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93 sincere, meaningful ways to apologize & say sorry in Spanish

When it comes to learning languages, making mistakes is okay—perhaps even encouraged. But, when you do need to apologize for a mistake, you need to know how to say sorry in Spanish.

When you’re learning Spanish—or any other language—you’re bound to make mistakes. You’ll say the wrong thing, use a word incorrectly, and perhaps even offend someone accidentally. This is all normal! Mistakes help us learn things really well, so you should try to treat mistakes as learning opportunities.

However, sometimes your mistakes will go beyond a simple mispronunciation or incorrect word usage. Sometimes, you’ll hurt people's feelings. Sometimes, you’ll do things that hurt others, whether by accident or on purpose. And when you do something that hurts or offends others, the best way to move forward is to offer a sincere apology.

If you’ve been studying Spanish online or in person for a while now, you probably know it’s an incredibly diverse language. That means there’s more than a handful of ways to say sorry. There are actually dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to say pardon me in Spanish!

But don’t take that as discouragement. Of course, it’ll take a while to learn all the ways to say you’re sorry in this beautiful language. This article will cover more than 80 ways to say sorry to someone in Spanish so that you know what to do next time you need to apologize!

Pero, sorry for all the fuss. Let’s get into all the different ways to apologize in Spanish!

How to say I’m sorry in Spanish

The biggest difference between apologizing in English versus Spanish is that there are several verbs that are commonly used to express regret. In English, “sorry” is commonly used as an adjective. In Spanish, there are three common verbs used when apologizing:

  • Perdonar
  • Disculpar
  • Lamentar

The first two mean roughly the same thing, whereas the third one has a stronger connotation of regret. So, keep in mind that you’ll be using mostly verbs when apologizing in Spanish, so don’t forget to conjugate them accordingly!

How to say sorry to someone you have hurt

How to say sorry to someone you've hurt in Spanish.

Hurting someone never feels good, and, although sometimes there’s not a lot you can do after the fact, you can always offer a heartfelt apology. With that said, you want to use an apology that fits the bill to be culturally sensitive. Over-apologizing could come across as insincere, whereas under-apologizing might not cut it.

That’s why we’ve included a column with context so that you know exactly what kind of apology to use depending on how bad your mistake was. We’ve also included different sections for different scenarios below, so make sure to read through the entire article!

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
I’m sorryPerdónpɛɾˈðõnpear-donOne of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry
I’m sorryLo sientolo ˈsjɛ̃ntoloh see-en-tohOne of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry
I apologizeDisculpadisˈkulpadis-cool-pahOne of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry
I lament itLo lamentolo laˈmɛ̃ntolo lah-men-tohOne of the most basic ways of saying I’m sorry
I’m truly sorryEn verdad lo sientoɛ̃m bɛɾˈðað lo ˈsjɛ̃ntoen ver-dad lo see-en-tohA more genuine way of saying I’m sorry
I’m so, so sorryLo siento tantolo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈtãntolo see-en-toh tan-tohA more genuine way of saying I’m sorry
I feel terrible, I’m so sorryMe siento terrible, lo siento muchome ˈsjɛ̃nto tɛˈriβle | lo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈmuʧomeh see-en-toh teh-ree-bleh lo see-en-toh moo-choEmphasizes your role in the situation and a feeling of remorse
I’m so sorry, that was thoughtless of meLo siento mucho, fue muy descuidado de mi partelo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo | ˈfwe mwi ðɛskwiˈðaðo ðe mi ˈpaɾtelo see-en-toh moo-cho foo-eh moo-y des-coo-e-da-doh deh me par-tehEmphasizes carelessness on your behalf
I’m very sorry for the way I behavedLo siento mucho por mi comportamientolo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo poɾ mi kõmpoɾtaˈmjɛ̃ntolo see-en-toh moo-cho pore me com-pore-tah-me-en-tohEmphasizes that your behavior was wrong
I apologize, I was out of lineUna disculpa, eso estuvo fuera de lugarˈuna ðisˈkulpa | ˈeso ɛsˈtuβo ˈfwɛɾa ðe luˈɣaɾoo-nah dis-cool-pahEmphasizes improper behavior
A thousand apologiesMil disculpasˈmil disˈkulpasmeel dis-cool-pasCasual yet genuine
I owe you an apologyTe debo una disculpate ˈðeβo ˈuna ðisˈkulpateh deh-bo oo-nah dis-cool-pahCenters the person you need to apologize to
Forgive mePerdónamepɛɾˈðonamepear-doh-nah-mehSimple way to ask for forgiveness
I’m sorry, it wasn’t on purposeLo siento, no lo hice a propósitolo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈno lo ˈise a pɾoˈpositolo see-en-toh no lo e-say ah pro-poh-see-tohClarifies that your mistake wasn’t intentional
I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinkingLo siento, no sé en qué estaba pensandolo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈno ˈse ɛ̃n ˈke ɛsˈtaβa pɛ̃nˈsãndolo see-en-toh no say en keh es-tah-bah pen-san-dohEmphasizes a lapse of judgment on your behalf
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do thatPerdón, no quise hacerlopɛɾˈðõn | ˈno ˈkise aˈsɛɾlopear-don no key-seh ah-ser-loClarifies that your mistake wasn’t intentional

How to say you’re sorry if something bad happened to someone you care for

Saying sorry isn’t always about apologizing for something you’ve done. Sometimes, you apologize just to show that you’re sorry something happened to someone you love. An example is when a friend or family member is grieving a loss. Unless you were directly involved in the death of their loved one, saying “I’m sorry for your loss” isn’t something that would imply that you’re to blame, right?

Doctor expressing sympathy to her patient and saying sorry in Spanish.

Just like in English, there are several ways to express sympathy in Spanish without necessarily admitting fault. Here are some of our favorites:

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
I’m so sorry to hear thatLamento mucho oír esolaˈmɛ̃nto ˈmuʧo oˈiɾ ˈesola-men-toh moo-cho oh-ear eh-soYou can use this when anything bad happens to someone you care about
My deepest sympathiesMi más sentido pésamemi ˈmas sɛ̃nˈtiðo ˈpesameme mas sen-tee-doh peh-sa-mehYou can use this when someone is grieving a loss
I’m sorry that happened to youLo siento tanto que eso te haya sucedidolo ˈsjɛ̃nto ˈtãnto ˈke ˈeso te ˈaʝa suseˈðiðolo see-en-toh tan-to kay eh-so teh ah-yah sue-say-dee-dohYou can use this when anything bad happens to someone you care about
My deepest condolencesMi más sincero pésamemi ˈmas sĩnˈsɛɾo ˈpesameme mas seen-seh-ro peh-sa-mehYou can use this when someone is grieving a loss
You don’t imagine how sorry I am to hear thatNo sabes cuánto lamento escuchar esoˈno ˈsaβes ˈkwãnto laˈmɛ̃nto ɛskuˈʧaɾ ˈesono sah-bes coo-an-toh lah-men-toh es-coo-char eh-soYou can use this when something very bad happens to someone you care about
I’m sorry about your…Siento lo de tú…ˈsjɛ̃nto lo ðe ˈtusee-en-toh lo deh too…You can use this in many contexts, just add what you’re sorry about at the end
I’m sorry about your… lossLamento la pérdida de tu…laˈmɛ̃nto la ˈpɛɾðiða ðe tula-men-toh la pear-dee-dah deh too…You can use this when someone’s lost a loved one
I share your feelingsTe acompaño en tus sentimientoste akõmˈpaɲo ɛ̃n tus sɛ̃ntiˈmjɛ̃ntosteh ah-come-pah-nyo en toos sen-tee-mee-en-toesYou can use this to show that you empathize with someone
I share your painTe acompaño en tu dolorte akõmˈpaɲo ɛ̃n tu ðoˈloɾteh ah-come-pah-nyo en too doh-loreYou can use this to show that you empathize with someone
I sympathize with youTe compadezcote kõmpaˈðɛskoteh come-pah-dess-kohYou can use this to show that you sympathize with someone
I sympathize with you (formal)Le compadezcole kõmpaˈðɛskoleh come-pah-dess-kohYou can use this to show that you empathize with someone
I am in pain for what you’re going throughMe duele mucho lo que te está pasandome ˈðwele ˈmuʧo lo ˈke tɛ ɛsˈta paˈsãndomeh doo-eh-leh moo-cho lo kay teh es-tah pah-san-dohYou can use this to show that you empathize with someone
I’m sorry, you can count on meLo siento, cuenta conmigolo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈkwɛ̃nta kõmˈmiɣolo see-en-toh, coo-en-tah con-me-goYou can use this to emphasize that they can count on you during hard times

How to apologize when you accidentally bump into someone, or you want to get past someone blocking the way

Life can be messy. You’ll bump into people, knock things over, or otherwise disturb people. When this happens, all you need is a quick apology to keep it moving.

Here are some of the best ways to apologize when you bump into someone by accident or want to get past someone blocking the way in Spanish.

Woman says sorry in Spanish to man when she accidentally bumps into him on public transport.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
Excuse me pleaseCon permisokõm pɛɾˈmisocon pear-misoMost common way to ask to get through
Sorry, can I get by?Disculpa, ¿me das permiso?disˈkulpa | me ˈðas pɛɾˈmiso ‖diss-cool-pah meh das pear-misoMore polite way to ask to get through
Let me throughPermítemepɛɾˈmitemepear-me-teh-mehDirect way of asking someone to let you through
Allow mePermítamepɛɾˈmitamepear-mi-tah-mehSlightly more formal than “permíteme” but still direct
Forgive mePerdonapɛɾˈðonapear-doh-nahIndirect way to ask to get through
Excuse me, can you let me through?Disculpa, ¿Me permites?disˈkulpa | me pɛɾˈmites ‖diss-cool-pah meh pear-me-tessMore polite way to ask to get through
Excuse me, can you make space for me?Perdón, ¿Me das chanza?pɛɾˈðõn | me ˈðas ˈʧãnsa ‖pear-don meh das chan-zaInformal yet polite way to ask to get through
Excuse me, may I?Disculpa, ¿Puedo?disˈkulpa | ˈpweðo ‖diss-cool-pah poo-eh-dohVery polite way to ask to get through
May I?¿Se puede?se ˈpweðe ‖seh-poo-eh-dehVery polite way to ask to get through
May I pass?¿Puedo pasar?ˈpweðo paˈsaɾ ‖poo-eh-doh pah-sarVery polite way to ask to get through
Oh! Sorry¡Ay! Perdónˈai̯ ‖ pɛɾˈðõnah-e pear-donUse this when you accidentally bump into someone
Oh! I didn’t see you¡Ay! No te viˈai̯ ‖ ˈno te ˈβiah-e no teh-veeUse this when you accidentally bump into someone

How to apologize when you need to ask someone to repeat something

We all get distracted. It happens. Even if we’re really invested in the conversation, we can miss what the other person said from distraction or because of external factors, such as a loud motorcycle.

When this happens, it’s probably a good idea to apologize quickly for making the other person repeat themselves.

Man apologizing in Spanish when he needs to ask someone to repeat themselves.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
Pardon?¿Mande?ˈmãnde ‖man-dehMost common way to ask someone to repeat what they just said. Can also be used instead of “¿Qué?”
What?¿Qué?ˈkekehCould be considered rude unless using an extremely polite tone of voice
Sorry I didn’t hear youDisculpa, no te escuchédisˈkulpa | ˈno tɛ ɛskuˈʧediss-cool-pah no teh es-coo-chePolite way to emphasize that you didn’t hear
Sorry, could you please repeat that?Perdón, ¿podrías repetirlo?pɛɾˈðõn | poˈðɾias̬ repɛˈtiɾlo ‖pear-don po-dree-as reh-peh-tear-lohPolite way to ask someone to repeat what they just said
I beg your pardon¿Perdón?pɛɾˈðõn ‖pear-donImplies that you need them to repeat what they just said
What?¿Cómo?ˈkomo ‖koh-moImplies that you need them to repeat what they just said
What did you say? (formal)¿Cómo dijo?ˈkomo ˈðixo ‖koh-mo dee-hoPolite way to ask someone to repeat what they just said
What was that?¿Qué pasó?ˈke paˈso ‖keh pah-soInformal way to ask someone to repeat what they just said
Sorry, could you repeat that?Perdón, ¿me lo podrías repetir?pɛɾˈðõn | me lo poˈðɾias̬ repɛˈtiɾ ‖pear-don meh lo poh-dree-as re-peh-tearPolite way to ask someone to repeat what they just said
I’m sorry, what did you say?Perdón, ¿qué dijiste?pɛɾˈðõn | ˈke ðiˈxiste ‖pear-don kay dee-his-tehInformal yet polite way to ask someone to repeat what they just said
I didn’t hear you, can you come again?No escuché, repite por favorˈno ɛskuˈʧe | reˈpite poɾ faˈβoɾno ess-coo-che ray-pee-teh pore fah-voreInformal yet polite way to ask someone to repeat what they just said

How to apologize when you have made a small mistake (that didn’t hurt anyone)

Most apologies (I hope!) we use in our day-to-day life are for inconsequential mistakes that we make. Saying sorry for the little things helps us live in society by being polite, just like saying thank you for minor things.

Here are some of our favorite ways to apologize when you have made a small or inconsequential mistake in Spanish.

Woman says sorry in Spanish for a minor mistake.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
It was my badFue mi culpaˈfwe mi ˈkulpafoo-eh me cool-pahMost direct way to say that something was your fault
I messed upMe equivoquéme ekiβoˈkemeh eh-key-voh-kehEmphasizes that you made a mistake
I was wrong and I apologizeMe disculpo, fue culpa míame ðisˈkulpo | ˈfwe ˈkulpa ˈmiameh diss-cool-poh foo-eh cool-pah me-ahFormal way to apologize and overtly place the blame on yourself
Sorry about that!¡Disculpa!disˈkulpa ‖diss-cool-pahInformal way to say you’re sorry for something minor
Whoops! Sorry!¡Oops! ¡Perdón!ˈoops ‖ pɛɾˈðõn ‖oops pear-donInformal way to say you’re sorry for something minor
Oh, my bad!¡Ay! ¡Perdón!ˈai̯ ‖ pɛɾˈðõn ‖ah-e pear-donInformal way to say you’re sorry for something minor
Oh, it slipped my mind!¡Ay! Se me fueˈai̯ ‖ se me ˈfweah-e seh meh foo-ehInformal way to say you’re sorry for something minor

How to say sorry in a formal or business environment

Nobody likes to mess up at work, but when you do, it’s usually a good idea to own up to it and apologize. However, you have to choose your words very carefully when you need to apologize to a business partner or a supervisor. Also remember to NOT say sorry if you’re not at fault.

But if you do need to sincerely offer apologies? Here’s a few highly polite ways to apologize in Spanish at work.

Saying sorry in Spanish in a formal or business environment.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
Forgive my mistakeDisculpe mi errordisˈkulpe mj ɛˈroɾdiss-cool-pah me eh-roarQuick yet genuine apology for a mistake you made
Sorry for the late replyDisculpe la tardanzadisˈkulpe la taɾˈðãnsadiss-cool-pah la tar-dan-zaFormal way to apologize for the delay, either in sending something or being late yourself
Please forgive the lengthy delayPor favor disculpe usted la larga demorapoɾ faˈβoɾ ðisˈkulpe u̯sˈtɛð la ˈlaɾɣa ðeˈmoɾapore fah-vore diss-cool-peh oos-ted la lar-gah deh-moh-rahFormal way to apologize for a lengthy delay
My apologies you didn’t receive the report you requestedLamento que no haya recibido el reporte que pidiólaˈmɛ̃nto ˈke ˈno ˈaʝa resiˈβiðo ɛl reˈpoɾte ˈke piˈðjolah-men-to kay no ah-ya reh-see-be-doh elle reh-pore-tehFormal way to apologize for a missing report
I apologize for the confusion…Lamento la confusiónlaˈmɛ̃nto la kõmfuˈsjõnlah-men-to la con-foo-see-onQuick way to apologize for any confusion, whether it was your fault or not
I’m sorry to bother youLamento tener que molestarlelaˈmɛ̃nto teˈnɛɾ ˈke molɛsˈtaɾlelah-men-to teh-ner kay mo-les-tar-lehFormal way to apologize for requesting something or following up on something
Sorry I couldn’t attend the meetingLamento no poder haber asistido a la juntalaˈmɛ̃nto ˈno poˈðɛɾ aˈβɛɾ asisˈtiðo a la ˈxũntalah-men-to no poh-der ah-bear ah-sees-tee-doh ah la hoon-tahFormal way to apologize for missing a meeting
I’ve made a mistakeHe cometido un errorˈe komɛˈtiðo u̯n ɛˈroɾeh coh-meh-tee-doh oon eh-roarFormal way to own up to making a mistake
I regret the problem I’ve createdMe arrepiento del problema que he creadome areˈpjɛ̃nto ðɛl pɾoˈβlema ˈke ˈe kɾeˈaðomeh ah-reh-pee-en-to delle pro-bleh-mahEmphasizes regret
I should have anticipated thisDebí haber tenido esto en cuentadeˈβi aˈβɛɾ teˈniðo ˈɛsto ɛ̃n ˈkwɛ̃ntadeh-bee ah-bear teh-knee-doh ess-toh en coo-en-tahEmphasizes that you didn’t anticipate something
I misjudged the situationJuzgué la situación de manera equivocadaxus̬ˈɣe la sitwaˈsjõn de maˈnɛɾa ekiβoˈkaðawhose-geh la see-too-ah-see-on deh mah-neh-rah eh-key-vo-kah-daEmphasizes a lapse of judgement
I ask for your forgivenessLe pido una disculpale ˈpiðo ˈuna ðisˈkulpaLeh pee-doh oo-nah diss-cool-pahFormal way to ask someone to forgive you
I offer you an apologyLe ofrezco una disculpale oˈfɾɛsko ˈuna ðisˈkulpaleh oh-fress-koh oo-nah diss-cool-pahFormal way to offer an apology
I’m sorry for the misunderstandingLamento el malentendidolaˈmɛ̃nto ɛl malɛ̃ntɛ̃nˈdiðolah-men-toh elle mal-en-ten-dee-dohFormal way to apologize for a misunderstanding

How to say sorry in Spanish slang

If you’re a little younger, you’ll probably want to use some Spanish slang when apologizing to your friends. Luckily, there are many informal ways to say you’re sorry or “my bad” in Spanish! Here are some of the best Spanish slang words and phrases to say sorry in Spanish.

Friends saying sorry in Spanish slang.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
I messed upLa reguéla reˈɣela reh-gehYou messed up
I messed upLa caguéla kaˈɣela kag-gehYou messed up (crude)
It was my badSe me fue la ondase me ˈfwe la ˈõndaseh meh foo-eh la on-dahYou didn’t think right
How animal-likeQué animalˈke aniˈmalkeh ah-knee-malEmphasizes that you behaved like an animal
How idioticQué taradoˈke taˈɾaðokeh tah-ra-dohEmphasized that your behavior was dumb
It was an intentional accidentFue sin querer queriendoˈfwe sĩn kɛˈɾɛɾ kɛˈɾjɛ̃ndofoo-eh seen keh-rer keh-ree-en-dohThis is a reference to the Mexican TV show El Chavo del Ocho
SorrySorryˈsorisoh-reeLoan word from English
Please forgive mePerdóname plispɛɾˈðoname ˈplispear-don-nah-meh pleesplis” is a loan word (please) from English

How to ask for forgiveness

Saying sorry and asking for forgiveness are often two different things. If you’ve just bumped into a stranger in public, you’ll probably apologize but won’t expect a grand gesture of forgiveness. But if you’ve done something very hurtful to a friend, you’ll want to explicitly ask for their forgiveness.

There are several ways to ask for someone’s forgiveness. One of the most common ones is asking how you can correct the situation. Even if you can’t undo the action, you can often make it up in a different way or compensate with something else. Here are a few genuine ways to ask for forgiveness in Spanish.

Woman asks for forgiveness in Spanish when she arrives to work a little late.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
Can you forgive me?¿Me perdonas?me pɛɾˈðonas ‖meh pear-doh-nassDirect way of asking someone if they’ll forgive you
How can I make it up to you?¿Cómo te puedo compensar?ˈkomo te ˈpweðo kõmpɛ̃nˈsaɾ ‖koh-mo teh poo-eh-doh kom-pen-sarOffering to make up for the damage/pain that you caused
Sorry, I won’t do it again.Lo siento, no volverá a sucederlo ˈsjɛ̃nto | ˈno βolβɛˈɾa a suseˈðɛɾlo see-en-toh no vol-ver-rah ah sue-seh-derEmphasizes that you will not repeat your behavior
Please, forgive mePor favor, perdónamepoɾ faˈβoɾ | pɛɾˈðonamepore fah-vore pear-don-nah-mehAsking someone to please forgive you
Do you think you could forgive me someday?¿Crees que algún día me podrías perdonar?ˈkɾees ˈke alˈɣũn ˈdia me poˈðɾias pɛɾðoˈnaɾ ‖crehs keh al-goon dee-ah meh po-dree-ahs pear-doh-narCould be used after making a serious mistake, or facetiously after making a tiny mistake
Will you absolve me?¿Me disculpas?me ðisˈkulpas ‖meh diss-cool-passDirect way of asking someone if they’ll forgive you

How to express regret

Similarly to asking for forgiveness, expressing regret is a way to take your apology one step further. A simple “sorry” doesn’t necessarily imply that you wish you hadn’t done something or that you’re truly remorseful.

Being intentional with your words and vocalizing how you feel can help the other person appreciate how sorry you really are.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
I wish I could take it backQuisiera poder deshacerlokiˈsjɛɾa poˈðɛɾ ðesaˈsɛɾlokey-see-air-rah poh-der des-ah-ser-loFor something that can no longer be fixed
I wish I hadn’t done thatDesearía nunca haberlo hechodeseaˈɾia ˈnũnka aˈβɛɾlo ˈeʧodeh-seh-ah-ree-ah noon-kah ah-bear-lo eh-choEmphasizes remorse
I am very regretfulEstoy muy arrepentidoɛsˈtoi̯ mwj arepɛ̃nˈtiðoes-toy moo-y ah-reh-pen-tea-dohEmphasizes remorse
You have no idea how regretful I amNo sabes cómo me arrepientoˈno ˈsaβes ˈkomo me areˈpjɛ̃ntono sah-bes koh-mo meh ah-reh-pee-en-toeSeriously emphasizes remorse
I wish I could turn back timeQuisiera volver el tiempo atráskiˈsjɛɾa βolˈβɛɾ ɛl ˈtjɛ̃mpo aˈtɾaskey-see-eh-rah vol-ver elle tee-em-poh ah-trasFor something that can no longer be fixed
I wish I could erase itQuisiera poder borrarlokiˈsjɛɾa poˈðɛɾ βoˈraɾlokey-see-eh-rah poh-der boh-rar-lohFor something that can no longer be fixed

How to offer help after making a mistake in Spanish

Offering help immediately after apologizing is a great way to show that you want to do right by the person you’ve hurt. It shows a genuine will to address the situation head-on and compensate them for the troubles you’ve caused. Here are some helpful ways to offer help after making a mistake in Spanish.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
Whatever you needLo que necesiteslo ˈke neseˈsiteslo keh neh-seh-see-tessQuick way to offer help with whatever they may need
Whatever I can help you withEn lo que te pueda ayudarɛ̃n lo ˈke te ˈpweða aʝuˈðaɾen loh keh teh poo-eh-dah ah-you-darQuick way to offer help with whatever they may need
I’m here for whatever you needAquí estoy para lo que necesitesaˈki ɛsˈtoi̯ ˈpaɾa lo ˈke neseˈsitesah-key-es-toy pah-ra loh keh neh-seh-see-tessQuick way to offer help with whatever they may need
I’m awaiting any requestsQuedo al pendienteˈkeðo al pɛ̃nˈdjɛ̃ntekeh-doh all pen-dee-ent-ehQuick way to offer help with whatever they may need
What can I do to fix the situation?¿Qué puedo hacer para arreglar la situación?ˈke ˈpweðo aˈsɛɾ ˈpaɾa areˈɣlaɾ la sitwaˈsjõn ‖keh poo-eh-doh ah-sehr pah-rah ah-reh-glar la see-too-ah-see-onFormal way to ask what you can do to help
I’m at your serviceEstoy a tus órdenesɛsˈtoj a tus ˈoɾðenesess-toy ah toos or-deh-nessQuick way to offer help with whatever they may need
Let me know what I can doAvísame lo que pueda haceraˈβisame lo ˈke ˈpweða aˈsɛɾah-bee-sah-meh lo keh poo-eh-dah ah-serInformal way to offer help with whatever they may need
What can I do for you?¿Qué puedo hacer por ti?ˈke ˈpweðo aˈsɛɾ poɾ ˈti ‖keh poo-eh-doh ah-ser pore teeQuick way to offer help with whatever they may need

How to forgive in Spanish

On the flip side, knowing how to forgive in Spanish is just as important as learning how to say sorry. When someone says sorry to you, a simple “no problem!” can be good enough to let them know there are no hard feelings.

And no, “no problemo” is not the way to say no problem in Spanish! Check out the table below to learn how to actually forgive someone in Spanish!

Man expresses forgiveness in Spanish to his work colleague.

EnglishSpanishIPAPronunciationContext
It’s no big dealNo pasa nadaˈno ˈpasa ˈnaðano pah-sa na-dahCasual way to say that it’s okay
Don’t worry about itNo te preocupesˈno te pɾeoˈkupesno teh pre-oh-coo-pessCasual way to say that it’s okay
Don’t worryNo te apuresˈno te aˈpuɾesno teh ah-poo-resEven more casual way to say that it’s okay
No problemNo hay problemaˈno ˈai̯ pɾoˈβlemano ah-e pro-bleh-mahCasual way to say that it’s okay
It’s okayEstá bienɛsˈta ˈβjɛ̃nes-tah bee-enEven more casual way to say that it’s okay
I forgive youTe perdonote pɛɾˈðonoteh pear-doh-nohFormal way to tell someone you forgive them
You have nothing to apologize forNo tienes de qué disculparteˈno ˈtjenes̬ ðe ˈke ðiskulˈpaɾteno tee-eh-nes deh kay diss-cool-par-tehCasual way to say that it’s okay
It doesn’t matterNo importaˈno ĩ̯mˈpoɾtano eem-pore-tahEven more casual way to say that it’s okay
Don’t worryNo te inquietesˈno te ĩ̯nˈkjɛtesno teh een-key-eh-tessEven more casual way to say that it’s okay
Forget itOlvídaloolˈβiðalool-vee-dah-lohEven more casual way to say that it’s okay
Don’t apologizeNo te disculpesˈno te ðisˈkulpesno teh diss-cool-pessCasual way to say that it’s okay
Don’t worryDescuidadɛsˈkwiðades-coo-e-dahCasual way to say that it’s okay

A few final tips to note

If you’ve made it to the end of the article, congratulations! You are now well-equipped to become the apologizer in your friend group. However, remember:

  • Don’t say sorry if you don’t have anything to be sorry for; and
  • Be careful not to apologize a little too often, as constant apologies may be perceived as insincere!

While we’re sorry to see you go, we hope you’ve enjoyed learning some Spanish with this article. And if you’re not ready to leave yet, you can check out our Spanish blog for more helpful articles on learning Spanish.

¡Hasta pronto!

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