lo siento
/lo ˈsjento/
In Spanish, the phrase for 'sorry to someone' is lo siento.
lo siento is the most common way to apologize in Spanish. You can use it to apologize for a mistake or to express regret and sympathy. To intensify your apology or show deeper sympathy, you can say lo siento mucho, which means 'I am very sorry'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lo siento literally translates to 'I feel it'.
Which one should you use?
While lo siento expresses deep regret or sympathy, perdón is often used for minor social transgressions, such as bumping into someone or asking to be excused. Disculpa can mean both 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry'.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo ˈsjento/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Instead, use the fixed verbal construction lo siento.
Did you know?
- If you use lo siento for a tiny mistake like dropping a pen, you might sound overly dramatic, as if you are mourning a tragic loss.
- The word sentir in lo siento describes both the physical sense of touch and the emotional experience of regret.
- The word siento comes from the verb 'sentir', which is also the root for the English word 'sentiment'.
Examples in context
- Lo siento, no puedo asistir a la reunión de hoy.I'm sorry, I cannot attend today's meeting.
- Perdón, no quise ofenderte.I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.
- Disculpa, llegué tarde a la cita.Sorry, I arrived late to the appointment.
- Perdóname por mi comportamiento.Forgive me for my behavior.
- Mil disculpas por el inconveniente que esto pueda haber causado.A thousand apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
- Disculpa por llegar tarde a la reunión.Sorry for being late to the meeting.
- Perdón por el error en el informe. Trabajaré en corregirlo de inmediato.I'm sorry for the mistake in the report. I will work on fixing it immediately.
- Lo siento mucho, pero no podré ir a la fiesta esta noche.I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to go to the party tonight.
- Perdóname si me expresé mal. No fue mi intención ofenderte.Forgive me if I expressed myself poorly. It wasn't my intention to offend you.
- Lo siento de verdad por lo que dije. Me arrepiento, y no volverá a suceder.I'm truly sorry for what I said. I regret it, and it won't happen again.
- Lo siento mucho.I am very sorry.
- Lo siento, no era mi intención.I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.
- Lo siento, llegué tarde.I'm sorry, I arrived late.
Example conversation
Sofía accidentally broke Alejandro's favorite mug.
- Sofía¡Lo siento mucho, Alejandro!I am so sorry, Alejandro!
- AlejandroNo te preocupes, Sofía.Don't worry, Sofía.
- SofíaLo siento, compraré uno nuevo.I'm sorry, I will buy a new one.
- AlejandroEstá bien, de verdad.It's okay, really.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lo siento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, lo siento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
