How to Apologize in Korean for Small Mistakes: Bumping Into Someone or Being Late
Learn beginner Korean apologies for minor slip-ups like bumping into someone or arriving late, with formal and informal options and natural replies.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In Korean, the apology you choose depends less on how sorry you feel and more on who you are speaking to. For small everyday mistakes, such as brushing past someone on a crowded train or arriving a few minutes late to meet a friend, a short set of expressions covers almost everything. This lesson teaches those expressions in polite and casual speech, shows how to respond when someone apologizes to you, and explains the honorific verb ending that makes an apology sound formal. You will practice only minor situations; serious offenses need different, more careful language.
By the end, you can…
- apologize politely to a stranger or someone older after a minor mistake
- apologize casually to a close friend for being late
- respond naturally when someone apologizes to me
- choose between formal and informal apology forms based on the listener
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
죄송합니다
I am sorry (formal, polite)
joe-song-ham-ni-da
The safest default with strangers, teachers, coworkers, or anyone older. Use it after bumping into someone or arriving late to an appointment.
미안합니다
I am sorry (polite, a little softer)
mi-an-ham-ni-da
Polite but slightly less heavy than 죄송합니다. Fine with acquaintances and people you know moderately well.
미안해요
I'm sorry (polite casual)
mi-an-hae-yo
Standard polite speech with the -요 ending. Good for friends you are not extremely close to, or for a small, light apology.
미안
Sorry (casual)
mi-an
Only with close friends or people clearly younger than you. Dropping -요 makes it intimate, not rude, in the right relationship.
괜찮아요
It's okay / No problem
gwaen-chan-a-yo
The most common reply when someone apologizes to you. It reassures the other person that nothing is wrong.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core word is 미안, and you attach an ending to set the politeness level. 미안 + 합니다 gives 미안합니다, the formal polite form. 미안 + 해요 gives 미안해요, the everyday polite form. 미안 alone is casual. The same pattern works with 죄송: 죄송합니다 is formal polite, and 죄송해요 is polite casual. Notice that the ending, not the word, carries most of the politeness. For example, to a boss you say 죄송합니다, but to a close friend you can say 미안.
When to use it
Match the ending to the listener, not to the size of the mistake. If you bump into an older stranger on the street, say 죄송합니다. If you are five minutes late to meet a close friend, 미안 or 미안해 is natural and warm. If you are late to a job interview or a meeting with a professor, use 죄송합니다 plus a short reason, such as 늦어서 죄송합니다 (I'm sorry for being late). Adding -요 to 미안 gives you a middle option that is polite but not stiff.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
아, 죄송합니다. 제가 잘못 봤어요.
Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking properly.a, joe-song-ham-ni-da. je-ga jal-mot bwa-sseo-yo.괜찮아요.
It's okay.gwaen-chan-a-yo.늦어서 미안해. 오래 기다렸지?
Sorry I'm late. You waited a long time, right?neu-jeo-seo mi-an-hae. o-rae gi-da-ryeot-ji?괜찮아. 별로 안 기다렸어.
It's okay. I didn't wait long.gwaen-chan-a. byeol-lo an gi-da-ryeot-sseo.A little context goes a long way
Korean politeness is built into verb endings, so the same apology changes shape depending on who hears it. Using 죄송합니다 with a close friend can sound distant, while using 미안 with a professor can sound too casual. When in doubt with someone older or unfamiliar, choose the polite -요 form or the formal 합니다 form; Koreans generally read slight over-politeness as respectful rather than strange.
One thing to watch for
Using 미안 to a stranger, a teacher, or someone older because it is shorter and easier to remember.
Try this instead: Use 죄송합니다 or at least 미안해요 with strangers, teachers, and older people. For example, after bumping into an older person, say 죄송합니다, not 미안. Save 미안 for close friends and people clearly younger than you.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You accidentally step on a stranger's foot on the subway. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
죄송합니다.
The stranger is unfamiliar and possibly older, so the formal polite form is safest. 죄송해요 is also acceptable and slightly softer.
2You are ten minutes late meeting your best friend. Give a casual apology.
Show a sample answer
늦어서 미안.
With a close friend, casual 미안 is warm and natural. 늦어서 미안해 is also fine and adds a little politeness.
3Someone says 미안해요 to you after a small mistake. Give a polite reply.
Show a sample answer
괜찮아요.
괜찮아요 means 'It's okay' and is the standard polite response. 괜찮습니다 is a more formal alternative.
For minor mistakes, pick the ending that matches your listener: 죄송합니다 for strangers and formal settings, 미안해요 for polite everyday use, and 미안 with close friends. Reply with 괜찮아요 to put the other person at ease.
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