake": It is informal. Are used to admit you did something wrong, but it was relatively minor.
- Please excuse my bad handwriting.
16. Oops/whoops: Something you say when you do something slightly wrong.
- Oops! I’ve spilled my coffee.
17. Please excuse my (ignorance): Used for asking a question that someone might expect you to know the answer to.
- Excuse my ignorance, but how does it actually work?
18. Sorry about that: We can use for minor mistakes, things that are less serious, and easily fixed.
- I'm awfully sorry about that problem the other day.
19. "That/it" was wrong (of me): You can say it to express that your action was not morally correct.
- It was wrong of me to get so angry.
Phrases to say “sorry” in English
Most of the sentences you can use to apologize:
- I sincerely apologize.
- Please accept my apologies.
- I owe you an apology.
- I had that wrong.
- I hope you can forgive me.
- I sincerely apologize.
- I take full responsibility.
- I want to apologize.
- I wanted to tell you I’m sorry.
- I’d like to apologize.
- I am so sorry to give you a little trouble.
- That’s my fault.
- Sorry, my apologies. I had that wrong.
- Please don’t be mad at me.
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