Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| perdón | /peɾˈdon/ |
| disculpe/perdone (usted) | |
| lo siento | /lo ˈsjento/ |
Spanish uses different phrases to express regret or sorrow. To apologize for minor social blunders, such as bumping into someone or interrupting, use perdón. If you wish to express deep regret or empathy for a situation, use lo siento. To increase the intensity of your regret, you can say lo siento mucho to mean 'I am very sorry'. Other related terms include apenado for feeling grieved or saddened, and pobre to describe something that is poor or regrettable.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lo siento literally means 'I feel it', where 'lo' refers to the specific situation being regretted.
Which one should you use?
Perdón is used for small mistakes or asking for forgiveness, whereas lo siento is used to express empathy or a deeper sense of regret. If you need to excuse yourself to get someone's attention or when interrupting, you can use perdona or disculpa. If you specifically need to ask for permission to pass through or get by someone, use con permiso.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Disculpe and perdone are the formal versions used when addressing a stranger or someone in a formal setting to apologize or get their attention. In contrast, disculpa is an informal phrase often used among younger generations or in casual social settings.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾˈdon/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying estoy lo siento. This is a common error made by trying to translate 'I am sorry' literally. Simply use lo siento.
Did you know?
- While lo siento expresses empathy for a loss, using perdón in a funeral setting can be a mistake because it implies you are personally responsible for the death.
- The word perdón comes from the Latin perdōnāre, which combined the prefix per- with dōnāre meaning 'to give', effectively meaning 'to give completely'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a heartfelt lo siento is often accompanied by a touch on the arm or a hug to emphasize the emotional connection.
Examples in context
- Lo siento por ti.I'm sorry for you.This sentence is useful for expressing sympathy for someone using lo siento.Tatoeba #1010290 by Shishir, translation #64683 by Zifre
- Perdón. No lo sabía.I'm sorry. I didn't know.This sentence shows how to use perdón to apologize for not knowing something.Tatoeba #2492081 by marcelostockle, translation #1876994 by Spamster
- De verdad lo siento.I'm truly sorry.This sentence demonstrates how to add emphasis to your regret with lo siento.Tatoeba #4952607 by cueyayotl, translation #2248286 by CK
- Perdón por llegar tardeSorry for being late
- Le pido disculpas por mi errorI apologize for my mistake
- Disculpe la molestiaSorry for the inconvenience
- Lo siento mucho por lo sucedidoI'm very sorry for what happened
- Le pido disculpas. Lo siento muchoI apologize. I'm really sorry.
- Perdona si te molesto demasiadoSorry if I bother you too much
- Perdona por mi reacciónSorry for my reaction
- Disculpa por no haber llegado a tiempoSorry for not arriving on time
- Disculpa si te ofendíSorry if I offended you
- Perdona, ¿me puedes pasar la sal?Excuse me, can you pass me the salt?
- Disculpa, ¿me podrías decir dónde está la estación de tren?Excuse me, could you tell me where the train station is?
- 300 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía accidentally bumps into Mateo in a busy hallway.
- Lucía¡Perdón, Mateo! No fue mi intención.Sorry, Mateo! It wasn't my intention.
- MateoNo te preocupes, Lucía. No pasa nada.Don't worry, Lucía. It's nothing.
- LucíaEspero que estés bien.I hope you are okay.
- MateoSí, estoy bien. Gracias.Yes, I am fine. Thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations and entries perdón, lo siento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, lo siento, perdón, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
