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Imagine this. You’re in a beautiful Italian borgo<\/em>, looking at an even more beautiful artisan shop. You’re so taken with the merchandise on display that you turn your head as you walk, and then\u2014 BAM! You bump into someone. That someone is bound to expect an apology. Problem is, you don’t really know how to say sorry in Italian.<\/p>\n That’s what we’re going to do in this article. We’re going to take a look at many different ways to apologize in Italian, depending on whether you’re talking to a child or someone you don’t know very well.<\/p>\n After all, mistakes happen, and you definitely want to apologize when they do. Most importantly, you want to choose the right apology to avoid making things worse! Stick with us until the end, and you’ll have no trouble facing such scenarios.<\/p>\n Below are the most common and basic ways to apologize and ask for forgiveness in Italian. What’s good for you as a learner is that for all of these Italian does not distinguish between “excuse me” and “I’m sorry”<\/strong>, so all the words you’ll learn in this section can also be used to approach people when you need to ask a question or catch their attention!<\/p>\n Scusa<\/strong> is the most common informal<\/strong> way to say sorry in Italian. It’s quick, it’s simple, and it can be used in a variety of situations.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n Scusami<\/strong> is another informal<\/strong> way to say sorry in Italian. It’s the same as scusa<\/em>, but it adds the pronoun mi<\/strong>. Literally, it means “forgive me”, from scusare<\/strong>, which means “to forgive”. It’s interchangeable with scusa<\/em>, so it’s used in the same contexts.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n Scusi<\/strong> is the formal<\/strong> version of scusa<\/em>. Use it to apologize or to address people you don’t know or someone who expects a certain amount of respect from you, such as your boss, a shopkeeper, or a bartender serving you caff\u00e8<\/em>.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n Mi scusi<\/strong> is the formal<\/strong> version of scusami<\/em>. It’s a direct but polite request: excuse me<\/em>. Again, use this with people you don’t know well or to whom you need to show some respect. Don’t use it with friends, family or children.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n If you’re talking to a group of people, use scusate<\/strong> and scusatemi<\/strong>. They are neutral, so you can use them in both casual and formal settings.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n Mi dispiace<\/strong> can be used in all kinds of situations, both formal and informal, to show empathy<\/strong>. It’s also often used to show regret<\/strong> on a slightly deeper level than scusa<\/em>, so it’s another common way to say sorry in Italian.<\/p>\n Note that mi dispiace<\/em> doesn’t come before a request<\/strong>. Don’t use it to translate “excuse me”.<\/p>\n It comes from the verb dispiacere<\/strong>, which means “to regret” or “to be sorry”. In Italian, it has two functions\u2014 to ask for forgiveness and to show empathy when someone is going through a difficult time<\/strong>. For example, you might say mi dispiace<\/em> to a friend who has just broken up with their partner.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n In more casual contexts, you can shorten it to mi spiace<\/strong>, which uses the verb spiacere<\/strong>. The s- prefix in Italian creates the negative of a given word, so if we add an s- to piacere<\/strong>, which means “to like”, we get spiacere<\/strong>, “to dislike”. But remember, you’ll never use this verb outside of this context.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n You can use adverbs like molto<\/strong> to emphasize how much you regret doing or hearing something. For example:<\/p>\n Like mi dispiace<\/em>, sono desolato\/a<\/strong> can only be used to apologize, not to get someone’s attention. It’s less common than mi dispiace<\/em>, but still widely used.<\/p>\n It literally means “I’m sorrowful” and comes in two versions: sono desolato<\/strong>, which you use if you’re male, and sono desolata<\/strong>, which you use if you’re female. This is because, unlike English, Italian has two genders (masculine and feminine) and all adjectives must match the gender of the noun or subject (in this case, you<\/em> are the subject).<\/p>\n Examples:<\/p>\n Sono mortificato<\/strong> and sono mortificata<\/strong> (male first, female second) literally mean “I am mortified”. They’re not commonly used, sounding a bit old-fashioned, but you might still hear these. Example:<\/p>\n Sono spiacente<\/strong> is often used to say sorry in Italian in business situations. For example, you might hear it on voicemail. It’s usually shortened to just spiacente<\/strong>. Examples:<\/p>\n You use come, scusa?<\/strong> (casual) and come, scusi?<\/strong> (polite) to say sorry in Italian when you didn’t hear or understand what someone said. It can also be used to express disbelief<\/strong>. Examples:<\/p>\n The phrases you’re about to learn are less common and polite ways to apologize in Italian. You can use them whenever you want to be more creative with your language, but keep in mind that some of these may sound stiff or overly formal<\/strong> in a casual setting. Some of these can also be used to introduce a request:<\/p>\n You can say ti chiedo scusa\/perdono<\/strong> and le chiedo scusa\/perdono<\/strong>, which make the apology even more polite, in informal and formal settings, respectively. These mean “I beg your forgiveness” and can also be used to get someone’s attention. You could also just say chiedo scusa\/perdono<\/strong>. For example:<\/p>\n However, ti\/le\/vi devo delle scuse<\/strong> can only be used to apologize. Choose one depending on who you’re talking to, whether singular or plural, casual or polite. For example:<\/p>\n You use permesso<\/strong> and con permesso<\/strong> to say sorry in Italian in a very specific situation: you have to go through a door, someone is in your way, and you have to squeeze in a bit to get through. In this case you can say\u2026<\/p>\n Voglia scusarmi<\/strong> is used to apologize in formal<\/strong> settings. It has a plural form, vogliate scusarmi<\/strong>. Examples:<\/p>\n You can use colpa mia<\/strong> and errore mio<\/strong> to admit your responsibility after making a mistake. For example:<\/p>\n You may not be the one apologizing. Someone may be apologizing to you<\/em>. In this case, it can be useful to know how to respond. When someone says they’re sorry in Italian, the most common responses are:<\/p>\n And if you do not<\/em> want to forgive, you can say:<\/p>\n<\/a>Common ways to say sorry in Italian<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Scusa<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> Excuse me, can you pass me that book?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, I don’t feel like going out tonight.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, mom. I won’t do it again.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, I didn’t understand. Can you say that again?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Scusami<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Excuse me, can you tell me what time it is?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> I’m very sorry, but I don’t have time right now.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Scusi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> Excuse me, would you bring me another fork?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Excuse me, can you tell me where the cinema is?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, I bumped into you by accident.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Mi scusi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> Excuse me, where can I find a supermarket near here?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, wrong number.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> I am sorry for the delay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Scusate \/ Scusatemi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> Sorry for the mess, guys, I will clean up as soon as possible.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, kids. I can’t take you to the playground today.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Other ways to say sorry in Italian<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Mi dispiace<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> You broke up with Andrea? I’m sorry.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry for the delay, I didn’t hear the alarm clock.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n<\/strong> I’m sorry I didn’t get here in time.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> You failed your driving test? I’m sorry, I would like to do something to help you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n<\/strong> I am very sorry about your uncle’s loss.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> I am really sorry that I could not come to the party.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Sono desolato\/a<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> I am sorry about what happened last night.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> I am really sorry for not calling you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Sono mortificato\/a<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> I forgot about our appointment. I am mortified.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Sono spiacente<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> I am sorry, the number you are calling is busy.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, I really have to get going.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Come, scusa? \/ Come, scusi?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/strong> Sorry? Could you repeat that, please?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Mom, I won ten thousand euros! – Come again?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>Even more ways to say sorry in Italian<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\n<\/strong> Excuse me, could you please close the door?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> I broke a glass by accident. I apologize.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n<\/strong> I should have followed your advice. I owe you an apology.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Mom, Dad, I lied. I owe you an apology.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n<\/strong> Excuse me, may I pass?<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Sorry, beg your pardon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n<\/strong> Please excuse me, but I have to go.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> Please excuse me, I am expected in the office.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n<\/strong> The clock doesn’t work! – My fault, I accidentally dropped it on the floor.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong> I asked you to warn me! – My mistake, sorry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/a>How to respond to “I’m sorry” in Italian<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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