French word for i am sorry

Imagine how you’d react if your boss fired you and told you
“Sorry, bro” as an apology. You’d be even more upset at the news, because what
kind of apology is that?

Now imagine how you’d react if a friend bumped into you and said,
“I beg your pardon”. You’d wonder why he spoke so formally, or maybe you’d think
he was teasing you.

These two examples illustrate the importance of using the
right apology for the right situation, and that’s what this article will help
you do.

After reading it, you’ll know the best way to say “sorry” in every situation you may encounter in France.

The classic “I’m sorry”

The most basic way to say sorry in French is Je suis désolé, You can use it the same way you’d use “I’m sorry” in English.  That means you can say it to anyone: a friend, a family member, a stranger, a coworker, your boss, the Queen….

Here are some examples of situations when you could use “Je
suis désolé”:

• You phone your doctor to say you’re stuck in traffic and won’t be able to make it to your appointment on time.
• You yelled at your friend yesterday and want to apologize.
• You’re talking to your neighbor, who informs you that his best friend died last week.

As you can see from that last example, just like in
English, désolé(e) doesn’t
just signify an apology; it can also be used to express sadness that someone is
experiencing a bad feeling or situation.

Another thing about je suis désolé(e) is that it
can be adapted to any subject. For example: Nous sommes désolé s (We’re
sorry).

So, this is by far the most flexible “sorry” in the French
language, which means if there’s only one that you remember from this list,
this should be it.

But there is one thing that doesn’t make this phrase
completely effortless to use. Keep in mind that désolé is an
adjective. This means it changes depending on who is sorry. If you’re a
woman, you need to add an “e” at the end: désolée. If you’re talking
about a group of males or a mixed group of males and females being sorry, you
need to add an “s” at the end: désolés. And if you’re talking about a
group of females being sorry, you have to add both an “e” and an “s” to the
end: désolées .

Examples:

« Je suis
désolée, » Rose a dit, « j’ai mangé le dernier biscuit. » (“I’m sorry,” Rose said, “I ate the last
cookie.”

Nous sommes désolés
de t’avoir fait attendre. (We’re sorry to have made you wait.)

The classic “Sorry”

There are situations when saying the whole phrase Je
suis désolé(e) may be too formal.

If you want to apologize to a friend, loved one, or young
person in general, you can just say “Désolé(e)” .

You can also use Désolé(e) with people you don’t know
if you meet them in an informal context.

Remember that since désolé
is an adjective, it will have to agree with the subject. You can see how to
make désolé agree with the gender and number of
(a) subject(s) in the previous entry on this list.

Here are some examples:

• Désolée, je ne peux pas venir te chercher à la
  gare. (Sorry, I [a
  female] can’t come pick you up at the train station.)
• Désolés, nous serons en retard. (Sorry, we [multiple people of
  which at least one is male] will be late.)

The upgraded “I’m sorry”

Sometimes a simple “I’m sorry” feels a bit too light. In this
case, you can add one of the following adjectives before désolé(e):

• Je suis vraiment désolé(e) (I’m really sorry).
• Je suis sincèrement désolé(e) (I’m sincerely sorry).
• Je suis tellement désolé(e) (I’m so sorry).
• Je suis profondément désolé(e) (I’m deeply sorry).

Note that you can’t say Je suis très désolé(e),
because très means “a lot” and using it would imply there are different
degrees to express how sorry you are. Most people consider that you’re either
sorry or you aren’t.  You also can’t say Je
suis si désolé(e), probably for the same reason.

The extreme “I’m sorry”

If you want to show that you’re extremely sorry, especially when it comes to something very serious that you’ve done, or very bad news you’re reacting to, you can say Je suis navré(e).

Navré’s
etymology shows its
power: it’s derived from a word that meant “to wound by piercing or cutting
someone”. As it evolved, it came to mean things like wounding, sorrow, and
broken-heartedness. So, navré(e) isn’t to be used lightly.

When I was learning French, I
fell in love with this word – it’s an easy way to express extreme grief,
regret, and sympathy. 

Keep in mind that, like désolé,
navré has to agree with the gender and number of its
subject(s). 

The public transport “Sorry”

If you use the Paris Métro or go anywhere that’s crowded in
France, you’re bound to eventually bump into someone. When this happens,
simply say “Pardon”.

Pardon is easy to use because it doesn’t have to
agree with a subject or object – it’s just a stand-alone word.

But using it can be confusing for us native English-speakers.
Many of us would think of saying Excusez-moi instead, because  it’s so similar to “Excuse me”. But while
this phrase is somewhat similar, there’s a key difference.

The difference between Pardon and Excusez-moi
is that Pardon implies you’re just asking forgiveness, while Excusez-moi
often (but not always) comes with the idea of needing to get someone’s
attention. In English, we use “Excuse me” this way at times, too – for
example, “Excuse me, but I didn’t get a fork.” 
Since bumping into someone is a scenario where you especially want to
make it clear that you didn’t do it to get attention or be noticed, Pardon
is the logical choice.

You can also use Pardon if you
don’t understand or hear what someone just said. In this case, simply
raise the tone of your voice at the end so it sounds like a question.

Excuse me in French: The attention-getting “Sorry”

As I mentioned in the previous entry, Excusez-moi usually implies that you’re apologizing but also need to be noticed. As such excusez-moi can be considered the French excuse me. A perfect example of when you’d use this is if you’re in a restaurant and would like to pay the bill. You can say Excusez-moi  to politely get the waiter’s attention as they pass by your table.

Another very common way you’ll hear French people use Excusez-moi
 is when they exit a crowded train.
In this case, they opt for Excusez-moi over the previous entry, Pardon
because there’s the idea of “Please notice that I’m now getting off the train
and move out of my way.” 

Although needing to be noticed is often what Excusez-moi
implies, French people also often use it to apologize for calling
the wrong number:

Excusez-moi,
je me suis trompé de numéro.

Sorry, I called the wrong number.

In this case, it’s simply to apologize – obviously the
person on the other end of the line is aware of their presence.

Note that while Excusez-moi is the most common way to
use this phrase, you can add whatever pronoun goes with the subject. For
example, Excusez-nous. You could also technically change the imperative
to the tu form, in the unusual situation where you’re trying to rather
formally get the attention of someone you know (normally just call out their
name or something).

The “It’s my fault”

Je suis désolé(e)  is a perfectly fine way to say “sorry” in
French, but French people rarely use it on its own. Often, they explain what they’re
sorry for and add some kind of justification.

Unfortunately, there’s no formula for what to write or say after
“sorry”, because it obviously depends on the situation, but here’s an easy way
to make your phrase sound more natural: admit that’s it’s your fault and take
responsibility for what happened.

To do that, you can use “c’est
ma faute” (literally: it’s my fault).

Désolé, c’est
ma faute, j’aurais dû y penser.

Sorry, it’s my fault, I should’ve thought of that.

Désolée, c’est
ma faute, je ferai attention la prochaine fois.

Sorry, it’s my fault, I’ll be more careful next time.

As you can see, using c’est ma faute often involves
verb tenses that go beyond the present simple. But if you’re just starting out
with French, don’t worry. The most important part of an apology is sincerely
meaning it, so even if you’ve only got Je suis désolé(e) down for now, a
French person will understand and still appreciate it.

The formal “I’m sorry”

Je suis désolé(e) is enough in most formal
situations. But there are cases when you may want to take formality to the next
level.

In such cases, you can use “Veuillez
m’excuser” (please accept my apologies) or “Je
vous demande pardon” (I beg your pardon).  You’ll often see these phrases in
professional correspondence or on signs.

For example, it’s very common to see the phrase Veuillez
nous excuser pour la gêne occasionnée
(literally: Kindly excuse us for the difficulty/discomfort we might have caused;
most often translated as “We apologize for the inconvenience”) included in
signs or messages indicating a train is delayed or cancelled, or a
building/transportation stop is closed for construction or another exceptional
or unexpected reason. You can see a photo of an actual message like this, here.

As for Je vous demande pardon, note that you can also
use it as a question when you don’t understand what someone just said. Consider
it a (much) more formal version of pardon.

I’ve also seen Je vous demande pardon used to
emphasize the fact that a person is really sorry for something, sort of on the
same level as the “upgraded ‘I’m sorry’” phrases mentioned earlier. In this
case, it would be used with te. For example, if you’re a fan of romantic
movies or novels, you might just come across something like this:

Je te demande
pardon. Je ne voulais pas te blesser. (Please forgive me. I didn’t
mean to hurt you.)

Although you’ll probably come across them at some point,
remember that these phrases are rarely used in everyday spoken French. 

The harsh “I’m sorry”

There are phrases that always come before bad news.

Je suis au regret de vous informer  is one of them.

It literally means “I am at the regret to inform you that…”,
and is mostly used by companies when they want to tell you they won’t hire you
despite your amazing CV or to tell you they can’t help you.

Note that this is really formal – a friend won’t give you
bad news this way. 

The controversial “I’m sorry”

If you go to France, you may hear people saying Je m’excuse. It’s fairly common here, probably because it takes a bit longer to say than Désolé(e) and feels a bit formal.

Some French people (and non-native speakers) see it that
way. But many native French-speakers find this phrase rude. The reason lies
in its literal translation. Instead of asking someone else for forgiveness, Je
m’excuse literally means that you excuse/forgive yourself. 

The author of this article
in Le Figaro points out that the phrase may seem rude simply because there’s
too much focus on its literal translation, and not on the speaker’s intention.

Others would say that it depends on how you use Je
m’excuse.  For instance, J posted in
our comments section that, for them, it depends on the speaker’s circumstances.
If you’re using it in reference to something that you really would need someone
to forgive you for (like knocking them over), it’s rude. But if it’s used to
apologize for any inconvenience due to circumstances that the speaker can’t
control or change (For example, Je m’excuse mais je ne parle pas bien français),
it’s fine. I was taught this in my French classes at school, as well.

Some French people feel this way, and others (including, as
I discovered while researching this article, my French husband), still think Je
m’excuse is rude, regardless of the circumstances.

So for those of us learning French, it’s best to know this
phrase exists and understand what it means, but not use it.

If someone says it to you, considering that so many French
people seem to use it without really thinking about its connotation, don’t be
offended…unless of course the person does seem to be acting impolite.

How to make a detailed apology in French

The French don’t tend to like elaborate apologies (more on
that a little later), but sometimes there’s more to be said than what this list
covers. Luckily, there are lots of websites that can help, with suggestions of
apologies for all sorts of occasions.

Personally, I like this site, which suggests apologies you can send as text messages. Most would work perfectly well in spoken French, too, or in an informal letter, card, or email.  The examples on this list are shorter – sometimes even surprisingly brief – but could make good additions to a longer apology.

If you’d like to find some other, longer ways to say “sorry”
in French, do an online search for “modèle excuses sms” (“model apology text
messages”). I’ve suggested this search term because if you search for “modèle
excuses,” you’ll find examples of formal letters of apology. Of course, those
could be interesting if you need to write one on behalf of your business, so if
that’s what you’re looking for, now you know how to search for that, too.

How to express other meanings of “sorry” in French

Although there are many similarities between the various
ways to say “sorry” in French and English, one thing to keep in mind is that désolé
 and its cousins aren’t quite as vague (or
versatile, depending on whom you ask) as “sorry” is in English.

For instance, one thing that’s often tricky for native
English speakers is translating a sentence like “I’m sorry to be leaving
Marseilles” into French.  In French, “sorry”
isn’t typically associated with regret. If you want to express that,
you’d use a verb like regretter.  In
this particular case, you would say Je regrette de devoir quitter Marseille
(I’m sorry I have to leave Marseille). Or  you could simply express the emotion you’re
feeling: Je suis triste de quitter Marseille (I’m sad to be leaving
Marseille).

Another common way “sorry” is used in English, is to express one’s condolences. Although you can say Je suis désolé(e) to express your sympathies, if you want to be more specific, it’s best to use:

Mes condoléances /(Toutes) Mes condoléances – My condolences/My sincere condolences

In Canadian French, you’ll also see Mes sympathies.

Remember that you can replace the pronoun to fit who’s
expressing their condolences, for example, Toutes nos condoléances
(Our sincere condolences).

To find out other ways to express “sorry” in its myriad of
different English meanings and connotations, in French, have a look at this
helpful list.

False cognate alert!

Saying “sorry” in French is relatively straightforward. But
when it comes to apology-related nouns, you’re bound to run into some faux
amis.

The feminine word apologie tends to be a term that
refers to championing a cause and is usually used in the phrase faire
l’apologie de.

For example: Je
fais toujours l’apologie du dessert. (I
always champion the cause of dessert.)

The actual translation for the word “apology” is excuse.
For English-speakers, this would imply someone giving a reason why they can’t
do something. But in French, it comes from another meaning, related to our
phrase “Excuse me”. Une excuse is how you say “an apology” in French
most of the time. 

Présenter ses excuses or demander
pardon are the most common ways to say “apologize” in French. For example: La star a présenté ses
excuses auprès de ses fans. (The star apologized to her fans).

You can find some variations and additional ways to say
“apologize” in French, here.

How often do the French say “sorry”?

With at least fourteen different ways to say sorry, you may
think the French are a very apologetic people. In fact, the varieties of
“sorry”’s in French comes from their preference for precision, rather than a
need to ask forgiveness.

There are no statistics (none that I’ve found, anyway) that
show how often French people apologize, or why, etc. But as an Anglo-Saxon,
I’ve found that the French are sparing with their “sorry”’s, unlike
people from my own culture.

If you do an online search for something like “Countries
where people apologize the most,” you’ll find articles, questions, and
headlines that claim the English, Canadians, Americans, and Japanese in the
running for the top spot. There’s even a survey
that reveals the average Brit apologizes at least 8 times a day – and some
apologize more than 20!

Of course, as linguist Edwin Battistella points
out , the word “sorry” doesn’t always mean an apology in English. It can
also express sympathy, regret, or serve as a polite exclamation. For example,
many French people find it funny that the British will apologize for the
weather, saying something like “Sorry about the rain.” Of course Brits know
they have no control over the rain – the “sorry” here is more about expressing
that they feel sorry for the person who has to experience the bad
weather.

In French, an expression like Désolé(e)
pour la pluie would be absurd. But even more universally understandable
apologies would be considered too much or unnecessary.

The French are known for being a polite culture. It’s
customary, for example, to greet shopkeepers, and even if you’re yelling at a
stranger to tell them they’ve dropped something, you’d always address them as madame,
mademoiselle, or monsieur.
But apologies are another story.

This interesting article about apologizing in cultures around the world includes some insight about apologies in France. Babbel French team lead Sophie Vignoles explains that for the French, “Saying sorry for something that doesn’t really require an apology, like interrupting someone, will signal a lack of sincerity.”  

Although I don’t necessarily agree with some of Vignoles’ other observations, I think this particular idea is an intriguing one. It’s true that the French tend to prefer concise, sincere statements regarding feelings, rather than “oversharing” or crying one’s emotions out from the rooftops. I’ve often written about how the French tend to be lowkey about expressing even big feelings like love; to them, it’s more about what you do, than what you say, since anyone can lie. 

Just as French people find it silly, stupid, and/or insincere when Americans (like myself) go around constantly exclaiming how much we love everything, how sad something is, how amazing, all the time, it seems that over-apologizing also falls into that category.

It’s not that the French never say “sorry”, of course
-otherwise, this article wouldn’t be here. It’s normal to genuinely feel
contrite about anything from bumping into someone on the Metro, to hearing
someone’s lost a loved one. But in general, when it comes to saying “sorry”,
the French weigh their words.

Fellow Anglo-Saxons, this can be hard to adjust to if you
stay for a long time or even move to France. When I first came to Paris to
study abroad, many French acquaintances, not to mention the woman I rented a
room from, often remarked that I apologized too much! Some would even
pre-emptively tell me, “Don’t be sorry!” 
On my end, this was confusing, since I was only being polite.

Learning to be less generous with my “sorry” ‘s was one of
the hardest cultural adjustments I’ve had to make since coming to live in
France more than a decade ago. Luckily, after a few years, I got out of the
habit of apologizing a lot – well, when I’m in France. When I visit or talk to
friends and family in the US, I’m just as “sorry” as they are.

This isn’t a warning not to be offended if a French person
doesn’t apologize. Personally, I’ve found that most reasonable people in any
culture apologize when that seems like the right thing to do. But French people
generally will be less open about talking about their feelings, so dragging up
regrets from the past and apologizing for them or saying things like, “I’m
sorry I made you feel that way,” won’t be frequent events.

Still, the biggest difference you’ll notice is not saying
sorry for things that, if you took some distance from the situation, you could
probably say there’s no need to apologize for in the first place. As a
general rule, French people won’t apologize for sitting down next to you on
public transit, the weather, debating something you’ve said, or personal
choices that don’t particularly affect anyone else, like not being able to
speak up or carrying too many bags.

So, if you come to France, be prepared to use, hear, and see
apology-related vocabulary from time to time. But not eight to twenty times a
day!

Over to you

Have you ever had to apologize in French? How did it go?
Share your experience in the comments section below!

In a country where tu (you) and vous (you) are used to distinguish between formal/informal situations, manners are important, especially in the language (likewise with asking “how are you?”). It’s no different when it comes to apologizing and saying “I’m sorry” in French. Knowing the right words and phrases to use for each person or situation is essential, so we’d like to give you a brief overview to help you learn what to say and to avoid any faux pas! This article provides four ways of saying “I’m sorry” in French, where and when to use them, as well as some cultural tips and tricks for apologizing in French.

• 1. The classic – je suis désolé.e
• 2. The everyday sorry – pardon
• 3. The formal way – excusez-moi
• 4. The deep apology – je suis navré.e

---

1. The classic – je suis désolé.e

The most common way to say “I’m sorry” in French is je suis désolé.e. It can be used in pretty much any situation, from apologizing to a friend after an argument to when you’re running late for an appointment. At times, you will hear it shortened to désolé.e (sorry), which is more informal than the previous phrase. 

This phrase can also be used to say “sorry” in the context of a death when you want to give your condolences. Top tip: Remember to conjugate the verb to feminine/masculine and singular/plural! For example, if a group of men and women want to apologize, they would say nous sommes désolés. 

The classic 2.0

You can also jazz up this classic phrase by adding an adjective before the word désolé.e. This helps emphasize how sorry you are feeling. Here are some examples:

• Je suis très désolé.e (I’m very sorry)
• Je suis profondément désolé.e (I’m deeply sorry)

In any case, this classic phrase is a safe bet. If you’re unsure of the formality of the situation or what phrase to use depending on who you are speaking to, je suis désolé.e will always be a good option.

2. The everyday sorry – pardon

If you live in a city, you will no doubt have experienced rush hour on the bus/subway/train. So you will know what it’s like to bump into a stranger and have to quickly apologize: “excuse me/pardon/sorry” are staples in this situation.

In French, the term for this is pardon and you will hear this everywhere on the Paris subway. This term can also be used when you’d like someone to repeat what they said, in case you didn’t hear them or misheard them.

3. The formal way – excusez-moi

Excusez-moi (excuse me) is a more formal expression used to say excuse me in French and is often used to get the attention of, for example, a shop assistant. If you’d like to ask where the milk is, you would say:

Excusez-moi, où se trouve le lait? 

Cultural tip: If you’d like to ask the question above, you will most likely be asking a stranger (the shop assistant) so it’s culturally polite to begin with bonjour (hello) before asking a question.

The verb of this phrase, s’excuser (to excuse yourself) is also used as a formal way to apologize in French. For example:

• Very formal: Je vous prie de bien vouloir m’excuser (Please accept my apologies)
• Very formal: Je vous demande de m’excuser (I beg your pardon)
• Fairly formal: Veuillez m’excuser  (Please accept my apologies)

Customer service 

This verb can also be seen in writing when someone wants to apologize for the inconvenience in French, for example in the customer service sector. Take a look at this example:

• Nous vous prions de bien vouloir nous excuser pour la gêne occasionnée (We apologize for any inconvenience caused)

This formal phrase may be part of an email from a company apologizing for a delay in your delivery or a missing item. It may also be seen in a shop window if they close unexpectedly early and want to apologize to disappointed customers.

4. The deep apology – je suis navré.e

We’ve all made big mistakes in life and sometimes that requires more than a simple “I’m sorry.” If you want to express your deep regret and apologies, the best phrase to use in French would be Je suis navré.e. This expression is very formal and serious but also reflects a much deeper emotion of being sorry. It is often used in written French and can also be said when reacting to bad news, like a death.

---

Sorry not sorry

There are, of course, other ways to say sorry but we wanted to introduce you to the most common expressions and terms in this article. Being able to adapt your French to any given situation, formal or informal, will definitely earn you brownie points on your language learning journey. So from learning how to toast to how to say sorry in French, we’ve got you covered (try out some French vocabulary apps to help you remember these basics). 

---

Clara Avrillier is a writer, linguist and content manager living in the South of France. She loves getting out in nature, doing sport, reading and playing music. She also works with expats looking to move to France. Connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Most people would probably agree that saying “I’m sorry” in French is one of the most important things any beginning French learner should know how to do. There are so many different reasons why someone may have to say “I’m sorry” that you should be aware of what to say and in which situation to say it. 

Just like in English, there are quite a few ways to say sorry in French that depend on the context, formality, location and of course the severity of the situation.

This article will hopefully help you to know exactly how to say “I’m sorry” in every instance you can think of.

Let’s get started.

Saying I’m sorry in french with je suis désolé(e)

This is probably the most common way to say “I’m sorry” that you’ll learn in French class or from French textbooks. Although it absolutely does mean “I’m sorry” in French, there are a couple of things that should be clarified.

Je suis désolé(e) is best used in situations that are a little more serious than a simple mistake. You may, for example, choose to use Je suis désolé(e) when you hurt someone’s feelings or when you forget something important. This isn’t what you would use if you accidentally bump into someone (more on that later.)

Just like in English, you aren’t limited to just saying je suis désolé(e) in situations where you’re sorry. You are able to explain exactly why you are sorry. See the below examples..

Although most people think of the French word pour as the English word “for” you’ll see in the above examples that this isn’t always the case. When saying “I’m sorry” in French you use de when what comes next is a verb and pour  when what comes next is a noun. You can also use que to say “I am sorry that…”

If you feel that just saying je suis désolé(e) isn’t strong enough you can add any of the following modifiers to it..

Je suis tellement désolé(e) – I’m so sorry

Je suis profondément désolé(e) – I’m profoundly sorry

Je suis vraiment désolé(e) – I am truly/really sorry

Je suis sincèrement désolé(e) – I am sincerely sorry

You can, of course, just say désolé(e) on its own just like you would say “…sorry” in English.

Saying I’m sorry in French with Je suis navré

Je suis navré(e) has almost the exact same meaning as je suis désolé(e) and to be honest, a lot of native-French speakers will tell you that they mean the exact same thing if you ask them. However, there is a little bit of a difference between them. 

Je suis navré is used more often if you aren’t at fault for something and just want to express empathy or sadness. An example of this would be if someone’s relative passed away. That’s not to say that you couldn’t use je suis désolé in this situation, but many would say je suis navré is more appropriate.

Don’t be surprised however if you hear both used interchangeably. People regularly debate on which phrase to use in which situation.

Saying I’m sorry in French with je regrette

Je regrette has almost the same meaning as both je suis désolé and je suis navré, but there is of course a little bit more to it. Je regrette is better used when there is an actual regret to express. This doesn’t mean you couldn’t use je suis désolé or je suis navré instead, but if you really want express regret, then use this one. 

It is also more formal than the other two.

Je regrette can also mean “to miss” as in “I miss you” (je te regrette.)  However this is much more formal than tu me manques which is used much more often and many will say it implies that you’ll never see that person again (such as when they pass away.)

Saying I’m Sorry in French with Pardon

There’s only a few things to go over with this one. Although the English word “pardon” isn’t used all that much, its French counterpart is used all the time. To put things simply, pardon is a quicker and more informal way to say sorry.

This is what you would use if you accidentally step on someone’s foot or bump them in the hallway. It doesn’t require any further explanation as the context should be enough. You can of course elaborate if you would like to.

Although pardon can be used just by itself as a quick way to say “sorry”, when placed in a sentence such as je vous demande pardon it becomes more formal. 

Saying I’m sorry with j’ai le regret de vous informer

This next one is one that you hopefully won’t have to hear too often because it’s only used when presenting bad news to someone. The English translation is “I regret to inform you”.

Another variation of this is Je suis au regret de vous informer, although the meaning is the same. You’ll often see companies say Nous avons le regret.. or Nous sommes au regret.. if they are issuing a collective apology to someone or to a group of people.

Saying I’m sorry with c’est (de) ma faute

If you want to take blame for something, which is in a way apologizing, you can say c’est de ma faute or simply c’est ma faute. The translation for this is “it’s my fault”, which can also be combined with the many ways of saying sorry in this list.

Saying I’m sorry in french with excusez-moi

This one is probably the only way to say “sorry” in French that even non-French speakers are familiar with. If you couldn’t tell already, the most accurate translation of excusez-moi is “excuse me”.

Depending on what your French level is you’ll have already figured out that excusez-moi is used in more formal situations OR when you are talking to multiple people regardless of the formality. If you are just talking to one person (such as a friend or family member) then you should say excuse-moi.

You can also use excusez-moi and excuse-moi in more complete sentences.

Saying I’m sorry in French with Veuillez m’excuser

This is probably one of the most formal ways to apologize on this list. The closest translation to this would be “I do apologize for…” or “Please accept my apologies…”

You probably won’t hear this one too much in conversation, but you’ll definitely see it in official apologies from organizations or corporations. However, in these situations they won’t say veuillez m’excuser, but rather veuillez nous excuser (please accept OUR apologies.)

Saying I’m sorry in French with je m’excuse

Here’s a way of saying sorry that is somewhat debated. Technically saying je m’excuse is incorrect as it means that you are excusing yourself. Having this said, you will still hear it from time to time. It’s recommended that you be aware that you may encounter this, but not to use it yourself.

In Canada however, you will hear this a lot more often and it’s usually accepted without an issue. If you aren’t comfortable using it and don’t want to make a habit of doing so then you can still stick with je suis désolé or one of the other forms we discussed when appropriate.

What other ways of saying “sorry” in French do you know? Comment below and tell us about them.

How do you say ‘I’m sorry’ in French? What about ‘excuse-me’ or ‘please accept my apologies’?

There are many ways to say ‘I’m sorry in French’: from expressing a polite ‘excuse-me’ to get someone’s attention to a deep and serious apology, you’ll have to chose your words carefully. Some French expressions look like English expressions but may not be used exactly the same way.

So let’s dig into the whole ‘I’m sorry’ French world.

This free French lesson – like many on French Today’s blog – features audio recordings. Click on the link next to the headphones to hear the French pronunciation.

3 Shortcuts To Say I’m Sorry in French

Before we dive into in-depth explanations, let’s see three fast way to say I’m sorry in French.

1. Désolé(e) !
   Sorry!
2. Pardon !
   Sorry! Excuse-me!
3. Toutes mes excuses !
   My apologies!

Any of these three expressions would work to say sorry as if you bumped into someone, or to be polite when you did something slightly wrong.

You could also use “désolé(e)” or “pardon” when you want to get someone’s attention, like a waiter.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at how to translate ‘I’m sorry’ in French.

How To Say I’m Sorry In French?

The most common way to say ‘I’m sorry’ in French is “je suis désolé(e)“.

How To Spell I’m Sorry In French?

“Désolé” is a French adjective, so its spelling will agree depending who speaks. The good thing is that the pronunciation won’t change whether it’s spelled désolé/e/s. We typically use it with the verb to be in French.

1. Pierre est désolé.
   Pierre is sorry.
2. Camille est désolée.
   Camille is sorry.
3. Camille et Pierre sont désolés.
   Camille and Pierre are sorry.
4. Elles sont désolées.
   They are sorry.

How to Nuance I’m Sorry In French?

It’s very common to modify this statement with an adverb to make it more profond, more apologetic, more formal.

1. Je suis vraiment désolé.
   I’m really sorry.
2. Je suis sincèrement désolé.
   I’m sincerely sorry.
3. Je suis profondément désolé.
   I’m deeply sorry.

Now let’s see other ways of saying I’m sorry in French.

2 Fancy Ways of Saying I’m Sorry in French

If you wanted to switch to a more formal French register, you could also use French synonyms for I’m sorry.

A Very Deep I’m Sorry

You could say “je suis navré(e)“. It’s very strong though: a good expression if you are truly deeply sorry about something.

Je suis navré de vous avoir fait de la peine.
I’m so sorry to have hurt you.

A Confusing I’m Sorry

There’s another way to say I’m sorry in French which is quite confusing for English speakers. It’s “je suis confus” – “je suis confuse” if said by a woman (the final e will make the S sound like a Z).

This way of saying I’m sorry is quite old-fashioned. I’ve never used it myself.

Je croyais vraiment que notre rendez-vous était à 15h. Je suis vraiment confus.
I really thought our appointment was at 3 PM. I’m truly sorry.

So what if you wanted to say ‘I’m confused’ in French? Ah, that’s another story altogether. I’ll direct you to my article on how to express confusion in French.

Now let’s see how to translate another way of expressing ‘I’m sorry’: the expression ‘excuse-me’.

How To Translate Excuse-me In French?

Just like in English, ‘excuse-me’ in French could be used to offer an apology as well as to ask for someone’s attention.

Let me give you some examples of situation where you’d say ‘excuse-me’ in French.

1. Je suis sincèrement désolée d’avoir oublié de vous répondre. S’il vous plaît excusez-moi.
   I’m really sorry to have forgotten to answer you. Please excuse-me.
2. Excusez-moi ! Je peux avoir l’addition s’il vous plaît ?
   Excuse-me! May I have the check please?
3. Pardon ! Vous avez l’heure ?
   Excuse-me! Would you have the time?

4 Ways of Translating Excuse-me To Get Someone’s Attention

When you want to get someone’s attention in French, you may use:

1. Excusez-moi – in the vous form.
2. Excuse-moi – in the tu form.
3. Veuillez m’excuser – quite formal and in the vous form.
4. Pardon.

Note that expressions one to three use the French imperative mood.

Now let’s widen the conversation to see how to apologize in French

How To Apologize In French

To offer a deeper apology in French, you could use variations of ‘excuse-me’ and ‘I’m sorry’ in French.

“Excusez-moi” To Apologize

1. Je vous prie de bien vouloir m’excuser.
   Very formal.
2. Je vous présente mes excuses.
   Formal.
3. Veuillez m’excuser.
   Quite formal.
4. Toutes mes excuses.
   Colloquial
5. Je m’excuse.
   Although you may hear this, saying “je m’excuse” is not very polite. You’re supposed to ask for forgiveness… When you say “je m’excuse”, you are literally forgiving yourself… Well, the intend is to ask for forgiveness, and as I said, saying “je m’excuse” is very common in France. But it’s not proper French!
6. Je ne sais pas comment m’excuser.
   You’re in trouble if you don’t even know how to present your apologies!

“Désolé” To Apologize

1. Je suis sincèrement désolé(e)
   I’m sincerely sorry
2. Je suis profondément désol(é)
   I’m deeply sorry
3. Je suis vraiment désolé(e)
   I’m truly sorry

“Pardon” To Apologize

1. Je vous prie de bien vouloir me pardonner.
   Very formal.
2. Je vous demande pardon.
   Using vous.
3. Je te demande pardon.
   Using tu.
4. S’il te plaît, pardonne-moi.
   Using tu.
5. J’espère sincèrement que vous pourrez me pardonner.
   I sincerely hope you will be able to forgive me.

Now, let’s see some examples of useful sentences to apologize in French.

10 Examples Of Apologies in French

If you needed to apologize in French, these already made examples could come in handy. Watch out to select the right you in French.

Please press play on the audio player to hear my recording of the apologie in French. Please note when possible, I used a modern spoken French pronunciation.

1. Play Audio. J’ai vraiment agi comme un idiot. Je te présente mes excuses et je vais tout faire pour que tu me pardonnes.
   I really acted in a stupid way. Please accept my apologies and I’ll do everything for you to forgive me.
2. Play Audio. Je ne veux pas perdre notre merveilleuse amitié. Je suis sincèrement désolé. S’il te plaît, donne-moi une autre chance.
   I don’t want to lose our wonderful friendship. I’m so sorry. Please give me another chance.
3. Play Audio. Je me rends compte maintenant que j’ai vraiment exagéré. Je suis navré de t’avoir blessé. Qu’est-ce que je peux faire pour me faire pardonner ?
   I realize now I really went overboard. I’m so sorry I hurt your feelings. What can I do for you to forgive me?
4. Play Audio. Ce que j’ai fait est impardonnable. Je regrette tellement. Quand tu le voudras, j’aimerais te voir pour te présenter mes excuses en personne.
   What I did is unforgivable. I really regret it. When you want, I’d like to see you to apologize in person.
5. Play Audio. Je ne pensais pas ce que j’ai dit. J’espère que tu pourras me pardonner.
   I didn’t think what I said. I hope you’ll find it in you to forgive me.
6. Play Audio. Je regrette profondément ce que j’ai fait. Je ne voulais pas vous faire de mal. J’espère que vous pourrez me pardonner au nom de notre longue et belle amitié.
   I sincerely regret what I did. I didn’t want to hurt you. I hope you’ll be able to forgive me in light of our long and beautiful friendship.
7. Play Audio. Je me suis laissé emporter par mes émotions et je regrette ce que j’ai dit. J’espère que tu sauras me pardonner, même si je n’ai aucune excuse.
   I let my emotions have the better of me and I regret what I said. I hope you’ll be able to forgive me even though I have no excuse.
8. Play Audio. Je ne sais pas comment m’excuser pour ce que j’ai dit. C’était stupide de ma part, et j’espère que tu sais que je ne le pense pas. Je te demande pardon.
   I don’t know how to apologize for what I said. It was stupid of me and I hope you know I don’t think what I said. Please forgive me.
9. Play Audio. J’ai honte de mon comportement. Je m’en veux tellement. Je te présente mes sincères excuses. Je suis vraiment désolé.
   I’m ashamed of my behavior. I’m so mad at myself. Please accept my sincere apologies. I’m really sorry.
10. Play Audio. Je suis désolé de t’avoir fait du mal. Qu’est-ce que je peux faire pour que tu me pardonnes ?
    I’m sorry I’ve hurt you. What can I do so you forgive me?

France & Apologies – Cultural Tips

As you may know, I am both a French and American citizen. I was born and raised in Paris, then left for the US in my early twenties. I lived there for 17 years, then returned to France in 2009.

In the US, I learned to apologize. For example, in a work environement, if there’s a misunderstanding, I will always start by apologizing. Same when I handle customer service: the customer is always right, which means that if anything is not easy for them, we should apologize.

I even tend to apologize when it’s clearly not my fault.

Well… it’s not in the French culture to apologize this much. Not in customer service, even less so in our personal lives.

There’s really a culture shock there.

French people may apologize briefly if they bump into you, or to get your attention, like before asking for something like the check. That’s normal.

The French may offer a deep apology when they really messed something up. A lot of people will do their best to get out of it, but it’s possible.

However, most French employees won’t take responsibility for the company they represent, or for a mistake made by a colleague. It’s unlikely you’ll get an apology when returning a piece of appliance that doesn’t work for example. It’s more likely you’ll have a “ce n’est pas de ma faute” – ‘it’s not my fault’ attitude! Charming…

In the personal life, the French are unlikely to apologize for a misunderstanding, or for something that wasn’t clearly their fault. So no “polite” apologies in France either…

What about your experience with French people? Do you have a story to share? I’d love to read it! Please do share it in the comment section below.

I post new articles every week, so make sure you subscribe to the French Today newsletter – or follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Please react! Leave a comment, make a suggestion, share this article… Your engagement really encourages me to create more free French lessons!