Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| lo siento | /lo ˈsjento/ |
| me disculpo | /me diskulpo/ (from spelling rules) |
The phrase lo siento is used to express genuine regret or empathy for a situation. This distinguishes it from words used for minor social transgressions, such as bumping into someone, where disculpa or perdón would be more appropriate.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, lo siento means "I feel it", where lo is "it" and siento is the first-person singular present of the verb sentir (to feel).
Which one should you use?
While lo siento expresses empathy or regret, me disculpo means "I apologize" and is used more often in professional or official contexts rather than for expressing personal emotional regret.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo ˈsjento/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using lo siento to mean "excuse me" when trying to get someone's attention. In those cases, use disculpe or perdón instead.
Did you know?
- While an English speaker might say 'I am sorry' to mean 'Excuse me', doing so with lo siento can make a waiter think you are actually grieving a tragedy.
- While lo siento is used for emotional regret, Spanish speakers use perdón for mistakes. Perdón comes from the verb perdonar, which means 'to forgive', making it a request for forgiveness rather than an expression of feeling.
- The verb sentir is a close relative of the English word 'sentiment', which shares the same root concept of feeling or perception.
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 when admitting to a mistake.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 clarify that something was a joke.Tatoeba #1246569 by wallebot, translation #13041074 by araneo
- Disculpe, no debería haber interrumpido la reunión.Excuse me, I shouldn't have interrupted the meeting.
- Lamentamos profundamente los inconvenientes causados por nuestro retraso.We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by our delay.
- Perdón por olvidar tu cumpleaños.Sorry for forgetting your birthday.
- Lo siento mucho por tu pérdida.I'm really sorry for your loss.
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel accidentally broke Elena's favorite coffee mug.
- DanielLo siento mucho, Elena.I am very sorry, Elena.
- ElenaNo pasa nada, Daniel.It's okay, Daniel.
- DanielTe compraré una nueva mañana.I will buy you a new one tomorrow.
- ElenaEstá bien, no te preocupes.It's fine, don't worry.
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.
