Sorry in French: Désolé, Pardon & Excusez-moi

The most direct way to say sorry in French is désolé if the speaker is male and désolée if the speaker is female; the pronunciation is the same. Use pardon for a small bump, interruption, or request to repeat. Use excusez-moi to get attention politely or apologise to someone addressed with vous. The best phrase depends on whether you are expressing regret, repairing a small social interruption, or asking for attention.

Quick decision table

Situation	Useful phrase	Function
You made a real mistake	Je suis désolé(e).	I am sorry
You bump into someone	Pardon.	Sorry / excuse me
You need a stranger's attention	Excusez-moi.	Excuse me
You interrupt a friend	Excuse-moi.	Excuse me, informal
You did not hear	Pardon ? / Vous pouvez répéter ?	Sorry? / Can you repeat?
Formal or serious regret	Je vous présente mes excuses.	I offer you my apologies
Strong personal regret	Je suis vraiment désolé(e).	I am really sorry

Do not search for one word that replaces every English “sorry.” English uses the same word for regret, interruption, sympathy, and failed hearing. French divides those moments across several expressions.

Désolé or désolée?

The written ending normally agrees with the speaker:

• A man writes je suis désolé.
• A woman writes je suis désolée.
• A mixed or masculine-plural group writes nous sommes désolés.
• A feminine-plural group writes nous sommes désolées.

The singular masculine and feminine forms sound the same in ordinary speech. This is therefore mainly a writing distinction, not something to pause over while apologising aloud.

Add detail when the mistake matters:

Je suis désolé d'être en retard.

I am sorry for being late.

Je suis désolée, j'ai oublié de vous répondre.

I am sorry; I forgot to reply to you.

Nous sommes désolés pour le dérangement.

We are sorry for the inconvenience.

A specific apology sounds more sincere than repeating désolé without naming what happened.

Pardon versus excusez-moi

Use pardon for brief repairs: brushing past someone, interrupting, coughing, or signalling that you did not hear. It is compact and does not necessarily admit a serious fault.

Use excusez-moi to get a stranger's attention or introduce a request:

Excusez-moi, où est la gare ?

Excuse me, where is the station?

With one friend or someone you address as tu, use excuse-moi. The same vous versus tu logic appears in please in French: relationship and number control the pronoun.

How to respond to an apology

Useful replies include:

• Ce n'est pas grave. — It is not serious / no worries.
• Pas de problème. — No problem.
• Ne vous inquiétez pas. — Don't worry, formal or plural.
• Ne t'inquiète pas. — Don't worry, informal singular.
• Je comprends. — I understand.

The response should match the seriousness. Pas de problème fits a small delay; it may sound too casual after a meaningful harm. In a serious conversation, acknowledge the detail rather than reaching for a memorised slogan.

Sympathy is not always an apology

English speakers say “I'm sorry” when hearing bad news even though they caused nothing. French may use:

Je suis désolé(e) d'apprendre ça.

I am sorry to hear that.

Toutes mes condoléances.

My condolences.

The second belongs to bereavement, not an everyday disappointment. This is an area where social context matters more than literal translation; ask a native speaker when preparing for a sensitive real situation.

Pronunciation priorities

Désolé sounds roughly like day-zoh-LAY. Pardon is roughly par-DOHN with a nasal ending rather than a pronounced final n. Excusez-moi is roughly ex-kew-zay MWAH.

Approximations only get you started. Record the complete phrases, especially je suis désolé and excusez-moi, vous pouvez répéter ? The rhythm of the whole repair is what you will need in a real conversation.

Common mistakes

Using désolé to get attention. Use excusez-moi before asking a stranger a question.

Using pardon ? with an angry English intonation. A rising, neutral tone can request repetition; an aggressive tone may sound confrontational.

Over-apologising for every language mistake. Use a repair phrase—comment dit-on… ? or vous pouvez répéter ?—and continue speaking.

Making the apology vague. For a real mistake, name it and, when possible, state the repair: je suis désolé, je vais corriger ça—I'm sorry; I will fix it.

A practical role-play

Rehearse four scenes: you are late, you bump into someone, you need directions, and you did not understand a sentence. Force yourself to choose a different phrase in each scene. The AI French tutor can generate variations without social pressure; later, use a human partner for nuanced feedback on sincerity and tone.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say sorry in French?

Use je suis désolé or je suis désolée for genuine regret. Use pardon for small interruptions and excusez-moi to get attention politely.

Do men and women pronounce désolé differently?

No. The written feminine désolée has an extra e, but the ordinary spoken singular forms sound the same.

Is pardon rude in French?

Not by itself. Tone and context matter. It can be a normal brief apology or a request to repeat what someone said.

What is a formal French apology?

Je vous présente mes excuses is a formal formula. A professional apology should also explain the problem and the corrective action.

How do I say “sorry, I don't understand”?

Say désolé(e), je ne comprends pas and follow with vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ?—can you repeat, please?

Sources and editorial review

This guide was checked against its primary official or academic reference on 26 July 2026. Language usage can vary by region, relationship, and situation. Review the primary source.