How to Say Sorry in Italian: 15+ Apologies From Scusa to Mi Dispiace

The Short Answer

The most common way to say sorry in Italian is Scusa (SKOO-zah) for everyday slip-ups and Mi dispiace (mee dee-SPYAH-cheh) for sincere apologies. In formal situations, switch to Mi scusi (mee SKOO-zee). These three expressions cover the vast majority of situations where an English speaker would say "sorry" or "excuse me," but Italian draws sharper distinctions between them than English does.

Italian is spoken by approximately 85 million people worldwide across Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, and Vatican City, according to Ethnologue's 2024 data. In a culture that values bella figura (making a good impression) and expressive communication, how you apologize matters as much as the apology itself. The wrong register (too casual with a stranger, too formal with a friend) can undermine your sincerity.

"Language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it. The words a culture develops for apology reveal what that culture considers worth apologizing for."

(Adapted from Claire Kramsch, Language and Culture, Oxford University Press, 1998)

This guide covers 15+ Italian apology expressions organized by category: casual apologies, sincere apologies, formal expressions, and "excuse me" for getting attention or passing through. Each includes pronunciation, formality level, an example sentence, and cultural context so you know exactly when to reach for each one.

Quick Reference: Italian Apologies at a Glance

Casual Apologies

These are the apologies you will use most often in daily Italian life: for bumping into someone, being a few minutes late, or interrupting a conversation. According to the Accademia della Crusca, scusare (to excuse) has been the backbone of everyday Italian apologies since the 14th century.

Scusa

Scusa is the workhorse of Italian apologies. It covers everything from stepping on someone's foot to interrupting a conversation to asking a friend for their attention. Because it uses the informal tu conjugation, reserve it for people you would address informally: friends, family, children, and peers your own age.

The stress falls on the first syllable: SKOO-zah. A common mistake is stressing the second syllable. Avoid "skoo-ZAH."

Scusami

Adding -mi (me) to scusa makes the apology slightly more personal. Where scusa can feel almost reflexive, scusami says "excuse me specifically." It is still fully casual and informal, but carries a bit more weight.

Scusate

When your apology is directed at more than one person, scusate is the correct form. Arriving late to a group dinner, squeezing past a table of friends, or addressing a crowd all call for scusate rather than scusa.

Sincere Apologies

When the situation calls for genuine regret (not just a quick "oops"), Italian offers expressions that carry real emotional weight. These go beyond social courtesy and into heartfelt territory.

Mi dispiace

Mi dispiace is the Italian equivalent of a sincere "I'm sorry." Its literal meaning ("it displeases me") reveals something about the Italian approach to apology. Rather than directly claiming fault (as in "I apologize"), the expression frames the situation as something that causes you personal sorrow. This indirect structure is actually more emotionally resonant in Italian culture.

Use mi dispiace when something genuinely matters: a friend's bad news, a real mistake you made, condolences, or any situation where scusa would feel too light.

Mi dispiace molto

Adding molto (very) or tantissimo (so very much) amplifies the emotional weight. Reserve this for situations that demand it: a serious mistake, deep condolences, or a genuinely heartfelt apology. Overusing intensifiers dilutes their impact.

Perdonami

Perdonami escalates from excuse to forgiveness. While scusa says "excuse me for this minor thing," perdonami says "I need your forgiveness." It is informal (tu form), making it appropriate for friends and family. In a Catholic-influenced culture like Italy, the verb perdonare (to forgive) carries particular resonance, echoing the language of confession and absolution.

Formal Apologies

Professional settings, interactions with strangers, and situations requiring deference all call for formal Italian. According to Zanichelli's Lo Zingarelli, the formal register remains essential in Italian business, government, and service interactions.

Mi scusi

Mi scusi is the formal counterpart of scusa. It uses the Lei form (formal you) and is the default choice when speaking to anyone you do not know personally: a stranger on the street, a waiter, a shopkeeper, a professional contact. In Italian culture, defaulting to Lei with someone you have just met is not stiff or cold; it is respectful.

Chiedo scusa

Chiedo scusa literally means "I ask for excuse" and is the expression you will encounter in business emails, formal letters, and professional settings. It feels more deliberate than mi scusi because it frames the apology as an active request rather than a reflexive utterance.

La prego di scusarmi

This is the full formal apology, the kind you would use in a business letter, an official statement, or when addressing someone of significantly higher status. The verb pregare (to pray, to beg) adds a layer of humility that English "please excuse me" cannot quite match.

Chiedo venia

Chiedo venia is literary Italian at its most elegant. Venia derives from Latin venia (grace, clemency, forgiveness) and has an almost Shakespearean quality. You will encounter it in legal contexts, academic writing, and the speech of Italians who enjoy a dramatic vocabulary. Using it in everyday conversation would sound deliberately theatrical, which, in Italy, is not always a bad thing.

Sono spiacente

Where mi dispiace expresses personal sorrow, sono spiacente maintains professional distance. It is the expression a hotel receptionist uses to inform you there are no rooms available, or a doctor uses before delivering difficult news. Correct and courteous, but deliberately restrained.

"Excuse Me" for Attention and Movement

Italian distinguishes between apologizing for a mistake and requesting passage or attention, a distinction English blurs with the catch-all "excuse me."

Permesso

Permesso is one of the most distinctly Italian expressions in this guide. It has no direct English equivalent: it specifically means "may I have permission to enter or pass through this space." You say it when entering someone's home (even if the door is open), squeezing past people on a crowded bus, or navigating through a packed restaurant.

The Accademia della Crusca notes that permesso reflects Italy's deep cultural emphasis on rispetto dello spazio (respect for personal and shared space). Not saying permesso when entering someone's home (even if they invited you) is considered a social error that Italians will notice.

Scusi

Scusi is the formal attention-getter. When you need to stop a stranger on the street for directions, flag down a waiter, or politely interrupt a conversation in a professional setting, scusi is the word. It is technically the Lei form of scusare, but in practice it functions as a universal polite "excuse me" for anyone you do not know.

How to Respond to Italian Apologies

Knowing how to accept an apology gracefully is just as important as knowing how to give one. Here is how Italians respond.

Italian Expressiveness and Apology Culture

Italian apologies are rarely just words. As linguist Claire Kramsch observed, language and culture are inseparable, and in Italy, this means apologies come with their own body language, tone, and theatrical flair.

In northern Italy, apologies tend to be slightly more reserved and measured, reflecting cultural influences from neighboring Austria and Switzerland. In southern Italy, expect more volume, more gestures, and more emotional intensity. A Roman saying mi dispiace may place a hand on their chest; a Neapolitan might add both hands and a pained facial expression for emphasis.

"Italians do not simply apologize; they perform the apology. The gesture, the tone, and the facial expression carry as much meaning as the words themselves."

(Cultural observation supported by research in Language and Culture, Kramsch, 1998)

This expressiveness is not insincerity. In Italian culture, demonstrating emotion in an apology signals that you truly care. A flat, monotone "mi dispiace" can actually feel less sincere to an Italian listener than an animated, gestured one. For more on navigating these cultural nuances, explore our Italian learning resources.

Practice With Real Italian Content

Reading about apologies gives you the vocabulary, but hearing them spoken naturally by native speakers is what makes the difference between textbook Italian and real Italian. Italian cinema is world-renowned for its emotional range, from the understated apologies in Fellini's classics to the passionate confrontations in modern Italian drama.

Wordy lets you watch Italian movies and shows with interactive subtitles. When a character says mi dispiace or scusa, you can tap the subtitle to see the pronunciation, formality level, and cultural context instantly. You absorb not just the words but the tone, the gestures, and the situations where each apology fits naturally.

For more Italian content, explore our blog for guides including the best movies to learn Italian. You can also visit our Italian learning page to start practicing with real native content today.