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French vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "apologize" in French?
s’excuser
In French, "apologize" is s’excuser.
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Pronunciation
Pronounce it sex-kew-ZAY, with the reflexive s blending into a soft x sound like in exit.
Grammar notes
s’excuser is a verb used the same way as its English equivalent.
Example sentence
Il est venu s’excuser pour l’erreur.
He came to apologize for the mistake.
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How to remember s’excuser
To apologize you make an excuse for yourself, and s'excuser hides the word excuse inside it.
Related words
- whistle siffler
- yawn bâiller
- hiccup hoqueter
- blink cligner des yeux
- stretch s’étirer
- bend plier
- kneel s’agenouiller
- squat s'accroupir
- compare comparer
Browse all French words in the glossary.
Questions about s’excuser
How do you pronounce s’excuser?
Pronounce it sex-kew-ZAY, with the reflexive s blending into a soft x sound like in exit.
Is s’excuser formal or casual?
s’excuser is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is s’excuser used in French?
s’excuser is used the same way as the equivalent English verb. For example: Il est venu s’excuser pour l’erreur. (He came to apologize for the mistake.).
Where can I practice French words for free?
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"Apologize" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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