Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 불행하게도 | bulhaenghagedo |
| 유감스럽게도 | yugamseureopgedo |
Both 불행하게도 and 유감스럽게도 are used to express that something is happening through bad luck or is a regrettable situation. While 불행하게도 focuses on the bad luck or misfortune inherent in a situation, 유감스럽게도 focuses on the speaker's own feeling of regret or regretfulness.
Which one should you use?
불행하게도 is used to highlight the misfortune of a situation, whereas 유감스럽게도 emphasizes the speaker's sense of regret.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
유감스럽게도 is a formal and polite way to express 'unfortunately' and is commonly used in polite contexts, such as official correspondence or when expressing regret to a client. 불행히도 is also a formal way to say 'unfortunately'. 아쉽게도 can serve as a polite way to say 'unfortunately' in formal situations. In informal settings, you might use 아깝게도, which portrays a sense of regret or pity.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term 불행하게도 includes the particle 도. If you remove this particle to use the adverb 불행하게, the meaning changes from 'unfortunately' (describing a situation) to 'unhappily' or 'miserably' (describing the manner of an action).
How do you pronounce it?
bulhaenghagedo
Did you know?
- The phrase 유감스럽게도 is frequently seen in official government statements to express regret without necessarily admitting legal liability.
- Using 불행하게도 in a casual conversation about a small mistake can sound overly dramatic, as it is often reserved for genuine tragedies.
- The root of 불행 contains the character for 'luck' or 'fortune', meaning that 'unfortunately' is literally constructed as 'not having luck'.
Examples in context
- 유감스럽게도 저는 당신의 초대를 거절해야 합니다.Unfortunately I must decline your invitation.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 유감스럽게도 when declining an invitation.Tatoeba #906599 by Sudajaengi, translation #1256184 by stb
- 유감스럽게도 사실이네요.It is unfortunately true.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 유감스럽게도 to confirm a regrettable fact.Tatoeba #5371 by cueyayotl, translation #1320 by Zifre
- 유감스럽게도 제안은 받을 수 없습니다.Unfortunately, I cannot accept the offer.
- 불행히도 제 일정이 매우 바쁩니다.Unfortunately, my schedule is very busy.
- 아쉽게도 오늘은 만날 수 없어.Unfortunately, I can't meet today.
- 안타깝게도 그 영화는 이미 끝났어.Unfortunately, that movie has already ended.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Jihun are talking about a concert ticket.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈 씨, 콘서트 티켓 구했어요?Jihun ssi, konseoteu tiket guhaesseoyo?Jihun, did you get the concert tickets?
- 지훈 Ji-hun불행하게도 매진되었더라고요.bulhaeng-hagedo maejin-doe-eotteoragoyo.Unfortunately, they were sold out.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 아쉽네요.jeongmal aswipne-yo.That's too bad.
- 지훈 Ji-hun다음에 꼭 같이 가요.da-eume kkok gachi gayo.Let's definitely go together next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unfortunately” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
