Introduction
Knowing how to apologize and ask for permission is essential for navigating social situations smoothly. Spanish has several levels of formality for apologies, from a casual "my bad" to a heartfelt "I'm so sorry."
Saying Sorry
Light apologies (oops / excuse me)
- Perdón. — Sorry. / Excuse me.
- Perdona. (tú) / Perdone. (usted) — Forgive me. / Excuse me.
- Disculpa. (tú) / Disculpe. (usted) — Excuse me. / Pardon me.
- Lo siento. — I'm sorry. (expressing genuine regret)
Stronger apologies
- Lo siento mucho. — I'm very sorry.
- De verdad lo siento. — I'm truly sorry.
- Te pido disculpas. — I ask for your forgiveness.
- Fue mi culpa. — It was my fault.
- No fue mi intención. — It wasn't my intention.
- No volverá a pasar. — It won't happen again.
- Perdóname, por favor. — Please forgive me.
In writing / formal
- Le pido una disculpa. — I apologize to you. (formal)
- Lamento mucho la situación. — I deeply regret the situation.
- Disculpe la molestia. — Sorry for the inconvenience.
Responding to Apologies
- No te preocupes. — Don't worry about it.
- No pasa nada. — It's nothing. / No big deal.
- Está bien. — It's fine.
- No hay problema. — No problem.
- Tranquilo/a. — It's okay. / Relax.
- Disculpa aceptada. — Apology accepted.
Making Excuses
- Es que… — The thing is… (the most common way to start an excuse)
- Lo que pasa es que… — What's happening is…
- No pude porque… — I couldn't because…
- Se me olvidó. — I forgot. (accidental se)
- Se me hizo tarde. — I ran late. (lit. "It got late on me.")
- Tuve un imprevisto. — Something unexpected came up.
- Había mucho tráfico. — There was a lot of traffic.
- No me sentía bien. — I wasn't feeling well.
"Es que" is everywhere. It softens the excuse and signals you're about to explain: Es que no sabía la hora. (The thing is, I didn't know the time.)
Asking Permission
Casual
- ¿Puedo…? — Can I…?
- ¿Te importa si…? — Do you mind if…?
- ¿Está bien si…? — Is it okay if…?
- ¿Me dejas…? — Will you let me…?
Polite / formal
- ¿Podría…? — Could I…?
- ¿Le importaría si…? — Would you mind if…?
- ¿Me permite…? — May I…? (formal)
- ¿Sería posible…? — Would it be possible…?
- Con su permiso. — With your permission. (before doing something)
Examples
- ¿Puedo usar tu teléfono? — Can I use your phone?
- ¿Te importa si abro la ventana? — Do you mind if I open the window?
- ¿Podría hablar con usted un momento? — Could I speak with you for a moment?
Granting & Denying Permission
Yes
- Sí, claro. — Yes, of course.
- Adelante. — Go ahead.
- Por supuesto. — Of course.
- Faltaba más. — By all means. (Spain)
No
- Lo siento, pero no es posible. — I'm sorry, but it's not possible.
- Preferiría que no. — I'd prefer you didn't.
- Me temo que no. — I'm afraid not.
Practice
What's the difference between 'perdón' and 'lo siento'?
Someone apologizes. You want to say 'Don't worry about it.' What do you say?
You're about to give an excuse. Which phrase starts it naturally?
How do you politely ask 'Could I speak with you?'