Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Part One: Everyday Apology
• Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Serious Apologies
• Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Using Excuse Phrases
• Tips

Learning to apologize in Spanish is not that difficult, as there are several ways to say that you are sorry, you are sorry, or you are asking for forgiveness, each of which is different depending on the context. Whether you are apologizing for your behavior or asking forgiveness for a serious misconduct, it is very important to know how to properly apologize in any given situation. Luckily, this article will show you how to do it!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Part One: Everyday Apology

1. 1 Use "perdón"to apologize in minor situations.Perdónis essentially the Spanish equivalent of the English "pardon" or "excuse me."
   • "Perdón" pronounced "perr-donn"; can be used in most small daily situations, for example if you accidentally bump into someone or interrupt someone in a conversation.
   • Alternatively, you can say "perdóname"; pronounced "perr-donn-ah-may", for a more direct apology.
2. 2 Use "disculpa"to apologize for small incidents. Word disculpawhich translates as "apology" or "forgiveness" and is pronounced "dees-kool-pah" can be used to mean "excuse me". It is suitable for small incidents where you need to apologize. It can be used in the same situations as perdón.
   • When making an informal apology, you should say "tú disculpa;" but with a formal apology it is necessary to say "usted disculpe." When you speak "tú disculpa" or "usted disculpe", you literally say "You forgive me."
   • As a result, "tú disculpa" and "usted disculpe" apologies are listener-oriented because they make the listener the object of the sentence. This structure, which is common in Spanish, emphasizes the listener's ability to forgive you rather than your own feelings of regret.
   • Alternatively, you can simply say "’discúlpame "; pronounced "dees-kool-pah-meh" which simply means "excuse me" or "excuse me".

Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Serious Apologies

1. 1 Use "lo siento"to express remorse and ask for forgiveness.Lo siento,which literally means "I feel it," is a phrase that all Spanish beginners use for any kind of apology. Actually, lo siento should only be used in serious situations where depth of emotion is important. For example, if you say "lo siento" after accidentally bumping into someone, it will sound overly emotional.
   • You can also say "lo siento mucho" or "lo siento muchísimo," which means "I am so sorry" or "I am very sorry". Another option with the same meaning is "cuánto lo siento." (how sorry I am)
   • This apology is suitable for serious situations, such as the death of a loved one, breakup, or dismissal.
   • Lo siento pronounced like "loh see-enn-toh".
2. 2 Speak "lo lamento"to express deep regret.Lo lamento literally means "I'm sorry." It can be used instead of lo sientoto express remorse in more serious situations.
   • To say "I'm really sorry" you can use the phrase "lo lamento mucho"which is pronounced "loh lah-menn-toh moo-cho".

Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Using Excuse Phrases

1. 1 Say "I am very sorry about what happened." To say this, use the phrase "lo siento lo ocurrido," which is pronounced "loh see-enn-toh loh oh-curr-ee-doh".
2. 2 Say "a thousand apologies". To say this, use the phrase "mil disculpas"which is pronounced "meel dees-kool-pahs".
3. 3 Say "I must apologize to you." To say this, use the phrase "te debo una disculpa"which is pronounced "tay day-boh oo-nah dees-kool-pah".
4. 4 Say "Please accept my apologies." To say this, use the phrase "le ruego me disculpe"which is pronounced "lay roo-ay-go may dees-kool-pay".
5. 5 Say "I'm sorry about what I said." To say this, use the sentence Yo pido perdón por las cosas que he dichowhich is pronounced Yoh pee-doh perr-donn poor las koh-sas kay hay dee-cho.
6. 6 Say "I was wrong" or "it's my fault". To say “I was wrong,” use the phrase "me equivoqué"which is pronounced "may eh-kee-voh-kay". To say "This is my fault" use the phrase "es culpa mía"which is pronounced "ess kool-pah me-ah".
7. 7 Apologize individually. Try to use a Spanish apology in conjunction with other words to apologize for your situation.

Tips

• As you sit with native Spanish speakers, see how they apologize in different situations. Using these social cues can help you gain confidence in choosing the appropriate apology.
• Take care of your facial expression and tone of voice to match your apology. As a non-native speaker, it is difficult to focus on anything other than vocabulary and grammar, but note that the non-verbal aspect of your apology is usually used to indicate your sincerity.
• At a funeral ceremony, when expressing condolences, see how others do it. You can shake hands with men without vigorously and slightly bowing your head. You can hug women slightly and lightly touch the cheek to the cheek. In both situations, add "lo siento mucho" in a low voice.
• If you need to write a letter of condolence, do a little research and find the right words to use in your written condolences.