Ways to say it
| Latin | Note |
|---|---|
| mē paenitet | |
| mihi īgnōsce | |
| excūsā | |
| doleō | |
| meā culpā | |
| paeniteō | |
| excūsāte | plural |
| mihi īgnōscite | plural |
To express an internal feeling of regret or sorrow, you can use mē paenitet or paeniteō. If you wish to explicitly admit responsibility for a mistake, you can use the phrase meā culpā, which means "by my fault," either on its own or appended to an apology. If you are describing yourself as feeling repentant or apologetic, the adjective lamento can be used.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mē paenitet literally translates to "it repents me" or "it causes me regret."
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on your intent: mē paenitet focuses on your internal feeling of regret, whereas mihi īgnōsce is a direct request for forgiveness from another person.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When asking for forgiveness or an excuse, Latin uses the imperative form. Use the singular imperative mihi īgnōsce or excūsā when addressing one person. Use the plural imperative mihi īgnōscite or excūsāte when addressing a group of people.
Did you know?
- While mē paenitet expresses regret, the word paeniteō is the ancestor of the English word 'penitentiary', which now refers to a prison.
- The phrase meā culpā is still used today in the Catholic Mass as part of the 'Confiteor', where the speaker strikes their chest to show genuine contrition.
- The Latin word excūsā shares a root with 'excuse' and carries a connotation of being released from a formal charge or blame.
Examples in context
- mē paenitet quod tardē venī.I am sorry that I arrived late.
- mē paenitet hoc verbum dīcere.I am sorry to say this word.
Example conversation
Quintus accidentally knocks over a vase belonging to Aurelia.
- QuintusMē paenitet, Aurelia! Vas frēgī.I am sorry, Aurelia! I broke the vase.
- AureliaNūnum id fēcistī?Did you really do that?
- QuintusIta, mē paenitet.Yes, I am sorry.
- AureliaNihil est, Quintī.It is nothing, Quintus.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
