Saying I am sorry in Korean is as necessary as saying thank you. Korean culture requires good manners and being humble. Expressing sorry or apology doesn’t only show your sincerity but also your respect for other people. If you are K-pop addict, especially K-drama lovers, probably you are familiar with term 미안 (mian) or sorry. Just like 사랑해 (saranghae) or I love you in Korean, 미안해 (mianhae) is one of our first Korean vocabularies. Actually, there are several ways to express apology in Korean. In this section, we will discuss 5 ways to express I am sorry in Korean.

1. 죄송하다 – Standard Way to Say I am Sorry in Korean

We begin with the basic way to express I am sorry in Korean: 죄송하다 (jwesonghada). This term sounds more formal. If you are in formal occasions such as office, institutions, school, you should say 죄송합니다 (jwesonghamnida). This honorific way is applicable for talking to older people too. 죄송해요 (Jwesonghaeyo) is still polite but sounds more casual. Meanwhile, you may say 죄송해 (jwesonghae) only if you are talking to people in the same age, younger people, or close friends. And what if someone apologizes to us? You can react 아닙니다 (animnida), or 아니에요 (anieyo), or 아니야 (aniya). Again, your reaction depends on what kind of occasions you are in.

2. 미안하다 – Common Way to Say I am Sorry in Korean

미안하다 (Mianhada) is a bit different from 죄송하다 (jwesonghada). Its sense is more casual than 죄송하다 (jwesonghada). This term literally means I am sorry in Korean. Its seems like the sense is deeper than apology. For formal and polite way, please say 미안합니다 (mianhamnida). If you prefer casual but still polite, you should say 미안해요 (mianhaeyo). Meanwhile, you can say in informal (banmal) way like 미안해 (mianhae) or just 미안 (mian) to your close friends. What if someone says sorry to you? You can reply 괜찮습니다 (gwaenchanseumnida), or 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo), or 괜찮아 (gwaenchanha). Still, it depends on the circumstances. It has equivalent meaning to “It is alright” in English.

3. 사과하다

사과 (Sagwa) doesn’t only mean apple fruit but also apology expression. 사과하다 (Sagwahada) is another way to apologize in Korean. It is commonly used in informal occasions, but it we can also use it in formal way such as business. We frequently find term 사과하다 (Sagwahada) in business correspondence such as complaint email. We may say 진심으로 사과드립니다 (jinsimeuro sagwadeurimnida). It means “I sincerely apologize” in English. By saying it, you show sincerity and respect to someone you are talking to. If you want someone to apologize, you may ask 사과하세요 (sagwahaseyo). It means “please apologize” or politely asking someone to apologize.

4. 실수하다 – Next Step after Saying I am Sorry in Korean

This is the next step after apology. Admitting your mistake is necessary to convince people that you are really sorry. Please say 실수했습니다 (silsuhaesseumnida) which means “I made mistake”. This is formal and polite expression. For more casual but still polite, you can say 실수했어요 (silsuhaesseoyo). If you want to admit to your close friends, you can just say 실수했어 (silsuhaesseo). Surely, it is better if you say it in complete statement: to apologize and admit mistake. Please say 죄송합니다. 제가 실수했습니다 (Jwesonghamnida. Jega silsuhaesseumnida). It means “I am sorry. I made mistake”.

5. 잘못하다

This is the other way to admit your mistake. You can simply say 잘못했습니다 (jalmothaesseumnida). It could be translated to “It was my fault”. This is a formal and polite way to express I am sorry and admit your fault in Korean. You use this term after you realize that you did something wrong so you should ask for forgiveness. If you prefer casual but still polite term, you may say 네가 잘못했어요 (Nega jalmothaesseoyo). If you want to apologize to your close friends, you may just say 네가 잘못했어 (jalmothaesseo). Sometimes, people will rub their hands together while saying their apology.