Apologizing in Spanish

PRACTICAL IDEAS AND RESOURCES

Resources in this section curated by: Illena Trebont

20 Ways to Say Sorry in Spanish That Aren’t Just “Lo Siento” | Blog Post

Most Spanish L2 learners learn that “lo siento” as the only way to apologize in Spanish. In reality, native Spanish speakers use “lo siento” only in limited circumstances such as expressing sympathy or apologizing for a severe offense. Native speakers use other verbs such as “disculpar” and “perdonar” in circumstances where “lo siento” is not appropriate. This article walks learners through how and when to use apology phrases in Spanish and their different connotations. 

ACADEMIC RESOURCES ON APOLOGIZING IN SPANISH

Resources in this section curated by: Illena Trebont

Langer, B.D. (2011). Teaching Pragmatic Forms in Spanish. Segundas Lenguas e Inmigración. 

This study describes an effective way to teach apologies in Spanish. In this study, students were taught about speech acts, how to apologize in Spanish, and completed activities to ensure comprehension of the material in the first two lessons. By comparing pretest and posttest scores, the study showed that students’ apology strategies became more native-like after pragmatic instruction.