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Do you know Elton John’s song ‘Sorry seems to be the hardest word?’
In learning Italian, it doesn’t have to be.
On the contrary, learning to say sorry in Italian is useful.
And if you know how to say sorry in Italian in different ways, you’ve hit the jackpot!
Not only is it polite to say you are sorry but you’ll also have to know how to say it if you bump accidentally into someone or if you disturb someone.
Besides knowing some basic phrases in Italian for every situation, saying sorry should also be on your list.
To avoid awkward situations for not understanding if someone used ‘sorry’ or to sound rude if you don’t apologize, take a look at the following expressions to say sorry in Italian.
After this post, you will see that sorry isn’t the hardest word as some singers and poets claim.
And now, let’s dive in.
How to Say Sorry in Italian?
Saying that you're sorry is an act of politeness. It is also a sign of maturity when you are aware of your mistakes or bad deeds and you have no problem admitting.
Before we get into learning other ways of saying sorry in Italian, let's first repeat the general phrases.
The following phrase is the most commonly used and the one you will hear every day, anywhere.
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Scusami- Sorry
This expression is used informally when talking to one person.
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Mi Scusi- Sorry
When you want to be formal and talk to one person, you use this phrase.
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Scusatemi- Sorry
When talking to multiple people, this expression is suitable.
Besides this one, you can also use 'pardon me.'
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Perdonami- Pardon me
When talking to one person, informally, this variant of ‘pardon me’ should be used.
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Mi perdoni- Pardon me
For formal situations and when talking to one person, you can use this expression.
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Perdonatemi- Pardon me
When talking to multiple people, this phrase is ideal to use.
Different Expressions to Say Sorry in Italian
There are many different ways you can say sorry in Italian.
Which phrase or expression you will use depends on many reasons, but one of the main ones is the context.
For a start, here are some phrases you can use in almost every situation.
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Mi dispiace- I’m sorry.
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Perdonami- Forgive me.
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Ti chiedo perdono- I ask your forgiveness.
When you've said or done something whose outcome isn't positive, you can use this expression:
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Non avrei dovuto farlo-I shouldn’t have done that.
When you want to apologize and show that it's your mistake the following phrase is good to use:
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È tutta colpa mia- It’s all my fault.
To say you're sorry and you can change the mistake you've made, or even more, to guarantee that you will correct that and not repeat it, use this phrase.
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Ti garantisco / prometto che non si ripeterà-I guarantee / promise you that it will never happen again.
Knowing to admit your mistakes and apologize is a sign of maturity. When you admit that, you will be greater not only in the eyes of others but in yours as well.
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Riconosco di avere esagerato- I recognize that I have exaggerated.
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Riconosco di avere agito / reagito male- I recognize that I acted/reacted badly.
If you offended someone unintentionally, one of the ways you can apologize is with this expression.
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Non intendevo offenderla- I didn’t mean to offend you.
You can use this expression informally, as well.
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Non intendevo offenderti- I didn’t mean to offend you.
When you do something that requires an apology, you can also promise not to do that anymore.
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Ti prometto che non si ripeterà – I promise that it won’t happen again
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Farò in modo di non fare questo sbaglio di nuovo – I won’t make this mistake again.
Here are several more ways to apologize.
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Mi dispiace tanto – I am really sorry.
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Ti/Le chiedo scusa dal cuore – I apologize from the heart.
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Non stavo pensando con lucidità – I wasn’t thinking clearly.
Questions As a Way to Say Sorry in Italian
Not only phrases and expressions are used to apologize. You can also use some questions which show that you want to say sorry.
Here are some of the examples of how you can use questions in a form of an apology.
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Come posso rimediare la situazione? – How can I fix the situation?
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Mi può perdonare?- Can you forgive me?
This is a formal expression but if you want to use it informally, you can say ‘Mi puoi perdonare?’
Conjunctions As Connections to Apologize in Italian
When you perfect these expressions and phrases, you can move to the next level. It is learning to use conjunctions in sentences to create your own sentences to say sorry.
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Mi scusi/Scusami/Scusatemi se…- Sorry if…
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Mi scusi/Scusami/Scusatemi per…: Sorry for…
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Mi perdoni/Perdonami/Perdonatemi se…- Pardon me if…
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Mi perdoni/Perdonami/Perdonatemi per…- Pardon me for…
After the conjunction and depending on the context and what you want to say, you have to add a noun or a verb clause.
Here are some examples:
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Perdonami se ti ho offeso- Pardon me if I offended you.
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Scusatemi per il disturbo- Sorry [to all of you] for the inconvenience.
Final Thoughts
In an ideal world, there is no place for mistakes and therefore, no need for apologies.
However, we don’t live in an ideal world, and mistakes, as well as apologies, are part of our everyday lives.
Just like you how different ways and expressions to say sorry in Spanish, for example, or your native language, the same say it is useful to learn them in Italian.
If you aren’t sure how to pronounce them, Italian tutors will gladly help you with that. And should you try to find some entertaining way to memorize all these phrases, you should consider learning with flashcards. It is both helpful and fun and more importantly, you will remember them quickly and easily.
