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"I'm sorry" in seven languages

MeaningI'm sorry

Spanish

lo siento

/lo ˈsjento/

other source · Latin SENTĪRE 'to feel' ('I feel it')

French

désolé

/dezɔle/

other source · Latin DĒSŌLĀRE 'to leave alone, lay waste' (learned)

A woman writes désolée.

Italian

mi dispiace

/mi disˈpjatʃe/

other source · Latin DIS- + PLACĒRE 'to displease'

Portuguese

desculpa

/dʒisˈkuwpɐ/

other source · Portuguese desculpar 'to un-blame', from culpa ← Latin CULPAM 'fault'

Romanian

îmi pare rău

/ɨmʲ ˈpare rəw/

other source · Romanian 'it seems bad to me' (pare ← Latin PĀRĒRE, rău ← Latin REUM)

Catalan

ho sento

/u ˈsentu/

other source · Latin SENTĪRE 'to feel' ('I feel it')

English

I'm sorry

/aɪm ˈsɑɹi/

native English · Old English sārig

English → ItalianI'm sorrymi dispiaceNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share

The story

Spanish says 'I feel it', French 'I'm desolate' (in practice just sorry), Italian 'it displeases me'. For bumping into someone, Spanish perdón and French pardon do the job.

Learn it

Practice the Greetings & courtesy deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esLo siento, llego tarde.
  • frDésolé, je suis en retard.
  • itMi dispiace, sono in ritardo.
  • ptDesculpa, cheguei atrasado.
  • roÎmi pare rău, am întârziat.
  • caHo sento, faig tard.
  • enI'm sorry, I'm late.

More in Greetings & courtesy

All Greetings & courtesy words