In this workshop you will practice short, everyday French apologies. You will learn how to say sorry when you are late, how to apologize for a small mistake, and how to reply when someone apologizes to you. The practice uses short recorded lines, so you can listen, repeat, and choose the right phrase for the situation. You do not need to invent new sentences. You will work with the exact phrases from the recordings and use them in simple, realistic scenes.
Saying sorry when you are late
When you arrive late, a short apology is usually enough. The recording «Désolé, je suis en retard.» means 'Sorry, I'm late.' It is the most common everyday apology for lateness. A woman would say the same phrase with a slightly different ending, but the meaning is the same. A shorter option is «Désolé du retard !», which means 'Sorry about the delay!' You can use it when you have just arrived and want to acknowledge the delay quickly. Both phrases work with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues you know well. In the dialogue, speaker A arrives and says «Désolé, je suis en retard !», which means 'Sorry, I'm late!' Notice that it adds an exclamation mark, but the words are almost the same as «Désolé, je suis en retard.». After you apologize, the other person may reply with «Ce n'est pas grave, on vient de commencer.», which means 'It's not a big deal, we just started.' This is a friendly way to accept an apology. Another possible reply is «Pas de souci, assieds-toi.», which means 'No worries, sit down.' You can also give a short reason, as in «Merci. J'ai raté le bus.», which means 'Thanks. I missed the bus.'
Apologizing for a small mistake
Sometimes you cause a small problem, like bumping into someone or spilling a drink. For a quick, neutral apology, use «Pardon !», which means 'Sorry!' or 'Excuse me!' It is useful for accidental contact or interruption. If you clearly caused the problem, you can say «Désolé, c'est ma faute.», which means 'Sorry, that's my fault.' This is the closest everyday equivalent of 'My bad.' Use it when you know you did something small wrong, such as forgetting something or knocking something over. These phrases are useful because they are short and easy to remember. You can say them quickly and then move on. In the next exercises, you will practice choosing between these apologies and replying to them.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Désolé, je suis en retard.
Sorry, I'm late.
day-zoh-LAY, zhuh swee zahn ruh-TAR
Désolé du retard !
Sorry about the delay!
day-zoh-LAY doo ruh-TAR
Pardon !
Sorry! / Excuse me!
par-DOHN
Désolé, c'est ma faute.
Sorry, that's my fault.
day-zoh-LAY, say ma FOHT
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Désolé, je suis en retard !
Sorry, I'm late!Ce n'est pas grave, on vient de commencer.
It's not a big deal, we just started.Merci. J'ai raté le bus.
Thanks. I missed the bus.Pas de souci, assieds-toi.
No worries, sit down.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: arriving late
Imagine you are meeting a friend. You arrive late. Your friend is already there. You will play both roles using the recordings.
Your task: First, play the role of the late person. Say the line from «Désolé, je suis en retard !» out loud. Then play the friend and reply with «Ce n'est pas grave, on vient de commencer.». Then switch roles: your partner says «Désolé, je suis en retard !», and you reply with «Ce n'est pas grave, on vient de commencer.». Repeat the exchange twice.
Reply comprehension: choose the right response
You will hear or read an apology. Choose the best reply from the options. This checks if you understand the meaning of each phrase.
Your task: Read the apology «Désolé, je suis en retard.». Which reply fits best? Option A: «Ce n'est pas grave, on vient de commencer.». Option B: «Pardon !». Say your choice out loud. Then read the reply «Ce n'est pas grave, on vient de commencer.». Which preceding apology fits best? Option A: «Désolé, je suis en retard.». Option B: «Pas de souci, assieds-toi.». Say your choice out loud.
Recall and role-play: who says what?
In this task, you will recall the lines from memory and use them in the correct roles. Imagine a small scene: one person arrives late, the other is already there.
Your task: Without looking at the text, say the line for the late person. Then say the line for the friend who accepts the apology. Next, recall the two short apology choices from the lesson: say «Pardon !» for accidental contact or interruption, and «Désolé, c'est ma faute.» for a small problem you caused. Finally, switch the late-arrival roles with a partner if possible: one person apologizes, the other replies.
Common questions
What is the difference between «Désolé, je suis en retard.» and «Désolé du retard !»?
«Désolé, je suis en retard.» means 'Sorry, I'm late.' It is a full sentence. «Désolé du retard !» means 'Sorry about the delay!' It is shorter and very common when you have just arrived. Both are polite and work in everyday situations with people you know.
When should I use «Pardon !» instead of «Désolé, c'est ma faute.»?
Use «Pardon !» for a quick, neutral apology after accidental contact or when you need to interrupt. Use «Désolé, c'est ma faute.» when you clearly caused a small problem, such as spilling a drink or forgetting something. «Désolé, c'est ma faute.» means 'Sorry, that's my fault.'
Sources and further reading
- french: apologize to friendsChecked September 2026
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