je suis tellement désolé
je suis tellement désolé is the French way to say "I am so sorry".
This phrase is used to convey deep regret or a sincere apology for a mistake, or to express sympathy for someone's misfortune. It is more intense than a casual "excuse me".
Which one should you use?
While je suis tellement désolé expresses deep regret, the standard je suis désolé (without tellement) is a regular apology that lacks the added emphasis of "so".
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the adjective must take an extra e at the end, becoming je suis tellement désolée. Additionally, when you follow this phrase with a verb to explain why you are sorry, you must use the preposition de (for example, désolé de vous avoir fait attendre).
Did you know?
- The word désolé literally means 'devastated' or 'desolated', coming from the word for 'solitude' or 'waste'.
- In some Francophone cultures, an apology like je suis tellement désolé may be accompanied by a slight tilt of the head or a hand on the heart to signal sincerity.
- The word suis in je suis comes from the Latin sum, but it actually evolved through a strange linguistic detour involving the Latin word for 'I was', which is fuī.
Examples in context
- Je suis tellement désolé !I am so sorry.This sentence is useful for a direct apology.Tatoeba #1703745 by sacredceltic, translation #1879052 by Spamster
- Je suis tellement désolé de vous avoir fait attendre.I am so sorry to have kept you waiting.This sentence is useful for explaining the reason for your apology using the preposition de.Tatoeba #1561102 by sacredceltic, translation #1560527 by kolin2009
- Excusez-moi d'avoir interrompu votre réunion. Je ne le referai plus à l'avenir.I apologize for interrupting your meeting. I won't do it again in the future.
- Je suis vraiment désolé(e) d'avoir oublié ton anniversaire. Je ferai tout pour me rattraper.I am truly sorry for forgetting your birthday. I will do everything to make it up to you.
- Je suis tellement désolé pour mon erreur.I am so sorry for my mistake.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas accidentally broke Chloé's favorite vase.
- LucasJe suis tellement désolé, Chloé, je l'ai cassé.I am so sorry, Chloé, I broke it.
- ChloéOh non ! C'était mon vase préféré.Oh no! It was my favorite vase.
- LucasJe vais t'en acheter un nouveau.I will buy you a new one.
- ChloéC'est gentil, Lucas. Merci beaucoup.That's kind, Lucas. Thank you very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, suis, tellement, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
