lo siento
/lo ˈsjento/
In Spanish, lo siento is the way to say sorry it.
Lo siento is a common way to say I'm sorry in Spanish. It is used to express regret for a mistake or to show sympathy for a sad situation. If you wish to say you are very sorry, you can say siento mucho.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I feel it." The verb is the first-person singular present indicative of sentir (to feel), which expresses the speaker's current feeling.
Which one should you use?
While lo siento expresses deep regret or sympathy, perdón is more commonly used for minor social transgressions, such as bumping into someone or asking to be excused.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo ˈsjento/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying lo siento too frequently for tiny accidents can be seen as overly dramatic or insincere.
- While lo siento is for regret, Spanish speakers often use disculpe when they want to get a stranger's attention or apologize for a small interruption.
- Depending on the region, some people may say lo lamento instead of lo siento to convey a deeper or more formal sense of grief.
Examples in context
- Lo siento por llegar tarde a la reunión.I'm sorry for being late to the meeting.
- Disculpe mi equivocación.Excuse my mistake.
- Disculpe usted, no fue mi intención ofenderlo.I'm sorry, it was not my intention to offend you.
- ¡Perdón! No vi que estabas allí.Sorry! I didn't see you there.
- Perdón por mi reacción exagerada.I'm sorry for my overreaction.
- Disculpa por olvidar tu cumpleaños.Sorry for forgetting your birthday.
- Lo siento, no puedo ir.I am sorry, I cannot go.
- Lo siento, es tarde.I am sorry, it is late.
Example conversation
Mateo apologizes to Elena for arriving late to their meeting.
- MateoElena, lo siento mucho.Elena, I am very sorry.
- ElenaNo te preocupes, Mateo.Don't worry, Mateo.
- MateoLo siento, había mucho tráfico.I am sorry, there was a lot of traffic.
- ElenaEstá bien, no pasa nada.It's okay, it's nothing.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lo siento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
