Sorry is a common word that you can use in many different situations. You could use the word as an apology, like when you fight with a friend. Or you could use it as a way to say you’re sad that something has happened, like when someone tells you they’ve been fired.
The same thing happens in Spanish. Maybe you know the phrase lo siento, but do you know exactly when to use it? And do you know any other ways to say sorry in Spanish?
You should know more than one way to say sorry in Spanish! This is important if you really want to understand natives and communicate well with them.
10 Different Ways to Say Sorry in Spanish
1. Lo siento
This common Spanish expression literally means “I feel it”. If you think about it is like saying you feel sorry or regretful. It’s used when you want to apologize to someone for doing something wrong. You can just say lo siento. Or lose the lo, and add the reason you’re sorry, for example:
Siento haber lastimado tus sentimientos. (I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.)
It’s also used to say you’re sorry something happened. For example: if your friend tells you he/she lost someone, you can say, lo siento. It’s a way to empathize with them.
If you’re extra sorry, add mucho. For example: Lo siento mucho or siento mucho tu pérdida (I’m so sorry for your loss).
2. Lo lamento
This is very much like lo siento. You can use it to apologize to someone for something you did or to express your sadness about something that happened.
If you want to explain the reason why you’re sorry, lose the lo. For example: Lamento haberte mentido. (I’m sorry I lied to you.) Or Lamento tu pérdida. (I’m sorry for your loss.)
You can also add mucho (very).
3. Perdón
Used to apologize for something. You can either say perdón or perdóname. Both mean the same thing: you’re asking for someone to forgive you. But perdóname emphasizes yourself; that is, it emphasizes that you’re asking for someone to forgive YOU.
You can add por favor (please) at the end; it’s more cordial that way.
You can also add the reason. For example: Perdón por romper tus zapatos. (I’m sorry I broke your shoes.) Or Perdóname por romper tus zapatos. (forgive me for breaking your shoes.)
4. Discúlpame
It means “forgive me”. It works the same as perdóname. To sound more sorry, you can add a por favor (please) at the end.
You can also add the reasons why you want someone’s forgiveness.
5. Te pido una disculpa
It’s used to accept that you did something wrong. It’s like saying “I offer you my apologies”.
6. ¿Me disculpas?
It means “do you forgive me?” It’s used to express your regret and ask for someone’s forgiveness. If you want to be extra kind, add a por favor (please).
7. Disculpa / Disculpe
Usually used when you don’t hear someone. Like when you’re talking to a friend and they didn’t hear quite well, and so they say: “sorry?” Or “excuse me?” In Spanish they could say ¿disculpa? Or if it’s an authority or an older person, it would be ¿disculpe? Always with a questioning sound.
It’s also used when you need to move between people and you ask them for permission. For example: when you’re on the bus and need to move among people to get off, you might tell them: “excuse me” as you pass them by. In Spanish, you could say disculpa or disculpe.
Though you could also say con permiso.
8. ¿Me perdonas?
It’s asking for forgiveness, the same as ¿me disculpas?. But instead using the word perdonar (to forgive). You can also add a por favor (please).
9. Espero me puedas perdonar
It means “I hope you can forgive me”. Used to acknowledge you’ve done something wrong, and you wish for forgiveness. You can just say that or add the reason why you feel sorry.
For example: Espero me puedas perdonar por haberte mentido. (I hope you can forgive me for lying to you.)
10. Me arrepiento
This literally means “I regret”. Used to say you’re sorry for something you did. You can also add the reason: Me arrepiento de haberte engañado. (I’m sorry I cheated on you.)
You can add de verdad (truly) to sound more sorry: Me arrepiento de verdad. (I truly regret it/I’m truly sorry.)
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