Which sorry to use
| Situation | Say | English |
|---|---|---|
| You bump into someone | Perdón | Sorry |
| You interrupt someone | Perdón or Disculpa | Sorry, excuse me |
| You did not hear what someone said | ¿Perdón? or ¿Cómo? | Pardon? Sorry? |
| You want a stranger’s attention | Disculpe or Perdone | Excuse me |
| You need to get past someone | Con permiso | Excuse me |
| You made a real mistake | Lo siento | I’m sorry |
| You hurt someone you care about | Perdóname | Forgive me |
| Someone tells you bad news | Lo siento mucho | I’m so sorry |
Lo siento: I’m sorry
Lo siento literally means "I feel it". Use it when you regret what happened, whether or not it was your fault:
- Lo siento mucho. I’m very sorry.
- Lo siento muchísimo. I’m so, so sorry.
- Siento llegar tarde. Sorry I’m late. With a verb, drop the lo: siento + infinitive.
- Siento lo de tu padre. I’m sorry about your father.
- Siento mucho tu pérdida. I’m very sorry for your loss.
For a death, the formal phrase is mi más sentido pésame (my deepest condolences).
Perdón and perdóname: pardon, forgive me
Perdón is short and light. Say it when you step on a foot, reach across someone, or cut into a conversation. As a question, ¿Perdón? asks someone to repeat what they said.
For a real apology, turn it into a request for forgiveness:
- Perdóname. Forgive me. To someone you call tú.
- Perdóneme. Forgive me. To someone you call usted.
- Te pido perdón. I ask your forgiveness. Serious and heartfelt.
- Perdón por el retraso. Sorry for the delay.
Disculpe, perdone, and con permiso: excuse me
Disculpe (usted) and disculpa (tú) come from disculpar, "to excuse". Use them to get someone’s attention politely, like calling a waiter or asking a stranger for directions: Disculpe, ¿dónde está la estación?
They also make a polite apology, especially in writing: Disculpe las molestias (sorry for the inconvenience) is on shop signs and in customer emails everywhere.
Perdone (usted) and perdona (tú) do the same job. They are heard across the Spanish-speaking world but are especially common in Spain, where perdona is the everyday way to stop a stranger: Perdona, ¿tienes hora? (Excuse me, do you have the time?)
Con permiso means "with your permission". Say it when you squeeze past someone, get up from a table, or leave a room. The usual answer is adelante or pase (go ahead).
To say "to apologize" as a verb, use pedir perdón or pedir disculpas: Quiero pedirte disculpas (I want to apologize to you).
Regional notes
- Mexico: when you did not catch what someone said, the polite word is ¿Mande? Answering someone with a bare "¿Qué?" sounds rude to many Mexicans.
- Spain: perdona and perdone are the default ways to get attention, where much of Latin America would say disculpe.
- Everywhere: disculpe is never wrong with a stranger, so it is the safest choice while you learn.
Example sentences
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Perdón, no te vi. | Sorry, I didn’t see you. |
| Lo siento, no hablo mucho español. | Sorry, I don’t speak much Spanish. |
| Disculpe, ¿habla inglés? | Excuse me, do you speak English? |
| Siento no haberte llamado. | I’m sorry I didn’t call you. |
| Perdona, ¿me lo repites? | Sorry, can you say it again? |
| Con permiso, tengo que pasar. | Excuse me, I need to get through. |
| Te pido disculpas por lo que dije. | I apologize for what I said. |
How to accept an apology
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| No pasa nada. | It’s nothing. No problem. |
| No te preocupes. | Don’t worry. (tú) |
| No se preocupe. | Don’t worry. (usted) |
| No hay problema. | No problem. |
| Tranquilo or tranquila | It’s fine, relax. |
| Está bien. | It’s OK. |
| Te perdono. | I forgive you. For a serious apology. |
Common mistakes
- Lo siento to get attention. "Lo siento, ¿dónde está el baño?" sounds like you are apologizing for existing. Use disculpe or perdone.
- Lo siento for a tiny bump. It is not wrong, but it sounds heavier than the moment needs. Perdón is the natural reflex.
- Estoy lo siento. Lo siento already contains the verb. Just say lo siento.
- Lo siento + verb. With a verb the lo drops: siento llegar tarde, not "lo siento llegar tarde".
- Missing the accent. Perdón has an accent on the o, and the stress falls there: pehr-DOHN.
More polite phrases
Apologies sit next to please and thank you in every beginner’s toolkit. See common Spanish phrases for the rest.