tôi xin lỗi
[toj˧˧ sin˧˧ loj˦ˀ˥]word by word
tôi xin lỗi is the Vietnamese way to say "i am sorry".
This phrase is an expression used to apologize for a mistake or a wrongdoing. While xin lỗi is primarily used for apologies, it is also the standard way to say "Excuse me" when you are trying to get someone's attention or passing through a crowd. For a more profound expression, you can use Chân thành xin lỗi to mean "Sincerely sorry" or Mong bạn tha thứ cho tôi to say "I hope you forgive me". If you want to say "Please forgive me", use Làm ơn tha thứ cho tớ.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tôi xin lỗi breaks down as follows: tôi means "I", xin means "to ask/request" and lỗi means "fault/mistake". Literally, the phrase means "I ask for forgiveness/apology".
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, the subject tôi can be dropped, leaving just xin lỗi to mean "I am sorry". Because Vietnamese uses kinship terms instead of a generic "I", you should replace tôi with more appropriate pronouns to sound natural. For example, a younger person should use em xin lỗi to sound polite and a child addressing an elder or a parent should use con xin lỗi.
Did you know?
- Vietnamese shares a linguistic pattern with Japanese, Thai and Khmer where first-person pronouns developed from humble nouns meaning 'slave' or 'servant'.
Examples in context
- Tôi xin lỗi nếu lời nói của tôi có làm tổn thương bạn.I am sorry if my words hurt you.This sentence shows how to express regret regarding the impact of your words using tôi xin lỗi.Tatoeba #9067979 by dotheduyet1999, translation #250825 by qdii
- Xin lỗi, tôi đã làm bạn buồn.I'm sorry, I made you sad.
- Chân thành xin lỗi vì đã gây ra sự nhầm lẫn.Sincerely sorry for the confusion caused.
- Xin lỗi nhé, tớ không cố ý làm xước chiếc xe của cậu.Sorry, I didn't mean to scratch your bike.
- Làm ơn tha thứ cho tớ vì đã quên mất sinh nhật của cậu.Please forgive me for forgetting your birthday.
- Tôi đã làm sai và xin lỗi vì đã gây ra sự phiền hà.I made a mistake, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
- Tôi sẽ không lặp lại nữa, và tôi hy vọng bạn tha thứ cho tôi.I won't do it again, and I hope you forgive me.
- Tôi xin lỗi vì đến muộn.I am sorry for being late.
- Tôi xin lỗi, tôi đã làm sai.I am sorry, I made a mistake.
Example conversation
Minh accidentally spills some water on Mai's desk.
- MinhÔi, tôi xin lỗi Mai!Oh, I am sorry Mai!
- MaiKhông sao đâu, để tôi lau đi.It is okay, let me wipe it up.
- MinhTôi thực sự xin lỗi vì sự bất tiện này.I am really sorry for this inconvenience.
- MaiĐừng lo lắng quá, chuyện nhỏ thôi.Don't worry too much, it's just a small thing.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tôi, xin, lỗi) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lỗi, tôi, xin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
