Sorry in French: 62 Ways to Apologize, Excuse Yourself & More (2024)

FAQs

How do French people apologize? ›

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….

Je regrette — I'm sorry (lit. “I regret it”) Veuillez m'excuser — Please excuse me/Please accept my apologies. Je vous demande pardon — I beg your pardon.

3 - How to forgive someone in French

Let's say someone told you “Pardon”, “Excuse-moi” or “Je suis désolé.” How can you react? What should you say? Well, the easiest answer is Ça ne fait rien (= that's nothing).

Excusez-moi is another phrase that you can use to apologise for bumping into someone.

Je voulais pas la gonfler. Sorry, I didn't mean to.... Pardon, je ne voulais pas...

The usual response to merci is de rien (You're welcome – literally, It's nothing) or il n'y a pas de quoi. In a more formal context, you could say Je vous en prie or Je t'en prie.

What does je suis desolé mean? ›

je suis désolé I'm sorry.

“Merci beaucoup” – Thank you very much. “Je vous en prie” – You're welcome.

“De rien” (“It's nothing”) is the most common answer.

Every apology should start with two magic words: "I'm sorry," or "I apologize." For example, you could say: "I'm sorry that I snapped at you yesterday. I feel embarrassed and ashamed by the way I acted." Your words need to be sincere and authentic .

excusez-moi ! ⧫ pardon ! Excuse me, can I squeeze past please? Excusez-moi, est-ce que je peux passer, s'il vous plaît ?

Synonyms of excuse me (interjection pardon me) forgive me. I beg your pardon. I'm sorry. sorry.

How do you say sorry in sweet words? ›

For example, instead of accepting responsibility and saying, “I'm sorry I offended you”, people blame-shift by saying something like: “I'm sorry it offended you.” (“My action offended you, not me.”) “I'm sorry you got offended.” (“You shouldn't have been offended.”)

A genuine apology shows that you feel sorry for your actions and want to do better. It also gives the other person a chance to process their own feelings. You've taken the first step to fix the damage.

Have a look at the following: Incorrect: Je suis bien. Correct: Je vais bien. This is a response to “How are you?” (“Comment vas-tu ?”) which typically gets a response “I am well.” The correct response “Je vais bien” indicates how you feel overall – health, life, etc.

I'm sorry, I made a mistake. Je suis désolé, je me suis trompé.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. S'il vous plaît accepter nos excuses pour la gêne occasionnée.

The verb regretter (to regret) is the simplest and most common: Je regrette de ne pas avoir invité Victor. I regret not having invited Victor. Nous regrettons ce qui vous est arrivé.

Is Merci beaucoup polite? ›

This expression is one of the most popular ways of saying thank you in French, and it can be used in almost any situation. Whether you're talking to colleagues or purchasing something in the store, polite Merci beaucoup (thank you very much) will always sound good.

Grammatically, merci bien doesn't really make sense (“Thanks well!”), but people use it often. It's a kind of “casual formal” way of saying thank you in French. You can use it in any everyday situation with a stranger.

Translation of "je suis fou" in English. I'm crazy I am crazy I'm mad I'm insane I'm nuts I am mad am I crazy me crazy.

Translation of "je suis très" in English. I am very I'm very I'm really I'm so I am so I was very I am really I am extremely.

Translation of "je te rappelle plus tard" in English. I'll call you later.

— Je vous en prie. May I sit down? — Please do. 2. please.

(informal) you're welcome (after being thanked) synonyms ▲ Synonyms: de rien, il n'y a pas de quoi.

The Canadian one: Bienvenue

It may sound strange, but people speaking Canadian French actually use bienvenue to say “you're welcome.” Bienvenue.

Bon Dieu ! : Good God! For God's sake!

Mon Dieu! The “oh my god” of French is another one that seems more common in English than in French, however unlike “sacrébleu” and “zut alors”, you'll still hear it being said in France these days, although perhaps not so much among the younger generation.

What does feu de Dieu mean? ›

10 – Du Feu de Dieu

This expression means great, fantastique.

The most widely used one is maybe “avoir mal” which literally means “to have a pain” even if in English you would rather say “I feel a pain” or you will mention a body part and add the word “ache” as in “backache”.

It is rude to sit with one's legs spread apart unless in a relaxed context. Rather, sit straight with your legs crossed at the knee or knees together. Feet should not be placed on tables or chairs. If someone is invited to a restaurant or a business function, it is acceptable to arrive at the specific time.

French manners and etiquette

A typical gesture of French manners and politeness, which becomes the opposite if you don't apply it, is to let another person pass through a door first, and a man always gives way to a woman. If someone gives way to you, it is common to thank them or say pardon.

Saying hello in French

Bonjour is the most common and basic greeting. It means “Hello” and “Good morning” and can be used with any person you meet.

They are happy to communicate their feelings with hugs, cuddles and kisses wherever and whenever they feel the need to express love. There is no debate about public displays of affection in France, where PDAs are celebrated as a fortunate consequence of love.

Il faut souffrir pour être belle.

Eye Contact: Direct eye contact is understood as a form of respect. It is considered to be extremely rude not to make and maintain eye contact. Gestures: French people tend to use the 'thumbs up' sign to indicate 'okay'. Making a circle with the thumb and index finger means 'zero' in France.

Bad French Table Manners Are… To start drinking before everybody has a full glass in front of them (and someone has a chance to make a toast). To keep your hands under the table. If you are a man, to serve yourself before offering the food to the woman sitting next to you.

How do you greet sympathy in French? ›

Je vous adresse mes (sincères) condoléances – please receive my (sincere) condolences/my sympathy.

The usual response to merci is de rien (You're welcome – literally, It's nothing) or il n'y a pas de quoi. In a more formal context, you could say Je vous en prie or Je t'en prie.

French values

The French national motto “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” reflects the core values of French society. Equality and unity are important to the French. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité'are often identified as essential to what it means to be 'French'.

The most common greeting in French is the very useful “bonjour”, and “bonsoir”. The first can be used throughout the day, and the second in the evening. “Salut” is also widely used in a more informal setting. These are the most basic greetings that will commonly be learned in lessons for French for kids.