Apologies vs Excuse vs Regret vs Sorry

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Apologies

Top 2000 (courant)

Excuse

Top 1000 (très courant)B2noun

Regret

Top 1000 (très courant)B2verb

Sorry

Top 1000 (très courant)A1adjective
 ApologiesExcuseRegretSorry
Prononciation🇬🇧 //əˈpɒlədʒiz//🇺🇸 //əˈpɑːlədʒiz//🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈskjuːs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈskjuːs/"]/🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈɡret/","/rɪˈɡrets/","/rɪˈɡretɪd/","/rɪˈɡretɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈɡret/","/rɪˈɡrets/","/rɪˈɡretɪd/","/rɪˈɡretɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɒri/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɑːri/"]/
SensDire que l'on est désolé pour quelque chose que l'on a mal fait.Saying you're sorry for something you did wrong.Une raison que tu donnes pour expliquer un mauvais comportement ou pour te sortir de quelque chose.A reason you give to explain bad behavior or to get out of something.Avoir des remords ou être triste pour quelque chose qu'on a fait ou pas fait.To feel sad or sorry about something you did or didn't do.Un mot utilisé pour exprimer des regrets ou des excuses.A word used to express regret or apology.
ExempleHe made his apologies to the crowd for being late.She made an excuse for being late to the meeting.I regret not studying harder for my exams.I'm really sorry for the mistake I made.
RegistreNeutreNeutreNeutreNeutre
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Top 1000 (très courant)Top 1000 (très courant)Top 1000 (très courant)
Niveau CEFR-B2B2A1
Nature grammaticalenounverbadjective
Collocationsextend apologies, offer apologies, accept apologies, make an apology, issue apologiesperfect, wonderful, excellent, have, give, make, excuse about, excuse for, there is no excuse for…, perfect, wonderful, excellent, have, give, make, excuse about, excuse for, there is no excuse for…, lousy, miserable, pathetic, excuse forbitterly, deeply, greatly, begin to, come to, grow to, bitterly, deeply, greatly, begin to, come to, grow tobe, feel, seem, extremely, fairly, very, about, for, be sorry to disappoint somebody, be sorry to hear about something/​that…, be sorry to interrupt (somebody/​something), be, feel, seem, extremely, fairly, very, about, for, be sorry to disappoint somebody, be sorry to hear about something/​that…, be sorry to interrupt (somebody/​something), be, feel, seem, extremely, fairly, very, about, for, be sorry to disappoint somebody, be sorry to hear about something/​that…, be sorry to interrupt (somebody/​something)
Antonymesrefusal, insult, offenseblame, accusationsatisfaction, contentment, pridehappy, unapologetic
Erreurs fréquentesUsing 'apologies' without specifying what for., Confusing 'apologies' with 'apologize' as a verb., Overusing 'apologies' in casual contexts.Using 'excuse' instead of 'excuse me' for polite interruptions., Confusing 'excuse' with 'apology', thinking they mean the same., Using 'excuse' without an object; it typically is followed by what you are excusing.'Regret' is often confused with 'remorse'. Remorse includes a stronger sense of guilt., Learners might say 'I regret to do...' instead of 'I regret doing...'., Confusion between 'regret' and 'regrettable' which is an adjective.Using 'sorry' when it's not needed, making it seem insincere., Confusing 'sorry' with 'I'm sorry' — they can be used interchangeably, but 'I'm sorry' can sound more formal., Not using 'sorry' in situations where an apology is expected.
Notes d'usageUtilisez 'excuses' dans des contextes formels et informels. Dans les contextes formels, utilisez des phrases complètes comme 'J'offre mes sincères excuses'. Évitez de l'utiliser dans des conversations décontractées où un simple 'désolé' peut suffire.Use 'apologies' in both formal and informal settings. In formal contexts, use complete phrases like 'I offer my sincere apologies'. Avoid using it in casual conversations where just 'sorry' may suffice.Utilise 'excuse' quand tu dois expliquer pourquoi tu as fait quelque chose de mal ou quand tu veux la permission de ne pas faire quelque chose. C'est neutre mais peut sembler peu sincère dans certains contextes.Use 'excuse' when you need to explain why you did something wrong or when you want permission to not do something. It's neutral but can sound insincere in some contexts.On utilise 'regret' pour exprimer des sentiments sur des actions passées. C'est approprié dans des contextes neutres à formels, mais moins dans des conversations décontractées où des phrases plus simples conviendraient mieux.Use 'regret' to express feelings about past actions. It's appropriate in neutral to formal contexts, but less so in casual conversations where simpler phrases might fit better.Utilisez 'désolé' pour vous excuser dans des situations décontractées et formelles. C'est poli dans les conversations si vous avez fait une erreur. Évitez d'en abuser dans des contextes professionnels où vous devez être plus précis sur le problème.Use 'sorry' to apologize in casual and formal situations. It’s polite in conversations if you've made a mistake. Avoid overusing it in professional settings where you need to be more specific about the issue.

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Apologies
Excuse
Regret
Sorry

Questions fréquentes : Apologies vs Excuse vs Regret vs Sorry

Quelle est la différence entre Apologies, Excuse, Regret et Sorry ?

Apologies: Saying you're sorry for something you did wrong. Excuse: A reason you give to explain bad behavior or to get out of something. Regret: To feel sad or sorry about something you did or didn't do. Sorry: A word used to express regret or apology.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

Apologies: He made his apologies to the crowd for being late. Excuse: She made an excuse for being late to the meeting. Regret: I regret not studying harder for my exams. Sorry: I'm really sorry for the mistake I made.

Puis-je utiliser Apologies, Excuse, Regret et Sorry de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Apologies, Excuse, Regret et Sorry sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.