arrepentirse
/arepenˈtiɾse/
To repent in Spanish is arrepentirse.
The verb arrepentirse is used to express feeling sorrow or regret for something one has done or failed to do. In religious contexts, it is commonly used in phrases such as arrepentirse de sus pecados to mean 'to repent for one's sins'.
Meaning: to feel sorrow or regret for what one has done or omitted to do (verb)
Which one should you use?
The past participle arrepentido can be used as an adjective to mean 'repentant' or 'sorry'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a reflexive verb, you must use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) when conjugating it, such as in the phrase me arrepiento (I repent). When specifying the thing or action being regretted, the verb is typically followed by the preposition de, as seen in arrepentirse de.
How do you pronounce it?
/arepenˈtiɾse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget to include the reflexive pronoun and mistakenly say arrepentir instead of arrepentirse when expressing personal regret.
Did you know?
- While English speakers often use 'repent' primarily in religious contexts, Spanish speakers use arrepentirse for everyday mistakes, such as regretting a bad haircut or a wrong turn.
- The Spanish arrepentirse has a slightly unusual spelling because it was influenced by Old French. While the original Latin root would have resulted in a 'd' sound, the influence of the French word repentir helped solidify the 't' sound in Spanish.
- In Spanish, the adjective arrepentido specifically describes the state of feeling remorse. It cannot be used to express sympathy for another person, a function that the English word 'sorry' often performs.
Examples in context
- Después de mucho tiempo reflexionando, decidió arrepentirse de sus errores.After much reflection, he decided to repent for his mistakes.
- Lamentó profundamente sus acciones y buscó formas de reparar el daño.He deeply regretted his actions and sought ways to make amends.
- Le pesó haberse comportado de esa manera tan egoísta.He regretted having behaved in such a selfish way.
- Él se tiene que arrepentirse de sus errores.He has to repent for his mistakes.
- Es difícil arrepentirse de una decisión tan rápida.It is difficult to repent for such a quick decision.
- Ella decidió arrepentirse de sus palabras ofensivas.She decided to repent for her offensive words.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a past mistake.
- DanielSiento mucho haber mentido, María.I am very sorry for lying, María.
- María¿De verdad logras arrepentirse de verdad?Do you really manage to repent truly?
- DanielSí, me siento muy mal por ello.Yes, I feel very bad about it.
- MaríaEstá bien, Daniel, te perdono.It's okay, Daniel, I forgive you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “repent” translations and entries arrepentirse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arrepentirse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
