pole
To say sorry in Swahili when someone has had a misfortune or an accident, use pole. To apologize for your own mistake, say Samahani.
pole expresses sympathy or regret when something bad happens to someone else, such as when they get hurt, fall ill or lose someone.
Meaning: expression of regret or sorrow (intj)
Which one should you use?
pole shows sympathy for someone else's misfortune, whereas Samahani is the standard word you use to apologize for a mistake you made. Nisamehe means please forgive me.
How does it change in a sentence?
Add sana, meaning very, for emphasis. pole sana means very sorry and is often said in times of grief or serious misfortune. To admit a big mistake you can say Nimekosea sana, meaning I have made a big mistake.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use pole to apologize for something you did wrong. Use Samahani or Nisamehe for that.
When do people say it?
pole sana is commonly used to offer condolences when someone is grieving.
Did you know?
- The word pole also means 'slowly' in a different context, creating a linguistic link between the idea of slowing down and showing patience or empathy for another's struggle.
- When someone says pole to you, the customary response is to say asante, which means 'thank you', rather than denying the misfortune.
- The Swahili language distinguishes between levels of forgiveness, where Samahani acts as a polite 'excuse me' or 'pardon', while Nisamehe is a more profound request for actual forgiveness.
Examples in context
- Mheshimiwa, nafahamu nilikosea kwa kukujibu kwa ukali. Samahani sana.Sir/Madam, I realize I responded harshly to you. I am very sorry.
- Pole.Sorry.
- Pole kwa kuchelewa.Sorry for being late.
- Pole sana kwa msiba.I am very sorry for your loss.
Example conversation
Zuwena sees Omari limping after tripping.
- ZuwenaPole, Omari.Sorry, Omari.
- OmariAsante, Zuwena.Thank you, Zuwena.
- ZuwenaJe, unaumia sana?Are you hurting a lot?
- OmariHapana, nitakuwa sawa.No, I will be fine.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pole, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
