How do you say sorry in Portuguese?
Say desculpa or desculpe to apologize, and sinto muito to say you feel sorry about something.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| desculpa | sorry | Unit 2 |
| Desculpe. / Me desculpe. | Sorry. | Unit 18 |
| Sinto muito. | I'm so sorry. | Unit 18 |
| Desculpa a demora. | Sorry for the wait. | Unit 36 |
| Desculpa! E agora? | Sorry! How about now? (unmuting on a video call) | Speak: Video call |
What is the difference between desculpa, desculpe and perdão?
Desculpa is the everyday sorry; desculpe is a little more careful (staff, signs, emails); perdão is "sorry, forgive me", and Perdão? also means "Sorry, what did you say?".
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Perdão. | Sorry, forgive me. | Unit 18 |
| Desculpe o transtorno. | Sorry for the inconvenience. | Unit 18 |
| Puxa, sinto muito. Vamos resolver isso. | Oh, I'm sorry. Let's sort this out. | Speak: Customer service call |
| Nossa, desculpe! A gente resolve isso agora. | Oh no, I'm sorry! We'll sort it out right away. | Speak: Returning a shirt |
How do you say sorry casually in Brazil?
Among friends, say Foi mal! ("my bad") for a small mistake. It's casual, so not for your boss or a stranger.
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Foi mal! | My bad! Sorry! (casual) |
| Foi mal, cheguei atrasado. | Sorry, I'm late. (a man; a woman says atrasada) |
How do you say "I'm sorry for your loss" in Portuguese?
Say Meus sentimentos ("I'm sorry for your loss"), or simply Sinto muito. Both are what Brazilians say at a funeral or on hearing the news.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Meus sentimentos. | I'm sorry for your loss. | Unit 30 |
| Sinto muito. | I'm so sorry. | Unit 18 |
What mistakes do English speakers make when saying sorry?
The common mistakes are using sinto muito for small things and desculpa to get past someone.
- Sinto muito after bumping into someone. It sounds heavy; desculpa or foi mal fits.
- Desculpa to squeeze past someone. That's com licença: see how to say excuse me.
- Desculpe-me in conversation. It's correct, but it sounds stiff in Brazil, where people say me desculpe or me desculpa.
How can you practice saying it out loud?
Say it to someone who answers. In CiaoSpeak's Brazilian Portuguese course, the lessons teach desculpa, desculpe and sinto muito with a recording in a Brazilian accent, and in the Speak tab a character in a real scene (a São Paulo baker, a Rio ride-app driver, your language-exchange partner Ana) talks to you and you answer out loud. The app tells you whether a Brazilian would understand you, with one gentle fix if not. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More phrases: how to say everyday things in Portuguese.