Foreigners tend to be taught that 'désolé' means sorry in French, but in fact the French language has a variety of different ways to apologise, ranging from the casual to the phrases used for a more serious or formal affair.
Emma Albright - emma.albright@thelocal.com
Updated: Tue 12 May 2026 11:47 CET
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All the different ways to say "sorry" in French. (Photo: Melanie Stander/Unsplash)
Foreigners tend to be taught that 'désolé' means sorry in French, but in fact the French language has a variety of different ways to apologise, ranging from the casual to the phrases used for a more serious or formal affair.
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