Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| извини́те | izviníte/izviní | |
| извини́ | izviníte/izviní | |
| прости́те | prostíte/prostí | |
| прости́ | prostíte/prostí | |
| прошу́ проще́ния | prošú proščénija | |
| извиня́юсь | izvinjájusʹ | informal |
| пардо́н | pardón | colloquial |
| со́рри | sórri | slang |
In Russian, various expressions of regret or sorrow are used based on the level of remorse and the social situation. While извини́те is the standard and most commonly used word for sorry in formal situations, прошу́ проще́ния translates to "I beg for forgiveness" and carries a more profound sense of remorse. In official contexts, you may also encounter приношу извинения, which means "I offer apologies".
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the words used for different types of apologies. While both извини́те and прости́те can mean "sorry", извини́те is typically used for minor social transgressions (like bumping into someone). In contrast, прости́те carries a deeper sense of asking for forgiveness for a mistake or offense. Additionally, прости́ means "forgive me" and is a colloquial phrase used among close acquaintances.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Russian offers many registers for apologizing. For formal situations, use the standard извини́те or the highly formal прошу́ проще́ния. For close friends or children, use the informal извини́. For very casual or playful contexts, you might hear the colloquial пардо́н, which is a borrowed, slightly ironic or playful way to say "pardon" or the slang term со́рри, a direct loanword from English used primarily by younger generations. Note that со́рри and сорян (a slang expression borrowed from English used mostly among young people) are used in very casual, slangy contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of form depends on who you are addressing. The form извини́те is the polite or plural imperative used when addressing a stranger, a superior or a group of people. The form извини́ is the singular informal imperative used when addressing a friend, a child or someone you know well.
How do you pronounce it?
izviníte/izviní
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful with the word извиня́юсь. Although it may sound similar to the English "I apologize", many native speakers consider it grammatically incorrect or rude because the reflexive suffix implies "I excuse myself" rather than "I ask for your excuse".
Did you know?
- The word прости́те is linked to the concept of 'release' or 'letting go', making it feel like a request for the other person to emotionally release the grudge.
- The word пардо́н is a linguistic guest in Russia. It is a borrowed form of the French 'pardon' that Russians use ironically or playfully to sound slightly sophisticated or mockingly formal in casual settings.
- In very formal written apologies, such as those in government or legal documents, the phrase приношу извинения is used to literally 'bring' or 'carry' an apology to the recipient.
Examples in context
- Извините, что я опоздал(а).Sorry for being late.
- Прошу прощения за ошибку.I apologize for the mistake.
- Извини, что отменил(а) наши планы.Sorry for canceling our plans.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
