Don’t Just Say “Sorry!” Learn Better English Phrases

💬 Welcome to the Context English Podcast! In this A2–B1 episode, Mike and Anna explore the art of apologizing in English. Whether you bump into someone, are late for a meeting, or make a small mistake, knowing the right words can make all the difference.

Through real-life stories and engaging conversations, you’ll discover practical phrases like “I’m so sorry for…”, “My apologies”, “It’s my fault”, and how to respond politely with “No worries”. 📝

This episode is perfect for:
✔️ Learners who want to speak confidently in social or work situations
✔️ Anyone looking to improve everyday English conversation skills
✔️ Students aiming to handle mistakes politely and fluently

By practicing these expressions, you’ll not only improve your English speaking and listening skills, but also feel more confident when apologizing in real life. 🌟 Start using apology language today and transform awkward moments into polite, professional interactions!

🎧 Take a breath. Listen. Repeat. And give yourself permission to recharge.

DIALOGUE

Mike: Oh no! Oh… I am so… oh, excuse me! I am so sorry! I didn’t see you there… is your coffee okay? Oh, this is so embarrassing… I… I really didn’t mean to bump into you.

Anna: Stop right there! Have you ever been in Mike’s shoes? You make a small mistake, you feel your face get red, and suddenly… you forget every English word you ever learned. You just stand there saying “sorry, sorry, sorry” like a robot.

Mike: It’s a terrible feeling, isn’t it? You want to sound like an adult, but you feel like a child who broke a window. Well, today, we are going to fix that.

GREETING & INTRODUCTION

Anna: Hello everyone! And a very warm welcome back to the show. I am Anna.

Mike: And I am Mike. We are so happy to have you here with us today.

Anna: You are listening to the Context English Podcast. This is the place where we learn how to use English in real, everyday situations.

Mike: That’s right. And today, we are talking about something we all have to do sometimes: Saying Sorry. But not just the word “sorry.” We are talking about the right way to apologize in English.

Anna: By the end of this episode, you will know exactly which phrases to use for small mistakes and bigger problems. You will also learn how to respond when someone says sorry to you. It’s going to be very practical!

RECENT EVENT / RELATABLE ANECDOTE

Mike: You know, Anna… I actually had a very awkward situation just last week. It’s why I wanted to talk about this topic today.

Anna: Oh really? What happened? Did you break something?

Mike: Well… not exactly. I was meeting a new friend for dinner. His name is David, and he is very punctual… you know, he’s always exactly on time. I really wanted to make a good impression because we don’t know each other very well yet.

Anna: Okay… let me guess. You were late?

Mike: I was very late! There was some terrible traffic because of the rain, and my phone battery died, so I couldn’t even send him a message. When I finally walked into the restaurant… twenty minutes late… David was just sitting there, looking at his watch.

Anna: Oh, I can feel the stress just listening to this! That is so uncomfortable. Twenty minutes is a long time for a first meeting.

Mike: Exactly! My heart was beating so fast. I walked up to the table, and honestly, Anna… my mind went completely blank. I just looked at him and said… “Sorry.”

Anna: Just “sorry”? Nothing else?

Mike: Just “sorry.” And then… silence. It felt so cold! I wanted to explain about the traffic, I wanted to say that I value his time, but I just didn’t have the words ready. We sat there for the first ten minutes and the atmosphere was… well, it was heavy. I felt like I had failed a test.

Anna: I think many of our listeners know that feeling. We think “sorry” is a magic word that fixes everything. But in English, especially with adults, the way you say it—and the words you add to it—really changes how the other person feels.

Mike: Exactly. David was nice, eventually, but I kept thinking: “I should have said more. I should have used a better phrase.” It really ruined the mood of the dinner for a while. I felt like I wasn’t being polite enough for the situation.

SMOOTH TRANSITION

Anna: Well, Mike, thank you for sharing that. It’s a perfect example. We don’t want our listeners to feel that “blank mind” feeling.

Mike: Definitely not. So, how can we avoid that awkward silence? What can we say when “sorry” is just not enough?

Anna: And what if you are the one waiting at the table? How do you accept an apology without sounding angry? Let’s dive into the main part of our lesson and look at some real-life stories and phrases.

Mike: I’m ready! I think I’ve talked about my awkward dinner enough for today… what’s your story, Anna?

MAIN TOPIC: REAL-LIFE STORY

Anna: You know, Mike, your story about the dinner was tough, but I think business situations are even scarier. I remember a few years ago… oh, I still feel a bit sick thinking about it! I was working in a marketing agency. We had a very important client.

Mike: Oh, I can already see where this is going. A big client means big pressure.

Anna: Exactly! It was a Monday morning, and I was responsible for sending a final project report to the client before 10:00 AM. If the report was late, the client could lose a lot of money.

Mike: Wow… okay. So, what happened? Did you forget?

Anna: Well… yes and no. I had the report ready on Friday. I was so proud of myself! I thought, “I’ll just send it first thing Monday morning.” But on Monday… well, life happened. My alarm didn’t go off, then I spilled coffee on my keyboard, and then my internet decided to stop working!

Mike: Oh no… the classic Monday morning disaster!

Anna: It was a nightmare. By the time I fixed my internet and opened my laptop, it was 11:30 AM. I was ninety minutes late. My heart was pounding… I mean, really thumping in my chest. I saw three missed calls from my boss and two angry emails from the client.

Mike: Oh, man… what did you do? Did you just hide under your desk? Because that’s what I would do!

Anna: Haha! I wanted to! But I realized that just saying “sorry, my internet was bad” wasn’t going to work here. That sounds like an excuse… like a student who didn’t do their homework. I needed to apologize like a professional.

Mike: That’s a very important point, Anna. In a job, people don’t want excuses. They want you to take responsibility.

Anna: Precisely! So, I took a deep breath… and I wrote an email. I didn’t just say “Sorry I’m late.” I used a very specific phrase. I wrote: “Please accept my apologies for the delay in sending the report. This was my mistake, and I am taking full responsibility.”

Mike: Ooh, “Please accept my apologies.” That sounds very professional. Very… sophisticated.

Anna: It is! And then, I didn’t stop there. I explained what I was doing to fix it. I told them I would stay late to make sure everything else was perfect. And you know what? The client called me ten minutes later.

Mike: Were they still angry?

Anna: Actually… no. They said, “Anna, thank you for being so honest. We appreciate you taking responsibility. Let’s get to work.”

Mike: That’s amazing! So, the right apology actually saved the relationship?

Anna: It really did. The insight I gained was this: people usually aren’t angry because of the mistake itself—mistakes happen! They get angry when you try to hide it or make weak excuses. Using the right “apology language” shows that you are a person they can trust.

Mike: I love that. “Apology language.” It’s like a bridge that fixes a broken road.

BREAKDOWN OF 5 USEFUL PHRASES

Anna: Okay! Now, let’s give our listeners the tools to build those bridges. We have five essential phrases for you.

Mike: Let’s start with the first one. It’s a classic, but we can make it better. Phrase number one: “I’m so sorry for…” again… “I’m so sorry for…”

Anna: We use this when we want to be sincere. You add “for” and then the reason. For example: “I’m so sorry for the delay,” or “I’m so sorry for being late.” Mike, can you give us another example?

Mike: Sure! “I’m so sorry for the noise. My neighbors are fixing their house today.” It’s simple, but adding the reason makes it feel much more real.

Anna: Perfect. Phrase number two: “I didn’t mean to…” once more… “I didn’t mean to…”

Mike: This is for when you make a mistake by accident. You didn’t want to hurt anyone. For example: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Or, “Oh! I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.”

Anna: It shows your intention was good. It’s very helpful for social situations.

Mike: Now, for something a bit more formal. Phrase number three: “My apologies.” Again… “My apologies.”

Anna: I love this one. It’s great for business, or if you’re in a nice restaurant. Instead of just saying “Sorry,” you say “My apologies.” For example: “My apologies, we don’t have any tables available right now.” It sounds very polite and respectful.

Mike: Exactly. It’s like wearing a suit, but with words. Okay, phrase number four: “It’s my fault” or “My mistake.” One more time… “It’s my fault.”

Anna: This is the “responsibility” phrase. Use this when you want to show you are not making excuses. If you break a plate, or send the wrong file… just say: “Oh, it’s my fault. Let me fix that.” It ends the argument before it even starts!

Mike: So true. And finally, we need to know what to say when we are the ones listening. Phrase number five: “No worries” or “Don’t worry about it.” Again… “No worries.”

Anna: This is how we accept an apology. When Mike was late for dinner, if I said “No worries, Mike! The traffic is terrible today,” he would feel much better immediately.

Mike: Oh, I definitely would! It’s the kindest thing you can say to someone who feels bad.

Anna: So, there you have it. Five phrases to handle almost any “oops” moment in English.

PRACTICE DIALOGUE

Mike: Okay, let’s put everything we learned into a real conversation. Imagine Anna and I are colleagues. I’m waiting for a document, and Anna is… well, she’s a little late.

Anna: Oh! Mike! There you are… phew! I am so sorry for the wait. I… I had some trouble with the printer. It’s been a crazy morning!

Mike: Oh, Anna! Don’t worry about it. I only arrived a few minutes ago myself.

Anna: That’s kind of you, but really… my apologies. I know your time is important and I didn’t mean to keep you waiting here in the hallway.

Mike: Honestly, it’s fine. Did you manage to get the report printed?

Anna: Yes! I have it right here. Oh—wait! Oh no! Mike, I just realized… I printed the old version. Oh, it’s my fault! I was in such a hurry that I clicked the wrong file. I am so, so sorry.

Mike: Anna, take a deep breath! No worries at all. We still have fifteen minutes before the meeting starts. Just go back and print the right one. I’ll go get us two coffees, okay?

Anna: Oh, you are a life-saver, Mike! My mistake, truly. I’ll be back in two minutes.

Mike: See? That wasn’t so bad! Now, let’s listen to the key parts again… but slowly. Pay attention to the tone.

Anna: I am so sorry for the wait.

Mike: Don’t worry about it.

Anna: My apologies… I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.

Mike: No worries at all.

Anna: Oh, it’s my fault! I am so sorry.

Mike: It’s much easier when you have the right words, right? Using these phrases makes the situation feel… well, it feels like you are in control.

CONCLUSION & KEY TAKEAWAY

Anna: Absolutely. So, let’s recap what we talked about today. We learned that saying “sorry” is a skill that every adult learner needs.

Mike: We looked at “I’m so sorry for…” for general mistakes, “My apologies” for professional situations, and “It’s my fault” for when you want to be really honest and take responsibility.

Anna: And don’t forget the most important part! Knowing how to respond. Phrases like “No worries” or “Don’t worry about it” can make the other person feel so much better. It stops the stress immediately.

Mike: Our key takeaway for today is this: Don’t just say the word “sorry.” Add a tiny bit more information. Say why you are sorry, or say how you will fix it. That one extra sentence makes you sound more fluent and more sincere.

Anna: Practice these phrases today. Even if you don’t make a mistake, just imagine what you would say. Preparation is the secret to confidence! You can do this.

OUTRO & CALL TO ACTION

Mike: Well, that’s all for today’s episode of the Context English Podcast. Thank you so much for spending your time with us.

Anna: We really hope you found this helpful. Before you go, we have a question for you: What is the hardest thing to apologize for in English? Or maybe you have a funny story about a mistake you made? Tell us in the comments below! We love reading your stories.

Mike: And if you enjoyed this lesson, please give us a like, subscribe to our channel, and share this video with a friend who is also learning English. Every comment and like helps us create more content for you.

Anna: Thanks for listening, everyone! Keep practicing, stay positive, and we will see you very soon.

Mike: Bye for now!

Anna: Goodbye! See you in the next video!