Извините and простите

These mean “excuse me” or “pardon me” and can be used with or without the меня (me) part. You can use both in a range of situations, from such light offenses as bumping into someone to something graver, such as spoiling a surprise. If you are interrupting someone with a question, as when you ask for directions, it is only polite to start with извините. If you are saying this to a person with whom you would use an informal ты (you), you would say прости or извини.

  • Извините, как пройти к театру? (Pardon me, how do we get to the Theater?)
  • Простите за опоздание (Pardon my lateness)
  • Извините, но вы здесь не стояли (Excuse me, but you weren’t here before) – this is when someone is trying to cut the line
  • Антон, прости за поздний звонок, но мне нужна твоя помощь (Антон, sorry for calling this late, but I need your help)

Finally, there are times when you use “I am sorry” to express sympathy, usually for a loss. In Russian, you would use a phrase выражаю свои соболезнования (I am expressing my condolences) or примите мои соболезнования (accept my condolences). 

Last modified: Wednesday, 8 January 2020, 11:04 PM