How to Say “Sorry” in French

Ways to say it

The primary way to express regret or sorrow is by using the adjective désolé. While désolé is a standard way to say sorry, navré is used to express a higher degree of regret or profound sorrow. If you want to get someone's attention or apologize for a minor social transgression, you should use the phrases excusez-moi or excuse-moi instead of expressing regret for a mistake.

Which one should you use?

The forms differ based on intensity and purpose. désolé is the standard expression for regret, whereas navré expresses more profound sorrow. For getting attention or addressing minor social slips, use excusez-moi or excuse-moi rather than the adjective forms.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

The level of formality changes depending on who you are addressing. Use the formal excusez-moi for strangers, superiors or groups. The informal excuse-moi uses the 'tu' form and is intended for friends, family or peers. For very formal situations, you might use Je vous prie de m'excuser (Please excuse me), Je tiens à présenter mes excuses (I would like to apologize) or Je regrette sincèrement (I sincerely regret). In casual settings, you can say Mille excuses (A thousand apologies).

Related words

Grieved, saddened (adj): navré, désolé.

Poor, regrettable (adj): piteux.

How does it change in a sentence?

As an adjective, désolé must agree with the person speaking. If the speaker is female, add an 'e' to make it désolée. If the subject is plural, add an 's' for masculine or mixed groups (désolés) or 'es' for plural feminine groups (désolées).

How do you pronounce it?

The word désolé has 3 syllables and is pronounced /de.zɔ.le/.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Be careful with the phrase pardon je m'excuse. In strict French etiquette, using je m'excuse can be seen as grammatically odd because it technically means 'I excuse myself' rather than asking for forgiveness.