How to Say "Excuse Me" in Vietnamese

xin lỗi

[sin˧˧ loj˦ˀ˥]

xin lỗi is the Vietnamese way to say excuse me.

xin lỗi is used to express apology or to say sorry. xin lỗi is a common and general way to say excuse me in formal situations.

Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of xin, which means to ask for or to request something. Literally, xin lỗi means to ask for forgiveness for a mistake.

In Vietnamese, the way you say 'excuse me' can change entirely depending on the age and gender of the person you are addressing, as you must attach the correct pronouns to the phrase.
The word 'lỗi' in 'xin lỗi' is a Sino-Vietnamese loanword derived from the character 纇, which originally referred to a flaw or a defect.
In Vietnamese culture, a slight bow of the head often accompanies xin lỗi to show sincerity and respect to the other person.

Xin lỗi, chỗ này tên là gì?
Excuse me, what is the name of this place?
This sentence shows how to use xin lỗi to ask for the name of a place.
Tatoeba #3468139 by tucm, translation #1774726 by belgavox
Tôi xin lỗi, tôi bị lạc đường.
Excuse me, I'm lost.
This sentence shows how to use xin lỗi when explaining that you are lost.
Tatoeba #510401 by autuno, translation #51482 by autuno
Xin lỗi, lối thoát hiểm nằm ở đâu?
Excuse me, where's the exit?
This sentence shows how to use xin lỗi to ask for the location of an exit.
Tatoeba #3549762 by trieuho, translation #3549610 by CK
Xin lỗi, tôi có thể hỏi một chút được không?
Excuse me, may I ask you a question?
Xin lỗi, tôi có thể nhờ ông/ngài giúp tôi một chút không?
Excuse me, could you help me for a moment?
Xin lỗi vì tôi làm phiền các vị
I apologize for disturbing you all
Ừ… à… cho hỏi cái này là gì vậy?
Um… excuse me, what is this?
9 more sentences on Tatoeba

Hùng accidentally bumps into Mai in a crowded store.

Sources

Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries xin lỗi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries lỗi, xin, xin lỗi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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