patawad
/paˈtawad/
In Tagalog, "I am sorry" is expressed as patawad.
patawad is used for serious apologies where one is asking for actual forgiveness, rather than just expressing regret for a minor inconvenience.
What does it mean word for word?
The word patawad is a noun meaning "forgiveness".
Which one should you use?
While patawad is used for asking for forgiveness for a wrong, pasensya na is more common for minor mistakes or expressing regret for an inconvenience.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 'po' to 'patawad' makes the apology polite and respectful when speaking to elders or people in authority, resulting in Patawad po.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈtawad/
Did you know?
- The root word tawad is also used in a commercial context to mean a 'discount' or 'bargain' obtained through negotiation. To ask for patawad is, etymologically, to ask for a reduction in the debt of one's wrongdoing.
- In Tagalog-language media, the word patawad is a staple of the 'teleserye' or soap opera genre, almost always reserved for high-stakes emotional climaxes and dramatic confrontations.
- While patawad is the direct translation for 'forgiveness', Filipinos often use the English phrase 'I am sorry' in casual conversation. This is common due to the widespread influence of English in the Philippines.
Examples in context
- Patawad po sa aking pagkakamaliForgive me for my mistake
- Ako po ay may pagsisisi sa aking ginawa. Pasensya na poI have regret for what I did. I'm sorry.
- Patawad sa nagawa ko.I am sorry for what I did.
- Patawad kung nasaktan kita.I am sorry if I hurt you.
- Hihingi ako ng patawad sa iyo.I will ask for your forgiveness.
Example conversation
Jasmine accidentally broke Mark's favorite pen.
- JasmineMark, patawad dahil nabali ko ang panulat mo.Mark, I am sorry because I broke your pen.
- MarkAyos lang, Jasmine. Hindi naman ito mahal.It's okay, Jasmine. It's not expensive anyway.
- JasmineBibilhan kita ng bago bukas.I will buy you a new one tomorrow.
- MarkSalamat, pero hindi na kailangan.Thanks, but it's not necessary.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry patawad, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries patawad, CC BY-SA 4.0.
