Spanish Apologies: Ways to Say Sorry In Spanish In Every Situation

• The article breaks Spanish apologies into situational options beyond "lo siento." Use "lo siento" for genuine remorse or condolences, and avoid overusing it for minor inconveniences. When you're extra sorry, use "lo siento mucho."

• For “excuse me” contexts, prefer disculpa (tú) or disculpe (usted) to acknowledge a small inconvenience; use perdón/perdóneme when you’re interrupting or at fault and seeking minor forgiveness.

• Lamentar offers a more formal, poetic register for regret (Lamento tu pérdida; Lamentamos que…), helping you sound natural and appropriate across everyday, formal, and empathetic situations.

If you're American, you may be conditioned to apologize more than the average world citizen. But "I'm sorry" is always a useful phrase in language learning. If you're in a Spanish-speaking country, you'll likely need to apologize to someone in Spanish at some point. In fact, there's a good argument to be made that one of the first language skills you learn should be to know: how do you say sorry in Spanish?

Apologies aren't just meant to ask for forgiveness. They're most often used to smooth your way through polite society — to excuse yourself in a crowded area, or to sound more courteous when you're asking someone to repeat something you didn't understand. There are different ways to apologize in Spanish for these different situations.

With that said, "sorry" is kind of a catch-all term in English. But to Spanish speakers, it can sound excessive to use lo siento in every context, even if that is the first direct translation you encounter when you learn Spanish. Below, you'll learn the different words and phrases for apologizing in Spanish so you can sound situationally appropriate — and dare we say natural — at all times.

Common Ways to Say Sorry In Spanish for Every Situation

The Most Common Way to Ask Forgiveness: Lo Siento

How do you apologize in Spanish? The most common way to say, and the most direct translation for "sorry" in Spanish is lo siento, which literally means "I am sorry for it." Lo siento is a form of the verb sentir (to be sorry), which can be conjugated as a reflexive verb or stated as is.

Sentir is typically used when you wish to offer your heartfelt condolences or apologize for something you feel bad about. When you're really sorry about something, you can say lo siento mucho, or "I am very sorry."

Lo siento is not as commonly used when you're simply excusing yourself for a minor inconvenience, but you'll occasionally hear people use it in those contexts as well. Here are a few examples of how it's used in a sentence.

• Lo siento, hoy no me apetece salir. — Sorry, I don't feel like going out today.

• Lo siento, tengo que colgar. — Sorry, I have to hang up.

• Siento que haya olvidado traer la leche. — Sorry that I forgot to bring the milk.

• Siento decirte que dejo el trabajo. — Sorry to tell you that I'm quitting the job.

• Lo siento, pero no estoy de acuerdo. — Sorry, but I disagree.

To Excuse Yourself: Disculpe

The Spanish word for "apology" is la disculpa. The Spanish verb disculpar, however, means something to the effect of "to excuse." Its usage varies slightly depending on which Spanish-speaking country you're in, but you can use disculpar in most situations where you might simply say "excuse me" in English — when you bump into someone, for instance. Use this word to acknowledge that there's a slight inconvenience, even if it's not entirely your fault.

Usage also varies in formal or informal settings. If you're in a more formal setting (like in a work-related situation, for example), you would use disculpe, which corresponds to Usted. In informal situations where you would address the person as tú, you would say disculpa.

• Disculpe, hay mala conexión. ¿Puede hablar más alto, por favor? — Sorry, there's a bad connection. Can you speak more loudly, please?

• Disculpa, no entiendo. ¿Hablas inglés? — Sorry, I don't understand you. Do you speak English?

• Disculpa, ¿has dicho algo? — Sorry, did you say something?

• Disculpe la espera. — Sorry for the wait.

Apology for a Minor Inconvenience: Perdón

Perdón is the equivalent of "pardon" in English in meaning and pronunciation, but it can be used in formal and informal situations. You could say perdón in many of the situations you'd use disculpe in. But in this case, you're implying that you're seeking the other person's forgiveness in a small way. Essentially, you're acknowledging that something is your fault.

Of course, you'll often hear people use this word when they're simply interrupting a stranger to ask a question. Again, the idea is that you're acknowledging the imposition you're making on someone else's time. It's just a way of being exceedingly polite. You can also use it when you want to get someone's attention politely.

• Perdón, me he equivocado de número. — Sorry, I've called the wrong number.

• Perdón, ayer no te pude ver, estaba en una reunión. — Sorry I missed you yesterday, I was in a meeting.

• Perdón, no entiendo. — Sorry, I don't understand.

• ¡Hola! Perdón, ¿sabes dónde hay un banco cerca? — Hi! Sorry, do you know where there is a bank nearby?

• Perdón, ¿me dejaría pasar? — Excuse me, could you let me pass please?

• Perdóneme, ¿tiene un mechero? — Excuse me, do you have a lighter?

The Most Heartfelt Way of Saying Sorry: Lo Lamento

Though lo siento implies that you feel sympathy for someone (lit. "I feel it"), there are even more poetic ways to say "sorry" in the Spanish language. Lamentar, which means "to regret" or "to lament" is used to express the most profound sympathy. Here are some examples of ways to use this phrase:

• Lamentamos que no estés aquí con nosotros. — We're sorry that you aren't here with us.

• Lamento tu pérdida. — I'm sorry for your loss.

Now that you're ready for any situation that requires an apology in Spanish, boost your language skills with other common Spanish words and phrases so you won't have to say you're sorry for your bad Spanish skills.