xin lỗi

Vietnamese

Vietnamese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Etymology

xin (“to beg”) +‎ lỗi (“mistake”).

The literal meaning of these two words is "to beg for someone's mistake", which some people might consider strange. It's possibly a shortened form of the more outdated literary form xin thứ lỗi/xin tha lỗi.

Pronunciation

(Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [sin˧˧ loj˦ˀ˥]
(Huế) IPA^(key): [sin˧˧ loj˧˨]
(Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [sɨn˧˧ loj˨˩˦]

Verb

xin lỗi • (吀纇)

to apologise

Interjection

xin lỗi • (吀纇)

I'm sorry (for my mistake/transgression)
Xin lỗi, tớ không cố ý.
Sorry, I didn't mean to do that.
(polite) excuse me/pardon me (for intruding/disturbing you)
Xin lỗi, cho hỏi đây có phải là nhà anh Tiến không ạ?
Excuse me, is this Mr. Tiến's address?

Usage notes

For the English phrase I'm sorry (about this inconvenience / about your loss / what you've been through), translators may use rất tiếc / tiếc quá (“that's a pity”) or xin chia buồn với... (“my condolences to...”). For example:
- Rất tiếc, chúng tôi hết phòng đôi rồi ạ.
  I'm sorry, we have run out of twin rooms.

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