Accepting Formal Apologies in Latin American Spanish: "Aprecio su disculpa" and Related Phrases
Learn intermediate Spanish phrases for accepting formal apologies, including aprecio su disculpa and gracias por disculparse, with register and regional notes.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
Accepting an apology is a distinct conversational move from making one. In formal Latin American Spanish, you often acknowledge the apology first, then signal that the relationship is repaired. This lesson gives you five reliable phrases for accepting apologies in professional, service, and respectful personal situations. You will practice choosing between formal usted and familiar tú, and you will learn how to avoid sounding cold or overly legalistic.
By the end, you can…
- accept a formal apology in Spanish using aprecio su disculpa and similar phrases.
- distinguish formal usted acceptance from familiar tú acceptance.
- respond appropriately when someone apologizes for a serious inconvenience.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Aprecio su disculpa.
I appreciate your apology.
ah-PREH-syoh soo dees-KOOL-pah
Formal, singular usted. Common in workplace and service contexts. In much of Latin America, su is the formal possessive for both usted and ustedes.
Gracias por disculparse.
Thank you for apologizing.
GRAH-syahs por dees-kool-PAR-seh
Neutral and broadly useful. Disculparse is the reflexive infinitive; use it after gracias por. Works with both tú and usted because the reflexive form does not specify the subject.
Le agradezco su disculpa.
I thank you for your apology.
leh ah-grah-DEH-skoh soo dees-KOOL-pah
More formal than aprecio su disculpa. The indirect object pronoun le matches usted. Common in written follow-ups and formal meetings.
No se preocupe, entiendo.
Don't worry, I understand.
noh seh preh-oh-KOO-peh, ehn-TYEHN-doh
Formal usted. This accepts the apology while reassuring the other person. For familiar tú, say No te preocupes, entiendo.
Está bien, gracias por aclararlo.
It's okay, thank you for clarifying it.
ehs-TAH byehn, GRAH-syahs por ah-klah-RAR-loh
Useful when the apology includes an explanation. Aclararlo refers to the matter that was clarified. The phrase is warm but not overly casual.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A common pattern is aprecio + possessive + disculpa: Aprecio su disculpa. For a plural or group apology, use Aprecio sus disculpas. If you want to thank the person instead, use gracias por + reflexive infinitive: Gracias por disculparse. To make the thanks more formal, use Le agradezco su disculpa. Notice that Spanish does not require a separate word for 'you' in these phrases; the pronoun le or the possessive su carries the formal meaning.
When to use it
Use aprecio su disculpa or le agradezco su disculpa when the apology is formal, such as from a supervisor, a client, or a service representative. Use gracias por disculparse when you want to be polite but slightly less official. Use no se preocupe, entiendo when you want to reassure the person and close the issue. If the relationship is familiar, switch to tú: Aprecio tu disculpa, Gracias por disculparte, No te preocupes, entiendo. In Latin America, usted is common even among coworkers who are not close, so do not assume that usted always means distant or angry.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Señor Ramírez, le pido una disculpa por el retraso en el informe.
Mr. Ramírez, I apologize to you for the delay in the report.seh-NYOR rah-MEE-rehs, leh PEE-doh oo-nah dees-KOOL-pah por el reh-TRAH-soh ehn el een-FOR-mehAprecio su disculpa. Entiendo que hubo problemas con los datos.
I appreciate your apology. I understand there were problems with the data.ah-PREH-syoh soo dees-KOOL-pah. ehn-TYEHN-doh keh OO-boh proh-BLEH-mahs kon lohs DAH-tohsSí, y gracias por su paciencia. ¿Prefiere que lo revisemos mañana?
Yes, and thank you for your patience. Would you prefer that we review it tomorrow?see, ee GRAH-syahs por soo pah-SYEHN-syah. preh-FYEH-reh keh loh reh-bee-SEH-mohs mah-NYAH-nahEstá bien, gracias por aclararlo. Revisémoslo mañana a las diez.
It's okay, thank you for clarifying it. Let's review it tomorrow at ten.ehs-TAH byehn, GRAH-syahs por ah-klah-RAR-loh. reh-bee-SEH-mohs-loh mah-NYAH-nah ah lahs DYEHZA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American workplaces, usted remains the default with supervisors, clients, and new acquaintances, even when the tone is friendly. Accepting an apology with aprecio su disculpa can sound appropriately respectful rather than cold. In Spain, usted is generally more restricted to clearly formal or distant situations, and tú is common among coworkers. Regional variation also affects vocabulary: in some areas, a formal apology may be framed as una disculpa, while in others, especially Spain, perdón or lo siento are more frequent in the apology itself.
One thing to watch for
Using Aprecio tu disculpa with a supervisor or client because you want to sound friendly.
Try this instead: Use the formal possessive su with usted: Aprecio su disculpa. If you are sure the relationship is familiar, tu is fine: Aprecio tu disculpa. When in doubt in a Latin American professional setting, su is the safer choice.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A client says: Le pido una disculpa por la confusión. Give a formal acceptance using aprecio.
Show a sample answer
Aprecio su disculpa.
This matches the formal register of the client's apology. Aprecio sus disculpas is also possible if you treat the apology as plural, and Le agradezco su disculpa is a valid more formal alternative.
2A friend says: Perdón, llegué tarde. Give a familiar acceptance with tú.
Show a sample answer
No te preocupes, entiendo.
The familiar negative command no te preocupes matches tú. Gracias por disculparte is also correct, while No se preocupe would be too formal for a close friend.
3You want to thank someone for explaining a mistake before apologizing. Which phrase fits best?
Show a sample answer
Gracias por aclararlo.
Aclararlo refers to the explanation itself. Gracias por disculparse would focus on the apology, and Aprecio su disculpa would focus on the apology rather than the clarification.
To accept a formal apology in Latin American Spanish, start with Aprecio su disculpa or Gracias por disculparse, then add a reassuring phrase such as No se preocupe, entiendo. Match su and usted for formal situations, and switch to tu and tú only when the relationship is clearly familiar.
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