A2 adjective #500 most common 2 min read

죄송해요

A polite and friendly way to say you are sorry.

joesonghaeyo
Practice it

Explanation at your level:

This word means 'I am sorry'. You use it when you make a mistake. It is very polite and kind.

Use 죄송해요 when you need to apologize. It is perfect for friends or colleagues. It shows you have good manners.

This is a versatile apology. Unlike '미안해요', it carries a slightly more formal weight, making it appropriate for service staff or acquaintances.

Understanding the nuance between '죄송해요' and '죄송합니다' is key to social intelligence. Use the former for established relationships and the latter for high-stakes formality.

While '죄송해요' is common, its usage reflects the speaker's awareness of social hierarchy. It balances the need for politeness with the desire to appear approachable and not overly distant.

Etymologically rooted in the concept of 'fear of guilt', the word has transitioned into a purely functional social marker. Its usage frequency in modern media highlights a shift toward more egalitarian polite speech.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Polite way to apologize.
  • Used in daily situations.
  • More formal than '미안해'.
  • Essential for good manners.

When you are learning Korean, 죄송해요 is one of the first words you should master! It is the go-to phrase for saying 'I'm sorry' in a polite way.

Think of it as the friendly middle ground. It is not as stiff as the formal '죄송합니다', but it is much more polite than just saying '미안해'. It shows you respect the other person while keeping the conversation comfortable.

The word comes from the Hanja characters 罪 (죄) meaning 'crime' or 'sin' and 悚 (송) meaning 'fear' or 'dread'.

Historically, it implied feeling a sense of dread or shame because of a mistake. Over time, it evolved into a standard social lubricant used to maintain harmony in Korean society.

You use 죄송해요 when you accidentally step on someone's foot or arrive a few minutes late. It is perfect for daily life interactions.

If you are in a very formal business meeting, you might opt for '죄송합니다' instead to sound extra professional. However, in 90% of daily situations, '죄송해요' is your best friend.

1. 정말 죄송해요: I am truly sorry. Used for bigger mistakes.

2. 늦어서 죄송해요: Sorry for being late. A classic phrase for punctuality issues.

3. 귀찮게 해서 죄송해요: Sorry for bothering you. Use this when asking for a favor.

4. 잘못했어요, 죄송해요: I was wrong, I'm sorry. A sincere admission of fault.

5. 기다리게 해서 죄송해요: Sorry for making you wait. Essential for social meetings.

The word is an adjective, but it acts like a verb in sentences. It follows the -해요 polite style, which is the standard for most polite conversations in Korea.

Pronunciation tip: Make sure to emphasize the 'jo-song' part clearly. It rhymes loosely with 'go-long-stay-yo' in terms of rhythm.

Fun Fact

It combines the concept of crime and fear.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /tʃwe.soŋ.hɛ.jo/

Clear vowel sounds

US /tʃwe.soŋ.hɛ.jo/

Consistent with standard Korean

Common Errors

  • Mispronouncing 'oe' as 'o'
  • Flat intonation
  • Swallowing the 'yo' ending

Rhymes With

안녕해요 공부해요 운동해요 청소해요 요리해요

Difficulty Rating

Reading 1/5

easy

Writing 1/5

easy

Speaking 2/5

polite

Listening 1/5

easy

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

안녕하세요 감사합니다

Learn Next

실례합니다 괜찮아요

Advanced

송구합니다

Grammar to Know

Polite Ending

해요체

Adjective usage

형용사

Sino-Korean roots

한자어

Examples by Level

1

죄송해요.

I'm sorry.

Simple apology

2

정말 죄송해요.

Really sorry.

Adding emphasis

3

늦어서 죄송해요.

Sorry for being late.

Reason + apology

4

죄송해요, 몰랐어요.

Sorry, I didn't know.

Apology + explanation

5

아, 죄송해요!

Oh, sorry!

Immediate reaction

6

기다리게 해서 죄송해요.

Sorry for the wait.

Polite service

7

다시 한번 죄송해요.

Sorry once again.

Polite reinforcement

8

불편을 드려 죄송해요.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Formal-casual mix

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

Common Collocations

정말 죄송해요
늦어서 죄송해요
기다리게 해서 죄송해요
불편을 드려 죄송해요
귀찮게 해서 죄송해요
잘못했어요, 죄송해요
다시 한번 죄송해요
말씀드리지 못해 죄송해요
답장이 늦어 죄송해요
실수해서 죄송해요

Idioms & Expressions

"죄송할 따름입니다"

I am only sorry (very formal)

불편을 드려 죄송할 따름입니다.

formal

"송구스럽습니다"

I feel very guilty (highly formal)

송구스럽습니다.

formal

"염치없지만"

I am shameless to ask, but...

염치없지만 죄송해요.

formal

"죄송한 마음뿐입니다"

I only have a sorry heart

죄송한 마음뿐입니다.

formal

"미안한 기색"

A look of apology

그는 미안한 기색이 역력했다.

neutral

"사과를 구하다"

To seek an apology

그는 사과를 구했다.

neutral

Easily Confused

죄송해요 vs 미안해요

Both mean sorry

Politeness level

Use 죄송해요 for strangers.

죄송해요 vs 죄송합니다

Both are apologies

Formality

Use 죄송합니다 for bosses.

죄송해요 vs 실례합니다

Both are polite

Meaning

Use 실례합니다 for 'excuse me'.

죄송해요 vs 고마워요

Common polite phrase

Meaning

One is thanks, one is sorry.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Subject + 늦어서 + 죄송해요

제가 늦어서 죄송해요.

A2

Subject + 실수해서 + 죄송해요

제가 실수해서 죄송해요.

A1

Subject + 정말 + 죄송해요

정말 죄송해요.

B1

Subject + 기다리게 해서 + 죄송해요

기다리게 해서 죄송해요.

B2

Subject + 불편을 드려 + 죄송해요

불편을 드려 죄송해요.

Word Family

Nouns

죄송 guilt/apology

Adjectives

죄송스럽다 to feel apologetic

Related

미안하다 synonym

How to Use It

frequency

10

Formality Scale

죄송합니다 (Formal) 죄송해요 (Polite) 미안해 (Casual) 미안 (Slang)

Common Mistakes

Using 죄송해요 to a baby → 미안해
It sounds too formal for a child.
Using 죄송해요 in a formal report → 사과드립니다
Writing requires formal endings.
Confusing with 고마워요 → 죄송해요
One is for apology, one for thanks.
Adding too many particles → 죄송해요
Keep it simple and direct.
Using it for 'excuse me' → 저기요 / 잠시만요
죄송해요 is for mistakes, not getting attention.

Tips

💡

Memory Palace

Imagine a bow.

💡

Native usage

Use it when you bump into someone.

🌍

Cultural Insight

Bowing helps.

💡

Grammar Shortcut

It is a polite ending.

💡

Say It Right

Clear 'o' sounds.

💡

Don't Make This Mistake

Don't use with babies.

💡

Did You Know?

It means fear of guilt.

💡

Study Smart

Use it with '정말'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Joe (the name) + Song (the music) + Hae (sun) + Yo (yo-yo). Joe sings a song to the sun to say sorry.

Visual Association

A person bowing in a polite, friendly way.

Word Web

apology politeness regret social

Challenge

Say this to 3 people today.

Word Origin

Sino-Korean

Original meaning: Fear of crime

Cultural Context

Used frequently to maintain social harmony.

Similar to 'I'm sorry' but with more social weight.

K-Drama apology scenes

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

At work

  • 늦어서 죄송해요
  • 실수해서 죄송해요
  • 바쁘게 해서 죄송해요

Travel

  • 길을 막아 죄송해요
  • 실례지만 죄송해요
  • 이해 못 해서 죄송해요

School

  • 과제가 늦어 죄송해요
  • 질문해서 죄송해요
  • 잘 몰라서 죄송해요

Daily life

  • 부딪혀서 죄송해요
  • 발을 밟아 죄송해요
  • 깜빡해서 죄송해요

Conversation Starters

"죄송해요, 제가 늦었나요?"

"죄송해요, 다시 말씀해주시겠어요?"

"죄송해요, 제가 실수한 것 같아요."

"죄송해요, 잠시만 기다려주세요."

"죄송해요, 길을 좀 물어볼게요."

Journal Prompts

Write about a time you had to say 죄송해요.

Who do you use 죄송해요 with most?

Compare 죄송해요 with English 'sorry'.

How does saying sorry make you feel?

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions

Yes, it is polite.

죄송해요 is more polite.

No, use 잠시만요.

Yes.

Add '정말'.

Yes.

No.

No.

Test Yourself

fill blank A1

___, 늦었어요.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 죄송해요

Apologizing for being late.

multiple choice A2

When do you use this?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: When you make a mistake

Used for regret.

true false B1

Is '죄송해요' formal?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

It is polite/conversational, not strictly formal.

match pairs B1

Word

Meaning

All matched!

Basic vocabulary matching.

sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Correct structure.

Score: /5

Related Content

This Word in Other Languages

申し訳ありません Japanese
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