Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| lo siento | /lo ˈsjento/ |
| me disculpo | /me diskulpo/ (from spelling rules) |
lo siento is used to express empathy or regret for a situation, such as when offering condolences or sympathy. For example, you might say Lo siento mucho to say "I am very sorry" regarding bad news. In contrast, phrases like perdón or disculpa are used to ask for forgiveness for a specific mistake.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lo siento literally translates to "I feel it".
Which one should you use?
me disculpo is a more formal way to say "I apologize" compared to the more common lo siento. While lo siento is used to express empathy or regret for a situation, perdón or disculpa is used to ask for forgiveness for a specific mistake.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, people often use the phrase Perdona or Perdón in informal situations. In Spain, Disculpe and Le pido disculpas are common in formal contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo ˈsjento/
Did you know?
- If you want to apologize for a small social stumble, using lo siento might make people think you are experiencing a deep, visceral heartache rather than just saying 'my bad'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbal apology like perdón is often accompanied by a small physical gesture, such as a slight touch on the arm, to soften the interaction.
- The formal phrase me disculpo is closely related to the English word 'exculpate', which means to clear someone of blame.
Examples in context
- Lo siento por ti.I'm sorry for you.This sentence shows how to use lo siento to express sympathy for someone.Tatoeba #1010290 by Shishir, translation #64683 by Zifre
- Lo siento, la he cagado.I'm sorry, I fucked up.This sentence uses lo siento in a vulgar, informal context.Tatoeba #2003739 by wallebot, translation #729935 by darinmex
- Lo siento, era una broma.I'm sorry, it was a joke.This sentence uses lo siento to explain that a previous action was intended as a joke.Tatoeba #1246569 by wallebot, translation #13041074 by araneo
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena accidentally spills some water on Javier's table.
- ElenaLo siento, Javier. No fue mi intención.I'm sorry, Javier. It wasn't my intention.
- JavierNo pasa nada, Elena. No te preocupes.It's nothing, Elena. Don't worry.
- ElenaDe verdad lo siento mucho.I am really very sorry.
- JavierEstá bien, yo limpio el agua.It's okay, I'll clean the water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I'm sorry” translations and entries lo siento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
