Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| îmi pare rău | /ɨmʲ ˌpare ˈrəw/ /ɨm ˌpare ˈrəw/ (informal) |
|
| scuză | ||
| scuză-mă | familiar, informal | |
| scuzați | ||
| scuzați-mă | [skuˈzat͡simə] (narrow) | formal, polite |
The phrase îmi pare rău is a common and straightforward way to say 'I'm sorry' to express genuine regret or sympathy. If you are looking to apologize for a minor social transgression or simply want to get someone's attention, you should use a form of the verb for 'excuse' instead, such as scuzați-mă.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase îmi pare rău literally translates to 'it seems bad to me'.
Which one should you use?
Use îmi pare rău to express genuine regret or sympathy. In contrast, use the forms scuză-mă or scuzați-mă when you want to say 'excuse me' or ask for forgiveness for a minor social slip. The single word scuzați can also be used alone as a command to 'excuse' someone or to ask for a momentary pardon in a formal setting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form scuză-mă is informal and used in familiar situations. For polite or formal settings, use scuzați-mă or scuzați. In very formal contexts where you wish to express sincere regret, you might use the phrase 'Vă rog să mă iertați', which means 'Please forgive me'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form scuză-mă is the informal or familiar way to say 'excuse me', while scuzați-mă is the polite or formal way to say 'excuse me'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɨmʲ ˌpare ˈrəw/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use îmi pare rău when they simply want to say 'excuse me' to pass someone. In those cases, scuzați-mă is more natural.
Did you know?
- The root of rău connects it historically to the Latin word for a 'defendant' or 'the accused', linking the concept of 'badness' to legal culpability.
- The word scuză is a loanword from Italian and French, rather than being derived directly from Latin like much of the Romanian core vocabulary.
- Using îmi pare rău when you simply bump into someone can sound overly dramatic or tragic to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- O, îmi pare rău.Oh, I'm sorry.This example shows how to express a simple apology.Tatoeba #2536429 by ijikure, translation #1579 by CM
- Îmi pare rău, nu pot.I'm sorry, I can't.This example demonstrates using the phrase to explain an inability to do something.Tatoeba #13619629 by Ioana_Dobre, translation #869492 by sundown
- Îmi pare rău dar nu înțeleg.I'm sorry, but I don't understand.This example shows how to use the phrase to preface a statement of misunderstanding.Tatoeba #4948737 by elenacristina260, translation #2361909 by CK
- Îmi pare rău că am întârziat la întâlnirea noastră. Vă rog să mă iertați pentru această neplăcere.I'm sorry that I was late for our meeting. Please forgive me for this inconvenience.
- Îmi pare tare rău că nu pot veni la petrecerea ta. Sper că îți vei aminti de mine data viitoare!I'm really sorry I can't come to your party. I hope you'll remember me next time!
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena accidentally bumps into Andrei in a hallway.
- ElenaO, îmi pare rău, Andrei!Oh, I am sorry, Andrei!
- AndreiNu este nimic grav, Elena.It is nothing serious, Elena.
- ElenaTotuși, îmi pare rău că te-am lovit.Still, I am sorry that I hit you.
- AndreiNu-ți face griji, totul este bine.Don't worry, everything is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations and entries îmi pare rău, scuză, scuzați-mă, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rău, scuză, îmi, îmi pare rău, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
