We’ve all been there — a moment when we say or do something we wish we could take back.
Saying “sorry” is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to express empathy, love, and respect. But did you know that every culture has its own beautiful way to apologize?
Whether you’re traveling, learning a new language, or just want to express sincerity in a heartfelt way.
This guide will teach you how to say “sorry” in 70 different languages, complete with pronunciation and example sentences.
🌎 How to Say “Sorry” in 70 Different Languages
- English (🇺🇸) – Sorry | Pronunciation: sor-ree
Example: I’m sorry for what I said. - Spanish (🇪🇸) – Lo siento | Pronunciation: loh syen-toh
Example: Lo siento por todo. (I’m sorry for everything.) - French (🇫🇷) – Désolé / Désolée | Pronunciation: day-zo-lay
Example: Je suis désolé. (I’m sorry.) - German (🇩🇪) – Es tut mir leid | Pronunciation: es toot meer lite
Example: Es tut mir leid für meinen Fehler. (I’m sorry for my mistake.) - Italian (🇮🇹) – Mi dispiace | Pronunciation: mee dee-spyah-cheh
Example: Mi dispiace tanto. (I’m really sorry.) - Portuguese (🇵🇹) – Desculpe | Pronunciation: des-kool-peh
Example: Desculpe pelo erro. (Sorry for the mistake.) - Russian (🇷🇺) – Извини (Izvini) | Pronunciation: eez-vee-nee
Example: Извини, пожалуйста. (Izvini, pozhaluysta.) – I’m sorry, please. - Arabic (🇸🇦) – آسف (Aasif) | Pronunciation: aa-sif
Example: أنا آسف. (Ana aasif.) – I’m sorry. - Hindi (🇮🇳) – माफ़ कीजिए (Maaf kijiye) | Pronunciation: maaf kee-jyay
Example: मुझे माफ़ कीजिए। (Mujhe maaf kijiye.) – Please forgive me. - Bengali (🇧🇩) – দুঃখিত (Dukkhito) | Pronunciation: dukh-he-to
Example: আমি দুঃখিত। (Ami dukkhito.) – I’m sorry. - Urdu (🇵🇰) – معاف کیجیے (Maaf kijiye) | Pronunciation: maaf kee-jyay
Example: مجھے معاف کیجیے۔ (Mujhe maaf kijiye.) – I’m sorry. - Turkish (🇹🇷) – Özür dilerim | Pronunciation: oh-zyur dee-le-rim
Example: Özür dilerim, hata yaptım. (I’m sorry, I made a mistake.) - Greek (🇬🇷) – Συγγνώμη (Signómi) | Pronunciation: see-gnó-mee
Example: Συγγνώμη για όλα. (I’m sorry for everything.) - Dutch (🇳🇱) – Sorry | Pronunciation: sor-ree
Example: Sorry dat ik te laat ben. (Sorry I’m late.) - Swedish (🇸🇪) – Förlåt | Pronunciation: fur-loht
Example: Förlåt mig. (Forgive me.) - Finnish (🇫🇮) – Anteeksi | Pronunciation: ahn-tek-see
Example: Olen pahoillani. (I’m sorry.) - Polish (🇵🇱) – Przepraszam | Pronunciation: pshe-pra-sham
Example: Przepraszam za spóźnienie. (Sorry for being late.) - Czech (🇨🇿) – Promiň | Pronunciation: pro-min
Example: Promiň, to byla chyba. (Sorry, it was a mistake.) - Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Sajnálom | Pronunciation: shy-nah-lom
Example: Sajnálom a hibát. (I’m sorry for the error.) - Romanian (🇷🇴) – Îmi pare rău | Pronunciation: um-ee pah-ray row
Example: Îmi pare rău pentru tot. (I’m sorry for everything.) - Chinese (Mandarin) (🇨🇳) – 对不起 (Duìbùqǐ) | Pronunciation: dway-boo-chee
Example: 对不起，我错了。 (Duìbùqǐ, wǒ cuò le.) – I’m sorry, I was wrong. - Japanese (🇯🇵) – ごめんなさい (Gomen nasai) | Pronunciation: go-men na-sigh
Example: ごめんなさい。 (I’m sorry.) - Korean (🇰🇷) – 미안해요 (Mianhaeyo) | Pronunciation: mee-ahn-hey-yo
Example: 정말 미안해요. (I’m really sorry.) - Thai (🇹🇭) – ขอโทษ (Khor thot) | Pronunciation: kor-tote
Example: ขอโทษนะ. (Khor thot na.) – I’m sorry. - Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Xin lỗi | Pronunciation: sin loy
Example: Tôi xin lỗi. (I’m sorry.) - Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Maaf | Pronunciation: mah-af
Example: Saya minta maaf. (I’m sorry.) - Malay (🇲🇾) – Maaf | Pronunciation: mah-af
Example: Saya mohon maaf. (I apologize.) - Filipino (🇵🇭) – Paumanhin | Pronunciation: pah-oo-man-heen
Example: Paumanhin po. (I’m sorry.) - Swahili (🇰🇪) – Samahani | Pronunciation: sah-ma-hah-nee
Example: Samahani kwa kosa. (Sorry for the mistake.) - Zulu (🇿🇦) – Ngiyaxolisa | Pronunciation: ngee-yah-koh-lee-sah
Example: Ngiyaxolisa kakhulu. (I’m very sorry.) - Hebrew (🇮🇱) – סליחה (Slicha) | Pronunciation: slee-khah
Example: סליחה על הכול. (Slicha al hakol.) – Sorry for everything. - Persian (🇮🇷) – متاسفم (Moteassefam) | Pronunciation: mo-tas-se-fam
Example: من متاسفم. (Man moteassefam.) – I’m sorry. - Nepali (🇳🇵) – माफ गर्नुहोस् (Maaf garnuhos) | Pronunciation: maaf gar-nu-hos
Example: मलाई माफ गर्नुहोस्। (Please forgive me.) - Sinhala (🇱🇰) – සමාවන්න (Samavanna) | Pronunciation: sa-ma-wan-na
Example: මට සමාවන්න. (Mata samavanna.) – Forgive me. - Tamil (🇮🇳) – மன்னிக்கவும் (Mannikkavum) | Pronunciation: man-nik-ka-vum
Example: மன்னிக்கவும். (I’m sorry.) - Telugu (🇮🇳) – క్షమించండి (Kshaminchandi) | Pronunciation: ksha-min-chan-dee
Example: దయచేసి క్షమించండి. (Please forgive me.) - Kannada (🇮🇳) – ಕ್ಷಮಿಸಿ (Kshamisi) | Pronunciation: ksha-mee-see
Example: ನನಗೆ ಕ್ಷಮಿಸಿ. (Nanage kshamisi.) – I’m sorry. - Malayalam (🇮🇳) – ക്ഷമിക്കണം (Kshamikkano) | Pronunciation: ksha-mik-ka-nam
Example: ക്ഷമിക്കണം, തെറ്റ് പറ്റി. (Sorry, it was my mistake.) - Burmese (🇲🇲) – တောင်းပန်ပါတယ် (Taung pan par tal) | Pronunciation: taung-pan-par-tal
Example: ကျွန်တော် တောင်းပန်ပါတယ်။ (I’m sorry.) - Khmer (🇰🇭) – សូមទោស (Som tos) | Pronunciation: sohm tose
Example: សូមទោស។ (I’m sorry.) - Lao (🇱🇦) – ຂໍໂທດ (Kho thot) | Pronunciation: kor tote
Example: ຂ້ອຍຂໍໂທດ. (I’m sorry.) - Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Уучлаарай (Uuchlaarai) | Pronunciation: ooch-lah-rai
Example: Уучлаарай, би буруу хийсэн. (I’m sorry, I was wrong.) - Ukrainian (🇺🇦) – Вибач (Vybach) | Pronunciation: vee-bach
Example: Вибач мене. (Forgive me.) - Serbian (🇷🇸) – Извини (Izvini) | Pronunciation: eez-vee-nee
Example: Извини, молим те. (I’m sorry, please.) - Croatian (🇭🇷) – Oprosti | Pronunciation: oh-pro-stee
Example: Oprosti mi. (Forgive me.) - Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Žao mi je | Pronunciation: zhao mee yeh
Example: Žao mi je zbog toga. (I’m sorry about that.) - Albanian (🇦🇱) – Më fal | Pronunciation: muh fahl
Example: Më fal, të lutem. (I’m sorry, please.) - Latvian (🇱🇻) – Piedod | Pronunciation: pee-eh-dod
Example: Piedod man. (Forgive me.) - Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Atsiprašau | Pronunciation: ah-tsee-pra-shau
Example: Atsiprašau dėl klaidos. (I’m sorry for the mistake.) - Estonian (🇪🇪) – Vabandust | Pronunciation: vah-ban-doost
Example: Vabandust, mu viga. (Sorry, my fault.) - Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Fyrirgefðu | Pronunciation: fee-rir-gef-thoo
Example: Fyrirgefðu mér. (Forgive me.) - Irish (🇮🇪) – Tá brón orm | Pronunciation: taw brohn ur-um
Example: Tá brón orm as sin. (I’m sorry for that.) - Welsh (🏴) – Mae’n ddrwg gen i | Pronunciation: mine throog gen ee
Example: Mae’n ddrwg gen i am bopeth. (I’m sorry for everything.) - Hawaiian (🇺🇸) – E kala mai | Pronunciation: eh kah-lah my
Example: E kala mai iaʻu. (Forgive me.) - Samoan (🇼🇸) – Fa’amalie atu | Pronunciation: fa-ah-ma-lee-eh ah-too
Example: Fa’amalie atu mo le mea. (I’m sorry for that.) - Maori (🇳🇿) – Aroha mai | Pronunciation: ah-ro-ha my
Example: Aroha mai mō taku hē. (I’m sorry for my mistake.) - Tongan (🇹🇴) – Fakamolemole | Pronunciation: fah-kah-mo-leh-mo-leh
Example: Fakamolemole, ko hoku hala ia. (I’m sorry, it was my fault.) - Yoruba (🇳🇬) – Ma binu | Pronunciation: mah bee-noo
Example: Jọ̀wọ́, ma binu. (Please, don’t be angry.) - Hausa (🇳🇬) – Yi hakuri | Pronunciation: yee ha-koo-ree
Example: Don Allah, yi hakuri. (Please, forgive me.) - Amharic (🇪🇹) – ይቅርታ (Yikirta) | Pronunciation: yee-kir-tah
Example: ይቅርታ አታልፈኝ. (Forgive me.) - Somali (🇸🇴) – Waan ka xumahay | Pronunciation: waan ka soo-ma-hi
Example: Waan ka xumahay qaladka. (I’m sorry for the mistake.) - Afrikaans (🇿🇦) – Jammer | Pronunciation: yah-mer
Example: Ek is jammer. (I’m sorry.)
💬 Conclusion
Apologizing is a universal act of kindness. Whether you say “duìbùqǐ”, “lo siento”, or “maaf kijiye”, the word “sorry” carries the same warmth — compassion, humility, and healing. No matter where you go, “sorry” is always understood by the heart.
