14 Spanish apologies: How to say “sorry” in Spanish

Knowing how to say sorry in Spanish is one of the fundamentals in using the language. It’s definitely among the top phrases for everyday life, along with others like “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome.” These expressions are useful not only because they can get you out of trouble, but also because they allow you to show your manners.

Spanish learners usually learn lo siento early on, which is definitely a good start. But just like in English, there are many options to express apologies in Spanish to fit with different contexts. What’s the best response if you’ve made a mistake, you accidentally bumped into someone, you want to show empathy, or you need to get someone’s attention?

In other words, how do you say I’m sorry in Spanish? In this post we’ll introduce and explain plenty of options for giving your excuses in Spanish, ranging from pardon me to sorry for the inconvenience. Many of our options are actually very light, so you’re also in the right place if you’re looking for how to say excuse me in Spanish.

Without further ado, let’s dive in and learn how to say sorry in Spanish!

Expressions for “sorry” and “excuse me” in Spanish

Just like in English, we have different options for saying sorry in Spanish depending on the gravity of the situation. Since some of them are fairly light, we’re including several here which are actually better options for how to say excuse me in Spanish.

Perdón

Pardon, Excuse me

Perdón is the most common way of saying sorry in Spanish. This one should be easy for English speakers since it’s the straight translation of pardon in Spanish! It’s a noun, so another translation of el perdón in English is forgiveness. In many contexts, it’s also a pretty good approximation for excuse me in Spanish.

Generally, we use perdón to ask for forgiveness when the mistake we’ve made is mild or insignificant. You’re walking down the street and you bump into someone accidentally? You say perdón. Someone is speaking and you interrupt them? You should say perdón.

• Perdón, ¿me pasaría el azúcar, por favor? – Excuse me, would you pass me the sugar, please?

Perdóname, Perdóneme

Forgive me, Pardon me

Perdóname is clearly very close to perdón, with the difference being that in this case we’re using the verb perdonar to ask someone for forgiveness. The expression translates directly as either forgive me or pardon me in Spanish.

Since we use this expression to address someone directly, there are both informal and formal versions depending on whether we would address the person as tú or usted. Perdóname is for informal contexts where we would use tú, while the formal perdóneme is for addressing someone as usted.

• Informal: Perdóname por hablarte así, Ana. No fue mi intención. – Forgive me for speaking to you like that, Ana. I didn’t mean to.

• Formal: Perdóneme por no contestar su llamado, señor. – Forgive me for not getting back to you, sir.

Perdona, Perdone

Excuse me

If we drop the direct object pronoun me from the previous expression, we’re simply left with the Spanish verb perdonar. Translating as to forgive or to pardon, we can ask this of people as another alternative for how to say sorry in Spanish. In this case, we simply say perdona or perdone, again depending on whether we’re addressing tú or usted.

Although it’s sometimes used for apologies, especially in Spain, the better approximation of perdona is simply as an option for how to say excuse me in Spanish.

• Perdone, ¿me traerías la cuenta, por favor? – Excuse me, would you bring me the check, please?

Pedir perdón

To apologize, To ask for forgiveness

With this construction, we start with the Spanish verb pedir, meaning to ask for. Pedir perdón in English thus translates as to ask for forgiveness, though a better approximation is simply to apologize. This is a somewhat formal expression reserved for situations where our intent is to offer a sincere apology.

• Tienes que pedir perdón a tu hermano ahora. – You have to apologize to your brother now.

Con permiso

Excuse me, May I?

This expression is also a very light option for how to say excuse me in Spanish, though perhaps some Canadian English speakers would indeed use sorry in these contexts. Literally, con permiso in English translates as with permission.

We use con permiso when we want to get someone’s attention to ask their permission for something. It’s often pronounced with an inflection in the voice so it comes across as a question.

• Con permiso, ¿puedo pasar? – Excuse me, may I come in?

• Con permiso, ¿retiro sus platos? – Excuse me, may I clear your plates?

While con permiso is often followed with a specific question like we saw in these examples, we can also use it on its own when whatever we’re requesting is implied:

• ¿Con permiso? – May I?

Disculpa, Disculpas

Excuse me, Sorry, Apologies

The next few options for how to say sorry in Spanish are very similar to the first few. Like we saw with el perdón and perdonar, here we’ll start with the noun la disculpa and then see the verb disculpar.

Una disculpa in English is an excuse, while disculpas are excuses in Spanish. Either of these can be used for light apologies. These are perfect when we want to acknowledge that the person we’re addressing may be experiencing a slight inconvenience, but where we both know that it’s not a big deal.

Using the plural form disculpas is similar to saying my apologies in Spanish. Whether we use the singular or the plural form, we can also think of this expression as a quick way to just say sorry for the inconvenience in Spanish.

• Disculpas. Su mesa ya está lista. – Sorry for the inconvenience. Your table is ready now.

• La cocina ya está cerrada. Disculpas. – The kitchen is already closed. Our apologies.

Another very common use for the singular disculpa is simply as a polite way to get someone’s attention. Whereas some English speakers in Canada or the UK might say sorry in this context, the better way to translate disculpa here would be as excuse me in Spanish.

• Disculpa, se te ha caído un papel. – Excuse me, you’ve dropped a paper.

• Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño? – Excuse me, where is the restroom?

Deber disculpa

To owe an apology

This expression is built on the verb deber, meaning to owe in Spanish. Like in English, we use this with sincerity when we know we did something wrong and want to tell the other person we realize our guilt. Deber disculpa translates directly as to owe an apology.

This is a good place to mention a related word: culpa, meaning guilt, fault, or blame in Spanish.

• Me comporté mal. Te debo una disculpa. – I behaved badly. I owe you an apology.

Discúlpame, Discúlpeme

Excuse me, My apologies, I’m sorry

This expression using the imperative form of the verb disculpar is definitely more formal than our previous expression using the noun. In contrast to the light use of disculpa for trivial matters, this expression is better suited to situations where we want to offer proper apologies.

Since the verb is the equivalent of to excuse in Spanish, we always need to include the direct object pronoun me in this expression. Like we saw with our perdonar expressions, the two versions correspond to whether we’re addressing tú vs usted: discúlpame vs discúlpeme, respectively. Regardless of whether the tú or usted form is used, however, Spanish speakers generally use this expression rather formally.

If you’re looking for how to say excuse me in Spanish, this expression is a straight translation. Nonetheless, other English alternatives may fit the context better, whether we go for my apologies or even just I’m sorry.

• Discúlpame por no ir a tu fiesta anoche. – I apologize for not going to your party last night.

• Discúlpeme, señor, pero en este momento no lo puedo atender. – My apologies, sir, but I can’t assist you right now.

Pedir disculpas

To apologize, To ask for understanding

Whereas we’ve already covered the noun una disculpa and the verb disculpar, an even more formal construction is to say pedir disculpas. This expression is built similarly to pedir perdón that we saw earlier.

By starting with the Spanish verb pedir, meaning to ask for, and then following with disculpas, the expression pedir disculpas is the equivalent of to apologize in Spanish. Another rough translation of pedir disculpas could be to ask for understanding.

We use this expression with a direct object to specify what we’re apologizing for. The first-person singular conjugation of pedir is yo pido. Depending on the context, saying sorry in Spanish with pedir disculpas can range from formal to quite neutral and impersonal.

• Pido disculpas por las molestias. – I apologize for the inconvenience.

• Le pedimos disculpas en nombre de la empresa. – We apologize on behalf of the company.

Te pido disculpas de corazón

I sincerely apologize

Te pido disculpas de corazón is an emphatic application of the pedir disculpas verb construction we saw above, with a rough translation of I ask you for understanding from the heart. This expression is commonly used when we really want to tell someone how sorry we are for our actions. It’s best interpreted as I sincerely apologize in Spanish.

• No me di cuenta de que le hacía daño. Te pido disculpas de corazón. – I didn’t realize I was hurting you. I sincerely apologize.

Lo siento

Sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry about it

Lo siento is often the first expression that many language students learn for how to say sorry in Spanish. While it’s indeed versatile enough to be applied in a lot of contexts, we haven’t listed it first here because perdón and disculpa often remain better options in everyday situations where you’re just looking to say excuse me in Spanish.

So what about lo siento in English? The literal translation of lo siento is actually I feel it. Like perdón, it can be used in response to minor incidents, though it can also be suitable in contexts where the gravity of the incident is much greater. Let’s see some low-key examples:

• Lo siento, no nos quedan más gorras azules. – I’m sorry, we don’t have any blue caps left.

• Perdí tu encendedor. Lo siento. – I lost your lighter. I’m sorry.

Lo siento mucho

I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry about it

As we saw with the examples in our last section, lo siento can be used where the issue we’re sorry about is fairly trivial. Nonetheless, it’s also suitable when the issue is fairly grave. On this heavier end of the spectrum, we tend to strengthen our expression by adding mucho: lo siento mucho in English can be variants of I’m so sorry or I’m really sorry.

• Lo siento mucho pero hoy no podré acompañarlos, me siento muy mal. – I’m really sorry but I won’t be able to go with you today, I’m feeling very sick.

• Supe lo de tu abuelo. Lo siento mucho. – I learned about your grandfather. I’m so sorry for your loss.

Remember that the word lo in lo siento is a direct object pronoun meaning it, referring back to whatever specific thing we’re sorry about. While a translation of lo siento in English can sometimes be I’m sorry about it, the better alternative, as we saw in our last example, can also include what we’re sorry about.

Sentir

Sentir is the Spanish verb meaning to feel that the previous lo siento expressions are built on.

As we saw in our previous explanation, the lo siento construction is built on the first-person singular conjugation of sentir (yo siento) along with the direct object pronoun lo to refer to what I’m sorry about. The same meaning can apply when we conjugate sentir with other subjects, or when we state the direct object explicitly rather than replace it with a pronoun.

Sentir can therefore be used to express apologies in Spanish, without necessarily including the direct object pronoun. Nonetheless, this formula for how to say sorry in Spanish is less common than others, but you’re still likely to come across it.

• Sentimos mucho el inconveniente. – We are very sorry for the inconvenience.

Lamentar, Lo lamento

To regret, I’m so sorry [about it]

With lo lamento, we’re really introducing a heavier expression for how to say sorry in Spanish. The Spanish verb lamentar translates as to lament, to regret, or even to mourn, so using this expression is generally reserved for situations that we consider to be a pretty big deal.

Similiarly to lo siento, we can use the direct object pronoun lo to say we’re sorry about it. Likewise, we can also strengthen our expression by adding mucho.

• Lamentamos informar que el vuelo no llegará a tiempo. – We regret to inform you that the flight will not arrive on time.

• Lamento mucho tu perdida. – I’m so sorry for your loss.

As you may have noticed, lo siento mucho and lo lamento mucho are more dramatic expressions that people use to show support and to give condolences. For more expressions along these lines, we recommend our dedicated post on condolences in Spanish.

How to respond to an apology in Spanish

Now that we’ve seen all the different options for how to say sorry in Spanish, what about some common responses? Here we’ll just give a few easy replies, depending on the context.

Responses when receiving an apology for a minor incident

• No pasa nada. – No worries.

• No te preocupes. – Don’t worry about it.

• Está bien. – It’s ok.

• No importa. – It doesn’t matter.

• No tienes porqué disculparte. – No need to apologize.

How to tell someone you forgive them

• Te perdono. – I forgive you.

• Estás disculpado. – You are forgiven.

How to thank someone

• Gracias. – Thank you.

Conclusion: Sorry and Excuse me in Spanish

As we’ve seen throughout this post, we have a lot of expressions for how to say sorry in Spanish. Choosing the right one all depends on the context, as well as the intention you’re trying to convey.

Broadly speaking, we could say that variations of perdón and disculpe are used to admit blame for something, the variations of lo siento are used to show sorrow, while expressions built on lamentar are used for regret.

Many of the expressions we’ve seen are reserved for very trivial circumstances, essentially as variants on how to say excuse me in Spanish. Perdón, perdona, and disculpa are all very similar in this respect, for simply acknowledging some minor disturbance to the other person, while con permiso explicitly asks permission for a minor disturbance.

For intermediate contexts where we see a need to apologize, we have perdóname, discúlpame, pedir disculpas, and lo siento.

For heavier contexts where we need to express sincere apologies in Spanish, we can use pedir perdón, deber disculpa, te pido disculpas de corazón, and lamentar. For expressing sincere sorrow we’re best off using lo siento mucho, sentir, or lo lamento.

Between all these different possibilities for how to say sorry in Spanish, we hope this post has helped you expand your options beyond the simple perdón or lo siento! In closing, we’ll leave you with a few exercises to allow you to practice choosing the right expression for the context.

Exercises: How to say sorry in Spanish

Based on the context, choose the right option. The answers and translations are below.

1. (Perdón – Lo lamento), ¿podría repetir la pregunta?

2. Me enteré lo de tu padre. No sabes cuánto (disculpa – lo siento).

3. (Lo siento – Con permiso), pero no puedo venir mañana a clase.

4. (Perdón – Lo sentimos mucho), no te vi. No quise pisarte.

5. Los niños (pidieron perdón – lo sienten mucho) por lo mal que se habían portado el fin de semana pasado.

6. (Perdón – Lamentamos) informarle que se ha suspendido el viaje a Madrid.

7. (Lo siento – Disculpa), ¿me puedes decir dónde están los enlatados?

Answers

1.  Perdón, ¿podría repetir la pregunta? – Excuse me, could you repeat the question?

2. Me enteré lo de tu padre. No sabes cuánto lo siento. – I heard about your father. You don’t know how sorry I am.

3. Lo siento, pero no puedo venir mañana a clase. – I’m sorry, but I can’t come to class tomorrow.

4. Perdón, no te vi. No quise pisarte. – Sorry, I didn’t see you. I didn’t mean to step on you.

5. Los niños pidieron perdón por lo mal que se habían portado el fin de semana pasado. – The kids apologized for misbehaving last weekend.

6. Lamentamos informarle que se ha cancelado el viaje a Madrid. – We regret to inform you that the trip to Madrid has been canceled.

7. Disculpa, ¿me puedes decir dónde están los enlatados? – Excuse me, could you tell me where the canned food is?