Today we are going to learn how to apologize in English with the help of some examples from different contexts and situations.
These are some of the most common expressions that people use to apologize in English
| #1 | I am sorry |
| #2 | I am so sorry |
| #3 | I apologize for any convenience |
| #4 | I am deeply sorry |
Now let’s check some of the most common expressions to apologize in English and examples to use those expressions correctly
Table of Contents
How to Apologize Properly
These are the four steps that you should follow to apologize properly
Express Remorse for a Mistake: Every apology should start with two magic words: “I am sorry” and “I apologize”
- I’m sorry for being so rude.
- I’m sorry for sending the wrong order.
- I apologize for being late.
- I apologize for sending the wrong information.
Admit Responsibility. Let the person know that you admit responsibility for your actions and behavior
- I know that I hurt your feelings yesterday.
- I know I didn’t do the right thing last night.
- I understand that my mistake caused a lot of delays.
Make Amends: Take action to make the situation right:
- If there’s anything that I can do to make this up to you, please just ask
- Is there anything to make it up to you?
- Can I ship the correct item today?
- Let me talk to Mike, maybe he can help us
- Let’s go to Walmart and buy some tools
Promise That It Won’t Happen Again so you can rebuild the relationship:
- From now on, I’m going to manage my stress better.
- From now on, I will study harder.
- From now on, I will be careful with the processing of all shipments.
Common Expressions to Apologize in English
These are some of the most common expressions to apologize in English
| I am so sorry | I am sorry |
| My bad | My Mistake |
| My Fault | I apologize for |
| I apologize for any convenience | Sorry about that |
| I am deeply sorry | It was my fault |
| I take full responsibility | I messed up |
| I screwed up | My apologies for |
| I owe you an apology | I truly regret |
These are some examples of apologies in English
- I owe you an apology, I said some horrible things to you.
- I take full responsibility for the mess my children made.
- It was my fault that we didn’t get to the airport on time.
- They got the wrong email, my bad.
- I really want to apologize for my behavior.
- I would like to apologize for my actions.
- I sincerely apologize for my bad performance this month.
- I apologize for any trouble I have caused.
These are some short conversations to understand more about apologies.
| A | You guys sent me the wrong logo |
| B | I am so sorry about that, I just sent you the right one |
| A | You guys didn’t pay me the right amount |
| B | That was my fault, I will send you the pending amount soon |
| A | The image has the wrong background |
| B | My mistake, don’t worry, it is a quick fix |
| A | My server is down |
| B | I am sorry to hear that, I will restart it soon |
How to Accept Apologies in English
These are some expressions useful to accept apologies in English
| #1 | That’s all right. |
| #2 | Never mind. |
| #3 | Don’t apologize. |
| #4 | It doesn’t matter. |
| #5 | Don’t worry about it. |
| #6 | Don’t mention it. |
| #7 | That’s OK. |
| #8 | I quite understand. |
| #9 | You couldn’t help it. |
| #10 | Forget about it. |
| #11 | Don’t worry about it. |
| #12 | No harm done. |
| #13 | No need to apologize |
These are some examples to show you how to accept apologies
| A | I’m sorry my son broke your window. |
| B | That’s alright. I’m sure it was an accident. |
| A | Sorry about all the noise, I made last night |
| B | Don’t mention it. |
| A | I am sorry. I forgot to pay you back for lunch. |
| B | Don’t worry about it! |
| A | I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. |
| B | No harm done. |
Remember this when Making Apologies
When making apologies using “I am sorry for” and “I apologize for”, we use the continuous form of the verb.
- I am sorry for breaking your window
- I am sorry for screaming at you
- I am sorry for being late
- I apologize for closing your steam account
- I apologize for breaking your coffee mug
- I apologize for deleting your files
Video: Ways to Apologize in English
This is a good video to learn about different ways to apologize in English
