{"id":623,"date":"2025-04-17T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/?p=623"},"modified":"2025-10-12T01:46:50","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T01:46:50","slug":"30-ways-to-say-sorry-around-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/language\/30-ways-to-say-sorry-around-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"30 Ways to Say “Sorry” Around the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Apologizing is an act of politeness that crosses borders, cultures, and languages. Whether you are traveling around the world, working with a diverse team, or simply interested in other cultures, learning how to say “sorry” in different languages is always a valuable skill. In this blog, we will explore how to utter this essential word in 30 different languages.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

\n

Why Learning to Say Sorry Matters<\/h2>\n

In a multicultural world, apologizing in someone’s language can make a deeper impact and show sincere effort. Saying “sorry” can repair relationships, show respect, and let someone know you understand their feelings. A heartfelt apology in someone’s native language can create a stronger connection than you might realize.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

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The List: Saying Sorry in 30 Languages<\/h2>\n

Here’s your comprehensive guide to saying “sorry” in major and minor languages alike.<\/p>\n\n

European Languages<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. English: Sorry<\/li>\n
  2. Spanish: Lo siento<\/li>\n
  3. French: D\u00e9sol\u00e9(e)<\/li>\n
  4. German: Entschuldigung<\/li>\n
  5. Italian: Mi dispiace<\/li>\n
  6. Portuguese: Desculpe<\/li>\n
  7. Dutch: Sorry or Het spijt me<\/li>\n
  8. Russian: \u0418\u0437\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435 (Izvinite) or \u041f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 (Prosti)<\/li>\n
  9. Polish: Przepraszam<\/li>\n
  10. Swedish: F\u00f6rl\u00e5t<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n

    Asian Languages<\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Mandarin Chinese: \u5bf9\u4e0d\u8d77 (Du\u00ecb\u00f9q\u01d0)<\/li>\n
    2. Japanese: \u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044 (Gomen nasai)<\/li>\n
    3. Korean: \uc8c4\uc1a1\ud569\ub2c8\ub2e4 (Joesonghamnida)<\/li>\n
    4. Hindi: \u092e\u093e\u092b\u093c \u0915\u0940\u091c\u093f\u090f (Maaf kijiye)<\/li>\n
    5. Thai: \u0e02\u0e2d\u0e42\u0e17\u0e29 (Khaw-thot)<\/li>\n
    6. Vietnamese: Xin l\u1ed7i<\/li>\n
    7. Tagalog (Filipino): Paumanhin or Pasensya na<\/li>\n
    8. Malay\/Indonesian: Maaf<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n

      Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages<\/h3>\n
        \n
      1. Arabic: \u0622\u0633\u0641 (Asif)<\/li>\n
      2. Turkish: \u00d6z\u00fcr dilerim<\/li>\n
      3. Farsi (Persian): \u0628\u0628\u062e\u0634\u06cc\u062f (Bebakhshid)<\/li>\n
      4. Urdu: \u0645\u0639\u0627\u0641 \u06a9\u06cc\u062c\u06cc\u06d2 (Maaf kijiye)<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n

        African Languages<\/h3>\n
          \n
        1. Swahili: Samahani<\/li>\n
        2. Zulu: Ngiyaxolisa<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n

          Pacific Island Languages<\/h3>\n
            \n
          1. Hawaiian: E kala mai<\/li>\n
          2. Maori: Aroha mai<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n

            Other Languages<\/h3>\n
              \n
            1. Greek: \u03a3\u03c5\u03b3\u03b3\u03bd\u03ce\u03bc\u03b7 (Syngn\u00f3mi)<\/li>\n
            2. Hebrew: \u05e1\u05dc\u05d9\u05d7\u05d4 (Slicha)<\/li>\n
            3. Finnish: Anteeksi<\/li>\n
            4. Czech: Promi\u0148 or Omlouv\u00e1m se<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n <\/section>\n\n
              \n

              Tips for Saying Sorry in Another Language<\/h2>\n
                \n
              • Learn the Context<\/strong>: Some languages have formal and informal ways of apologizing. For example, Japanese and Korean use different phrases depending on the situation and degree of respect.<\/li>\n
              • Accompany it with Body Language<\/strong>: In many cultures, gestures enhance the sincerity of your apology. A slight bow, nod, or hand gesture can emphasize your words.<\/li>\n
              • Practice Pronunciation<\/strong>: Mispronouncing an apology might lead to misunderstandings. Use language apps or ask native speakers to refine your accent.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/section>\n\n
                \n

                Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n

                Apologizing bridges gaps and fosters understanding across cultures. Even with a limited vocabulary, knowing how to say “sorry” shows respect and fosters goodwill. So, next time you’re learning a new language, don’t forget this small but powerful word.<\/p>\n

                Know other ways of saying sorry? Share them in the comments section below!<\/p>\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Apologizing is an act of politeness that crosses borders, cultures, and languages. Whether you are traveling around the world, working with a diverse team, or simply interested in other cultures, learning how to say “sorry” in different languages is always a valuable skill. In this blog, we will explore how to utter this essential word […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":625,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions\/625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}