Make the apology fit the event

Being late to a meeting and stopping a stranger to ask a question both involve a little politeness, but Korean does not use the same expression for everything. 죄송합니다 acknowledges a mistake or inconvenience. 실례합니다 opens an interruption politely. Knowing which job the phrase is doing makes it much easier to choose.

You can also make an apology more useful with one small piece of information. 늦어서 죄송합니다 says you are sorry for being late; 지금 역 앞이에요 lets the other person know where you are. This lesson shows how to connect an apology with an explanation or a next step without making the exchange unnecessarily long.

Distinguish apology, attention and interruption

죄송합니다 is a respectful, formal choice when apologizing to someone you do not know well, a teacher, or a person you have inconvenienced. 미안해요 is polite too, but often fits a closer relationship. With a close friend, 미안해 may be natural; the relationship needs to support that casual ending.

실례합니다 is closer to ‘Excuse me’ when you interrupt or enter someone’s space. 잠시만요 asks for a moment and can help when you need to pause an interaction. Neither expression automatically replaces an apology after a mistake. 제가 잘못 확인했어요 adds a concrete explanation: ‘I checked it incorrectly.’

Add the specific event and repair

In 늦어서 죄송합니다, 늦어서 gives the reason for the apology: being late. 기다리게 해서 미안해요 names the effect on the other person—making them wait. Those details help the listener understand what you are apologizing for without needing a separate long sentence.

제가 다시 확인하겠습니다 means ‘I will check again.’ It is a formal way to add a next step. In a less formal exchange, 다시 확인할게요 is another useful choice. 실례하지만 질문이 있습니다 works differently: it politely introduces a question, rather than explaining a mistake.

Apologize for a delay and update the plan

The late traveler gives an apology, their current location, and an updated estimate. 십 분쯤 걸려요 means it will take about ten minutes; 쯤 makes it an approximation. The other person can then decide where to wait. This is why a practical detail often helps more than repeating 죄송합니다 several times.

도착하면 연락드릴게요 means ‘I will contact you when I arrive.’ 드리다 makes the offer respectful toward the person receiving the contact. With a friend, 도착하면 연락할게 could fit instead. You can keep the same useful information while changing the level of politeness to suit the relationship.

Read 괜찮아요 from context

괜찮아요 takes its meaning from the situation. After 늦어서 죄송합니다, it may reassure you that the delay is okay. After 다쳤어요?, it may mean ‘I am okay.’ After an offer of more food, it may politely mean ‘No, thank you.’ The words are the same, but what they respond to is different.

For a quick question to a stranger, 실례합니다 followed by the question is a comfortable opening. 저기요 can also get someone’s attention, especially when calling to staff. Once the person is listening, saying what you need is usually enough. You do not have to stack every polite expression into one opening.

Correct likely misunderstandings

English ‘sorry’ can introduce a question, ask for repetition, or apologize for a mistake. Korean choices do not line up perfectly with that one word. If you missed what someone said, 다시 말씀해 주세요 directly asks them to repeat it. If you caused a problem, 죄송합니다 is the clearer apology.

It is also easy to read too much into 괜찮아요. The reply may be reassuring, but the next sentence can still contain a request: 괜찮아요. 다음에는 미리 연락해 주세요 means ‘It’s okay. Next time, please contact me beforehand.’ Listening to that follow-up tells you more than the first word alone.

Try it in a familiar situation

A small listening check

References and useful next steps

• Korean–English Learners’ Dictionary — Check meanings, usage labels, conjugated examples and human recordings for the lesson vocabulary.

Reviewed September 4, 2026. Found a mistake? Send a correction.