Ways to say it
| Bosnian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| izvinite | Latin, formal | |
| izvini | Latin, informal | |
| oprostite | /oprǒstite/ | Latin |
These terms are used to express regret, sorrow or to ask for forgiveness and attention. While some forms function as a simple 'sorry', others can be used to ask someone to repeat themselves by using a rising intonation.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these words depends on who you are addressing and the intensity of the request. izvinite is used for 'excuse me' or 'sorry' when speaking to a stranger, an elder or a group. izvini is a more casual 'sorry' used when addressing a friend, a child or someone you know well. oprostite is a stronger, more formal way to ask for forgiveness or to get someone's attention compared to izvinite.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
izvinite and oprostite are formal. izvini is informal. Additionally, if you need a more complete sentence, Izvinjavam se means 'I apologize' and Molim za oprost means 'Please forgive me', both of which are formal. For a more casual setting, you can use Oprosti to mean 'Forgive me'. If you wish to apologize before an event occurs, the formal phrase Unaprijed se izvinjavam means 'I apologize in advance'.
When do people say it?
When you use oprostite? with a rising intonation, it functions like 'Pardon?' in English to ask someone to repeat what they just said.
Did you know?
- The word oprost shares a linguistic root with the word for 'release' or 'letting go', framing the act of forgiving as physically releasing the other person from their guilt.
- In many Balkan social contexts, a verbal apology like izvinite is often accompanied by a slight tilt of the head or a subtle gesture of the hand toward the chest to signal sincerity.
- In Bosnian, there is a distinction between izvini (an excuse for a social slip) and oprosti (a plea for forgiveness after a moral wrong), though English often uses 'sorry' for both.
Examples in context
- Oprostite?Sorry?This example shows how to use oprostite to ask someone to repeat themselves.Tatoeba #10198910 by bokalabocca, translation #9020701 by Rawrren
- Izvini što sam morao/la otkazati planove. Nadam se da ćemo moći organizirati nešto drugo uskoro. Oprosti mi.Sorry for having to cancel the plans. I hope we can arrange something else soon. Please forgive me.
- Izvinjavam se zbog greške koju sam napravio/la. Shvatam kako je to utjecalo na tebe i osjećam se jako loše zbog toga. Dat ću sve od sebe da to ispravim.I apologize for the mistake I made. I understand how it has affected you, and I feel awful about it. I will do my best to rectify it.
- Izvinite, mogu li proći?Sorry, may I pass through?
- Izvinite, ne razumijem vas.Sorry, I do not understand you.
Example conversation
A man accidentally bumps into a woman in a cafe.
- AdnanIzvinite, nisam htio da vas udarim.Sorry, I did not mean to hit you.
- AmraNema veze, sve je u redu.It is okay, everything is fine.
- AdnanJeste li dobro, gospođo?Are you alright, ma'am?
- AmraDa, hvala na pažnji.Yes, thank you for your concern.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations and entries izvinite, oprostite, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
