Apologizing and Repairing | Farsi Grammar

Persian ببخشید covers “excuse me,” “sorry,” and “pardon?” It can open contact with a stranger, acknowledge a small imposition, apologize, or request repetition. معذرت می‌خواهم is a fuller apology (careful/formal); Tehran speech commonly has معذرت می‌خوام (informal, regional: Tehran). For a consequential mistake, a formula alone is rarely enough: name what happened, accept responsibility, and offer a repair.

English learners sometimes overuse a single sorry equivalent or translate an elaborate apology literally into every minor encounter. Iranian Persian distinguishes the interactional job: gaining attention, fixing hearing, owning harm, and responding to another person's apology.

Function Map

Expression	Primary job	Typical register
ببخشید	excuse me, sorry, pardon	neutral-polite
معذرت می‌خواهم	explicit apology	careful/formal
معذرت می‌خوام	explicit apology	informal, regional: Tehran
اشتباه کردم / تقصیر من بود	accept responsibility	neutral
اجازه بدهید جبران کنم	offer repair	polite standard
اشکالی ندارد / عیبی ندارد	accept/minimize apology	neutral / informal

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An effective apology has up to three layers: recognition (ببخشید), responsibility (اشتباه کردم), and repair (اجازه بدهید درستش کنم). Use as many as the harm requires.

ببخشید to Open Contact

Before asking a stranger a question, entering someone's space, or interrupting, ببخشید functions like “excuse me.” No wrongdoing is necessarily implied. It often precedes a respectful question.

ببخشید، ایستگاه مترو از کدام طرف است؟

be-bakhshid, istgâh-e metro az kodâm taraf ast?

Excuse me, which way is the metro station? (ordinary polite contact)

ببخشید که وسط صحبتتان می‌پرسم؛ این آمار مربوط به چه سالی است؟

be-bakhshid ke vasat-e sohbat-etân mi-porsam; in âmâr marbut be che sâli ast?

Sorry to interrupt; what year are these statistics from? (polite standard)

The plural/polite imperative ببخشید addresses one respected listener or several people. Familiar singular ببخش is natural with a close friend, but can sound too intimate or abrupt with a stranger.

ببخشید for a Minor Apology

For arriving a few minutes late, bumping someone, or making a small mistake, ببخشید plus a short explanation is often sufficient. An explanation should clarify, not shift blame.

ببخشید دیر رسیدم؛ اتوبوس در ترافیک ماند.

be-bakhshid dir residam; otobus dar terâfik mând.

Sorry I'm late; the bus got stuck in traffic. (neutral)

ببخش، پیام تو را دیر دیدم.

be-bakhsh, payâm-e to râ dir didam.

Sorry, I saw your message late. (informal familiar)

Tone distinguishes a sincere ببخشید from a perfunctory word said while continuing the same intrusion.

معذرت می‌خواهم for an Explicit Apology

معذرت می‌خواهم explicitly says “I apologize.” It suits professional correspondence, a serious delay, or a situation where ببخشید alone would sound light. Everyday Tehran speech regularly contracts می‌خواهم to می‌خوام.

معذرت می‌خواهم که پاسخ درخواست شما را این‌قدر دیر فرستادم.

ma'zerat mi-khâham ke pâsokh-e darkhâst-e shomâ râ in-qadar dir ferestâdam.

I apologize for sending the response to your request so late. (formal; responsibility stated)

واقعا معذرت می‌خوام؛ قرارمون کاملا از یادم رفت.

vâqe'an ma'zerat mi-khâm; qarâr-emun kâmelan az yâd-am raft.

I'm really sorry; I completely forgot our appointment. (informal, regional: Tehran)

متأسفم can express sympathy (“I'm sorry to hear that”) or regret. It does not always accept responsibility, so add an explicit statement when you caused the problem.

از شنیدن این خبر متأسف شدم؛ اگر کاری از دستم برمی‌آید بگویید.

az shenidan-e in khabar mota'assef shodam; agar kâri az dast-am bar-mi-âyad be-guyid.

I was sorry to hear this news; tell me if there is anything I can do. (sympathy, polite standard)

Clarification Is Interactional Repair

When you did not hear or understand, ببخشید؟ with rising intonation can mean “Pardon?” A more useful question identifies the problem: ask for repetition, slower speech, or the intended referent. This repairs the conversation without pretending comprehension.

When you need to restate what you understood rather than request repetition, the reformulation uses of یعنی are covered on یعنی.

ببخشید، جمله‌ی آخر را نشنیدم؛ ممکن است تکرار کنید؟

be-bakhshid, jomle-ye âkhar râ na-shenidam; momken ast tekrar konid?

Sorry, I didn't hear the last sentence; could you repeat it? (polite standard)

ببخشید، منظورتان از «نسخه‌ی اصلی» کدام فایل است؟

be-bakhshid, manzur-etân az «noskhe-ye asli» kodâm fâyl ast?

Excuse me, which file do you mean by ‘the original version’? (clarification question)

میشه یک بار دیگه آروم‌تر بگین؟

mishe yek bâr dige ârum-tar begin?

Could you say that once more, more slowly? (informal, regional: Tehran; polite agreement)

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Clarification is not failure. Naming whether you missed the sound, word, referent, or implication helps the other speaker repair exactly the right layer.

Accept Responsibility and Repair

For broken trust, money, missed work, or harm, formulaic politeness must be followed by accountability. اشتباه کردم “I made a mistake,” تقصیر من بود “it was my fault,” and نباید... “I should not have...” name responsibility. Then offer a concrete repair.

اشتباه کردم و فایل نادرست را فرستادم؛ همین الان نسخه‌ی درست را می‌فرستم.

eshtebâh kardam va fâyl-e nâdorost râ ferestâdam; hamin alân noskhe-ye dorost râ mi-ferestam.

I made a mistake and sent the wrong file; I'll send the correct version right now. (professional repair)

تقصیر من بود؛ نباید بدون هماهنگی برنامه را عوض می‌کردم.

taqsir-e man bud; na-bâyad bedun-e hamâhangi barnâme râ avaz mi-kardam.

It was my fault; I shouldn't have changed the plan without coordinating. (direct responsibility)

اجازه بدهید هزینه‌ی تعمیر را من پرداخت کنم.

ejâze bedahid hazine-ye ta'mir râ man pardâkht konam.

Please let me pay the repair cost. (concrete offer to make amends)

Minimal Contrast

⚠️ ببخشید.

be-bakhshid.

Sorry/excuse me. Valid and sufficient for a small bump, but potentially inadequate after a consequential mistake.

✅ معذرت می‌خواهم؛ اطلاعات شما را بدون اجازه فرستادم و همین امروز برای حذف آن اقدام می‌کنم.

ma'zerat mi-khâham; ettelâ'ât-e shomâ râ bedun-e ejâze ferestâdam va hamin emruz barâ-ye hazf-e ân eqdâm mi-konam.

I apologize; I sent your information without permission, and I will act to have it deleted today. (formal, accountable repair)

Responding to an Apology

اشکالی ندارد “no problem” is neutral. عیبی ندارد/عیبی نداره is somewhat more conversational. خواهش می‌کنم can politely dismiss thanks or apology, while اختیار دارید is deferential and tells the speaker they need not apologize. Do not minimize genuine harm on behalf of someone else.

— ببخشید که منتظرتان گذاشتم. — اشکالی ندارد، من هم تازه رسیده‌ام.

— be-bakhshid ke montazer-etân gozâshtam. — eshkâli na-dârad, man ham tâze reside-am.

— Sorry I kept you waiting. — No problem; I've only just arrived too. (polite standard)

— معذرت می‌خوام، لیوانت رو شکستم. — عیبی نداره، اتفاقی بود.

— ma'zerat mi-khâm, livân-et ro shekastam. — eybi na-dâre, ettefâqi bud.

— Sorry, I broke your glass. — It's okay; it was an accident. (informal, regional: Tehran)

Common Mistakes

1. Using familiar ببخش with a stranger

⚠️ ببخش، ایستگاه کجاست؟

be-bakhsh, istgâh kojâ-st?

Excuse me, where is the station? Valid familiar singular Persian, but too familiar for the intended request to an unknown adult.

✅ ببخشید، ایستگاه اتوبوس کجاست؟

be-bakhshid, istgâh-e otobus kojâ-st?

Excuse me, where is the bus stop?

2. Using متأسفم without owning one's action

⚠️ متأسفم که ناراحت شدید.

mota'assefam ke nârâhat shodid.

I'm sorry that you became upset. Valid Persian, but it can evade responsibility if my action caused the harm.

✅ متأسفم؛ حرف من بی‌احترامی بود و نباید آن را می‌گفتم.

mota'assefam; harf-e man bi-ehterâmi bud va na-bâyad ân râ mi-goftam.

I'm sorry; what I said was disrespectful, and I should not have said it.

3. Translating “pardon?” as an accusation

⚠️ چرا بد گفتید؟

cherâ bad goftid?

Why did you say it badly? A valid accusation, not an idiomatic request for repetition such as ‘Pardon?’

✅ ببخشید، بخش آخر حرفتان را متوجه نشدم.

be-bakhshid, bakhsh-e âkhar-e harf-etân râ motavajjeh na-shodam.

Sorry, I didn't understand the last part of what you said.

4. Apologizing without a repair

⚠️ ببخشید فایل را پاک کردم، تمام.

be-bakhshid fâyl râ pâk kardam, tamâm.

Sorry, I deleted the file, that's all. Grammatical but pragmatically inadequate: تمام closes the exchange instead of offering repair.

✅ ببخشید فایل را پاک کردم؛ از نسخه‌ی پشتیبان بازیابی‌اش می‌کنم.

be-bakhshid fâyl râ pâk kardam; az noskhe-ye poshtibân bâzyâbi-ash mi-konam.

I'm sorry I deleted the file; I'll recover it from the backup.

Key Takeaways

Use ببخشید for attention, minor apologies, interruption, and “pardon?”
Use معذرت می‌خواهم for a fuller careful/formal apology; می‌خوام is colloquial Tehran.
Clarify exactly what you did not hear or understand.
For real harm, state responsibility and offer a concrete repair.
متأسفم can express sympathy without responsibility; add accountability when needed.
Respond with اشکالی ندارد، عیبی ندارد، خواهش می‌کنم, or اختیار دارید according to relationship and seriousness.

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