“perdón”, pronounced “perr-donn” can be used in most minor, everyday incidents, such as accidentally bumping into someone or interrupting someone. Alternatively, you can say “perdóname”, pronounced “perr-donn-ah-may”, to give a more direct apology.
When making an informal apology you would say “tú disculpa;” but when making a formal apology you would say “usted disculpe. " When you say “tú disculpa” or “usted disculpe”, you are literally saying “you forgive me”, though it’s an imperative. [1] X Research source As a result, “tú disculpa” and “usted disculpe” are listener-oriented apologies, because they make the listener the subject of the sentence. This structure, which is common in Spanish, places the emphasis on the listener’s ability to forgive you rather than on your own feelings of regret. Alternatively, you can just say “‘discúlpame”, pronounced “dees-kool-pah-meh”, which simply means “forgive me” or “excuse me” (informal).
You can also say “lo siento mucho” or “lo siento muchísimo,” meaning “I’m so sorry” or “I’m very sorry. " Another variation with the same meaning is “cuánto lo siento. " ( how sorry I am) This apology is appropriate for serious situations such as the death of a loved one, a break-up, or a firing or layoff. Lo siento is pronounced as “loh syenn-toh”.
To say “I’m terribly sorry”, you can use the phrase “lo lamento mucho”, pronounced “loh lah-menn-toh moo-cho”.
