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A1How to sayizviníte / prostíte

How to say “I’m sorry” in Russian

A bumped shoulder and a real apology are two different words.

Quick answer

Извини́те · Прости́те

izviníte / prostíte — small apology and serious apology

The options

Извини́те.Sorry. — small things, and to get attention
Прости́те.Forgive me. — heavier
Мне о́чень жаль.I’m very sorry. — sympathy, or a real regret
Э́то моя́ вина́.It’s my fault.
Больше не повтори́тся.It won’t happen again.

Sorry for your loss

Мне о́чень жаль is also what you say when something bad happened to someone else — the English “I’m sorry” in the sympathy sense. Извини́те would be wrong there.

What you hear back

Ничего́ стра́шного.No harm done.
Всё в поря́дке.It’s fine.
Ничего́.It’s nothing.

Typical mistakes

Я извиня́юсь.

Извини́те.

Widely considered poor style — it literally means “I excuse myself”.

Извини́те for someone’s bad news

Мне о́чень жаль.

Sympathy is a different phrase.

Check yourself

A friend tells you their grandmother died. What do you say?

Sympathy is Мне о́чень жаль.

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