Je suis vraiment désolé
The French phrase for 'I am very sorry' is Je suis vraiment désolé.
Je suis vraiment désolé is a phrase used to express deep regret or a sincere apology for a mistake or misfortune.
What does it mean word for word?
The word vraiment literally means 'really' or 'truly', acting as an intensifier for the apology.
Which one should you use?
Adding vraiment increases the sincerity and weight of the apology compared to the standard Je suis désolé.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the adjective must take an extra 'e' at the end, resulting in Je suis vraiment désolée.
Did you know?
- In French, désolé comes from the verb désoler, which originally meant to leave someone desolate or lonely. To say Je suis désolé is literally to say you are heartbroken or devastated by your actions.
- In some contexts, Je suis désolé can be used as a polite way to decline an invitation, functioning similarly to 'I am afraid I cannot' in English, rather than an apology for a mistake.
- While Je suis vraiment désolé is a sincere apology, French speakers often use Pardon for minor accidents, such as bumping into someone. Using désolé for a small trip or a sneeze can sound overly dramatic to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Je suis vraiment désolé.I am very sorry.This is a simple statement of the phrase.Tatoeba #460765 by sacredceltic, translation #436449 by lukaszpp
- Je suis vraiment désolé pour ce que j'ai dit.I am very sorry for what I said.This sentence is useful for apologizing for something you said.Tatoeba #1793905 by sacredceltic, translation #1792459 by Spamster
- Je suis vraiment désolé, mais je suis obligé d’annuler notre réunion du 27 février.I am very sorry, but I must cancel our appointment for February 27.This sentence is useful for apologizing because you must cancel a meeting.Tatoeba #543514 by zmoo, translation #19152 by fishda
- Je vous présente mes plus plates excuses pour l'erreur que j'ai commise.I offer you my deepest apologies for the mistake I made.
- Je suis vraiment désolé(e) de ce désagrément.I am truly sorry for this inconvenience.
- Je tiens à vous présenter mes sincères excuses pour le problème rencontré.I would like to express my sincere apologies for the issue you encountered.
- Désolé(e), vraiment, de t'avoir blessé(e).Sorry, really, for hurting you.
- Je suis vraiment désolé(e) pour ce que j'ai dit.I am truly sorry for what I said.
- Je m'excuse sincèrement pour ne pas avoir pu assister à l'événement familial.I sincerely apologize for not being able to attend the family event.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé accidentally broke Nathan's favorite mug.
- ChloéJe suis vraiment désolé d'avoir cassé ton mug.I am very sorry for breaking your mug.
- NathanCe n'est pas grave, Chloé, ne t'inquiète pas.It's okay, Chloé, don't worry.
- ChloéJe vais t'en racheter un nouveau demain.I will buy you a new one tomorrow.
- NathanC'est très gentil, merci beaucoup.That's very kind, thank you very much.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
