désolé
/de.zɔ.le/
The English phrase 'sorry casually' is translated into French as désolé.
désolé is the go-to expression for casual apologies used to apologize for a small mistake or a minor inconvenience. In casual speech, the full phrase Je suis désolé (I am sorry) is often shortened by dropping the subject pronoun and verb, leaving just désolé.
Which one should you use?
While désolé is used to express regret for a mistake, the word Pardon is more commonly used to ask someone to move out of your way or to get someone's attention. Pardon can also be used to ask for forgiveness in less formal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you might hear je m'excuse! to say sorry.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes depending on the gender and number of the person speaking: désolé is the masculine singular form, désolée is used if the person speaking is female, désolés is used if the person speaking is part of a group of men or a mixed group and désolées is used if the person speaking is part of a group consisting only of women.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /de.zɔ.le/.
Did you know?
- The word désolé comes from the verb désoler, which originally meant 'to isolate' or 'to make desolate' in the sense of stripping a land of its inhabitants.
- If you use the phrase je m'excuse to apologize in Paris, some traditionalists might find it quite rude. To them, the phrase sounds like you are granting yourself forgiveness rather than asking for it.
- If you want to sound even more casual and almost dismissive of a mistake, you might hear the word Oups used, which is the direct equivalent of the English 'Oops'.
Examples in context
- Désolé, j'ai oublié mon parapluie.Sorry, I forgot my umbrella.
- Oh, désolé, je ne t'ai pas vu.Oh, sorry, I didn't see you.
- Je suis désolé pour le retard.I am sorry for being late.
Example conversation
Lucas accidentally bumps into Léa in a hallway.
- LucasOups, désolé, Léa !Oops, sorry, Léa!
- LéaCe n'est rien, Lucas.It's nothing, Lucas.
- LucasTu vas bien ?Are you okay?
- LéaOui, tout va bien.Yes, everything is fine.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry désolé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
