Korean for Small Apologies: Say "Sorry I'm Late" and "My bad"
Learn short, casual Korean apologies for minor slip-ups, how to accept them naturally, and how they differ from formal apologies.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Korean has several ways to apologize, and the phrase you choose depends on how serious the situation is and who you are talking to. This lesson focuses on small, everyday apologies: arriving a little late, bumping into someone, forgetting something, or making a minor mistake. These are usually short, use casual or polite-casual endings, and are often answered with a quick reassurance. You will learn five useful phrases, see how they work in a short conversation, and practice accepting an apology in Korean.
By the end, you can…
- apologize briefly for being late in casual and polite-casual Korean.
- say "my bad" for a small mistake without sounding overly formal.
- accept someone's apology naturally in Korean.
- choose between casual and polite-casual apology forms based on the listener.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
미안, 늦었어.
Sorry, I'm late.
mi-an, neu-jeo-sseo
Casual speech to a close friend or someone younger. Use when you are actually late and want a quick, direct apology.
미안해요, 늦었어요.
Sorry, I'm late.
mi-an-hae-yo, neu-jeo-sseo-yo
Polite-casual speech. Safe with acquaintances, coworkers you are not close to, or someone older than you in a relaxed setting.
내 잘못이야.
My bad. / It's my fault.
nae jal-mo-si-ya
Casual. Use for a clear minor mistake, such as forgetting a promise or spilling something. Literally "It is my fault."
내 잘못이에요.
My bad. / It's my fault.
nae jal-mo-si-e-yo
Polite-casual version of the same idea. Use with acquaintances or in a workplace when the mistake is small.
괜찮아요.
It's okay. / No problem.
gwaen-chan-a-yo
A common way to accept an apology. Polite-casual and broadly safe. The casual form is 괜찮아 (gwaen-chan-a).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For small apologies, Korean often uses a short clause with a casual or polite-casual ending. 미안 is the casual word for "sorry," and 미안해요 adds the polite ending -요. The same -요 ending appears in 늦었어요, the polite-casual past form of "to be late." Compare 미안, 늦었어 (casual) with 미안해요, 늦었어요 (polite-casual). To admit a minor fault, use 내 잘못이야 (casual) or 내 잘못이에요 (polite-casual). These are not rude by themselves; they are simply shorter and less formal than a full apology such as 죄송합니다 (joe-song-ham-ni-da).
When to use it
Use these short apologies for minor issues: being a few minutes late, bumping into someone, forgetting a small item, or making a small mistake. With a close friend, say 미안, 늦었어 or 내 잘못이야. With an acquaintance, a coworker you do not know well, or someone older, use 미안해요, 늦었어요 or 내 잘못이에요. If the situation is more serious, such as damaging someone's property or missing an important deadline, a short phrase may sound too light. In that case, use a fuller apology like 죄송합니다 (joe-song-ham-ni-da) or 정말 죄송해요 (jeong-mal joe-song-hae-yo).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
미안해요, 늦었어요.
Sorry, I'm late.mi-an-hae-yo, neu-jeo-sseo-yo괜찮아요. 별일 아니에요.
It's okay. It's no big deal.gwaen-chan-a-yo. byeol-il a-ni-e-yo내 잘못이에요. 다음에는 일찍 올게요.
My bad. I'll come early next time.nae jal-mo-si-e-yo. da-eum-e-neun il-jjik ol-ge-yo알겠어요. 걱정 마세요.
Okay. Don't worry.al-ge-sseo-yo. geok-jeong ma-se-yoA little context goes a long way
Korean has a clear range from casual to formal apology. Short forms like 미안 and 내 잘못이야 are normal between close friends, but they can sound too casual with a boss, a teacher, or a stranger. When in doubt, add -요 to stay polite-casual, or use 죄송합니다 for a serious or formal situation. Accepting an apology with 괜찮아요 is common and friendly, but it is not a promise that the issue is forgotten.
One thing to watch for
Using 미안 to a boss, teacher, or stranger because it is short and easy to remember.
Try this instead: 미안 is casual and can sound too light or rude in a formal or hierarchical situation. Use 미안해요 for polite-casual, or 죄송합니다 for formal apologies. For example, to a boss: 늦어서 죄송합니다 (neu-jeo-seo joe-song-ham-ni-da), "I'm sorry for being late."
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are meeting a close friend and arrive five minutes late. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
미안, 늦었어.
This uses casual 미안 and casual 늦었어, which fit a close friend. 미안해, 늦었어 is also acceptable and slightly softer.
2You made a small mistake at work with a coworker you do not know well. Which phrase is safer: 내 잘못이야 or 내 잘못이에요?
Show a sample answer
내 잘못이에요.
The -요 ending makes it polite-casual and safer with an acquaintance or coworker. 내 잘못이야 is casual and better for close friends.
3Someone says 미안해요, 늦었어요. Give a natural polite-casual reply.
Show a sample answer
괜찮아요.
괜찮아요 means "It's okay" and is a common polite-casual way to accept an apology. 별일 아니에요 (byeol-il a-ni-e-yo), "It's no big deal," also works.
For minor slip-ups, keep it short: 미안, 늦었어 with close friends, 미안해요, 늦었어요 with acquaintances, and 내 잘못이에요 to admit a small fault. Accept an apology with 괜찮아요, and save 죄송합니다 for serious or formal situations.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Korean into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr