sorry
gb/sˈɑɹi/ us/sˈɑɹi/
A1
English
~ 900
sajnál, megbán, bocsánat, elnézést, együttérez, szánalmas, siralmas
A1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is sorry (for/about [something])
I’m really sorry for breaking your mug.
Nagyon sajnálom, hogy eltörtem a bögrédet.
She felt sorry about missing his birthday.
Sajnálta, hogy nem tudott elmenni a születésnapjára.
We’re sorry to keep you waiting.
He said he was sorry for the mistake.
I’m sorry if my words hurt you.
Learner examples
I am sorry for being late.
Sajnálom, hogy elkéstem.
She is sorry about the noise.
Sajnálja a zajt.
We are sorry for the mistake.
He is sorry to miss the party.
I am sorry if I hurt you.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sorry' with 'sad'. 'Sorry' in this sense is about regret for an action, not general unhappiness.
Meaning
feeling regret or guilt
Collocations
deeply sorry
|truly sorry
|so sorry
|very sorry
|sorry for the inconvenience
Synonyms
apologetic (Focuses more on showing that you are sorry rather than the feeling itself.)
Antonyms
unrepentant (Shows no regret or guilt for actions.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Feeling bad because you did something wrong or caused a problem.
Feeling regret, sadness, or guilt for something you have done that has caused harm or inconvenience to someone.
A1
2
Sorry, could you say that again?
Bocsánat, meg tudná ismételni?
Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there.
Jaj, bocsánat, nem vettem észre.
Sorry about that, my phone was on silent.
Learner examples
Sorry, can you repeat that?
Bocsánat, megismételnéd?
Sorry, I did not hear you.
Bocsánat, nem hallottam.
Oh, sorry, I forgot to call.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'excuse me' instead of 'sorry' when they mean an apology; 'excuse me' can be used before interrupting but not always as an apology.
Meaning
used to apologize or request repetition
Collocations
Sorry, what?
|Sorry about that
|Oh, sorry
Synonyms
pardon (More formal or polite when asking someone to repeat something.)
Themes
communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A quick way to say you are sorry, or to ask someone to say something again.
Used to express apology in a brief way or to politely ask someone to repeat what they said.
A2
3
sajnál
A2
együttérez
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels sorry for [someone]
I feel sorry for the children in that situation.
Sajnálom a gyerekeket abban a helyzetben.
She felt sorry for him after hearing his story.
Megsajnálta, miután meghallotta a történetét.
We should feel sorry for people who are struggling.
Learner examples
I feel sorry for the dog.
Sajnálom a kutyát.
She feels sorry for him.
Sajnálja őt.
We feel sorry for the old man.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'feel sorry for' with 'be sorry for'; the former is about pity, the latter about apology.
Meaning
feeling pity for someone
Collocations
feel sorry for
|really sorry for
Synonyms
compassionate (Broader term meaning showing care and concern for others.)
Antonyms
unsympathetic (Not showing understanding or pity for someone's problems.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Feeling bad for someone because something bad happened to them.
Feeling pity or compassion for someone's unfortunate situation.
B1
INFORMAL
4
The garden was in a sorry state after the storm.
A vihar után a kert siralmas állapotban volt.
That’s a sorry excuse for being late.
Ez szánalmas kifogás arra, hogy elkéstél.
His shoes were in a sorry condition.
Learner examples
The house is in a sorry state.
A ház siralmas állapotban van.
This is a sorry excuse for food.
Ez ételnek is szánalmas.
My shoes are in a sorry condition.
Meaning
in a poor or pitiful condition
Collocations
a sorry state
|sorry excuse
Synonyms
pathetic (More judgmental and often insulting.)
Antonyms
impressive (Causing admiration due to quality or condition.)
Themes
descriptions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In very bad condition or not good enough.
In a poor, pitiful, or inadequate state or quality.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sorry
IPA
GB/sˈɑɹi/
US/sˈɑɹi/
Syllables & stress
sorry (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sorry)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sorry
- Comparative: sorrier
- Superlative: sorriest
Word family
Forms
sorrier
adjective
sorriest
adjective
Related words
apologetic
adjective
regret
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
unapologetic
adjective
Advanced or less common
remorse
noun B2
remorseful
adjective C1
Expressions
feel sorry for (someone)
1/fˈil sˈɑɹi fɚ sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
to pity someone’s situation
To feel bad because something bad happened to someone else.
Examples
- I really feel sorry for her after hearing what happened.
- They felt sorry for the lost puppy.
sorry about that
1/sˈɑɹi əbˈaʊt ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
apologizing for something recent
Used to say you are sorry about something that just happened or was mentioned.
Examples
- Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to interrupt.
- We’re sorry about that delay in service.
sorry not sorry
1/sˈɑɹi nˈɑt sˈɑɹi/
fixed phrase
informal
no real regret despite offense
Used when you say you are not really sorry about something, often in a joking or defiant way.
Examples
- I ate the last slice of pizza—sorry not sorry.
- Sorry not sorry, but I had to tell the truth.
sorry to hear that
1/sˈɑɹi tə hˈɪɹ ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
express sympathy after bad news
Used to show you feel bad after hearing someone’s bad news.
Examples
- I’m sorry to hear that your trip was cancelled.
- Sorry to hear that things didn’t go well.