사과하다
sagwahada[ˈsʰa̠(ː)ɡwa̠ɦa̠da̠]
To say apologize in Korean, meaning to express regret, use 사과하다 (sagwahada).
사과하다 is the verb for the act of apologizing. To say whom you apologize to, put the person before the particle 에게, as in ~에게 사과하다. A heartfelt formal apology is 진심으로 사과드립니다, meaning I sincerely apologize.
Meaning: to express regret (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
사과하다 is the noun 사과, meaning an apology, plus 하다, to do. The noun 사과 also happens to mean apple, a different word that sounds the same. You can also split the verb as 사과를 하다 with the same meaning.
Which one should you use?
When you actually say sorry, Koreans usually use a ready phrase instead of the verb. 죄송합니다 is the general formal way to say I'm sorry, and 죄송해요 is also polite. 미안해 is what friends and peers say, while 미안해요 suits acquaintances.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal settings or when apologizing to a superior, use the humble form 사과드립니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite past tense is 사과했어요, meaning apologized.
How do you pronounce it?
It is romanized as sagwahada.
Did you know?
- In Korean, the word for 'apple' and the word for 'apology' are both 사과 (sagwa). This leads to common puns and jokes in Korean pop culture where someone might offer a literal apple as a playful way to apologize.
- In highly formal or corporate settings, Koreans use the humble verb 사과드립니다 (sagwa-deurimnida). The ending 드리다 is a special honorific version of 'to give', framing the apology as a gift given to a superior.
- The word 사과하다 is derived from Hanja (Chinese characters) where 謝 means 'to thank or excuse' and 過 means 'error' or 'fault'.
Examples in context
- 오늘 저는 제 동료들에게 사과하고 싶어요.Today I want to apologize to my co-workers.Here 사과하고 싶어요 combines the verb with a wish ending to say I want to apologize, and 동료들에게 marks the co-workers as the people receiving the apology.
- 미안해요, 잘못했어요.I'm sorry, I was wrong.
- 괜찮아요, 다음부터 조심하세요.It's okay, be careful next time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 사과하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 사과하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
