English sorry and excuse me overlap, but Indonesian chooses its formula mainly by the social action being performed. Maaf recognizes a fault or inconvenience; mohon maaf makes the appeal more deferential or formally weighty; permisi asks for social or physical access—to pass, enter, interrupt, or begin speaking. Severity matters, but it does not erase this division of labor.
This page covers those core national formulas, the structure of fuller apologies, and common responses. It does not survey all regional equivalents or reteach basic request and clause formation.
Choose by social action
| Formula | Core action | Typical setting |
|---|---|---|
| maaf | recognize fault, inconvenience, or mistaken hearing | neutral everyday interaction |
| mohon maaf | request pardon deferentially | formal notices, service repair, serious or upward apology |
| permisi | request access to space or attention | passing, entering, interrupting, approaching a stranger |
| saya minta maaf | explicitly perform an apology | personal, deliberate repair |
Maaf, saya tidak sengaja menyenggol tas Anda.
I’m sorry, I accidentally bumped your bag.
Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan pengiriman pesanan Anda.
We apologize for the delay in delivering your order. (formal)
Permisi, boleh saya lewat?
Excuse me, may I pass?
Saya minta maaf karena kemarin berbicara terlalu keras.
I apologize for speaking too loudly yesterday.
Maaf for fault and inconvenience
Maaf can stand alone after a minor mishap, or introduce what went wrong. A fuller apology is more appropriate when the harm has consequences.
Maaf, Pak! Saya tidak sengaja menginjak kaki Bapak.
I’m sorry, sir! I accidentally stepped on your foot.
Maaf, saya tidak sengaja menyenggol gelasnya.
I’m sorry, I knocked the glass accidentally.
Maaf telah membuat Ibu menunggu; rapat sebelumnya selesai lebih lambat dari jadwal.
I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, ma’am; the previous meeting ended later than scheduled.
Maaf, saya salah mengirimkan lampiran dalam surel tadi pagi.
I’m sorry, I sent the wrong attachment in this morning’s email.
After a light accidental bump, short Maaf plus immediate corrective action is enough. After lost time, damaged property, or repeated behavior, naming the harm and repair is more credible.
Mohon maaf: deference and formal intensity
Mohon means “request/appeal for” in this formula, so mohon maaf literally requests pardon. It is common in official notices, customer-service repair, announcements, and deferential apologies. It is not limited to extremely serious wrongdoing; formality and institutional voice can license it for routine inconvenience.
Mohon maaf, layanan pembayaran sedang mengalami gangguan.
We apologize; the payment service is currently experiencing a disruption. (formal notice)
Kami mohon maaf karena acara dimulai tiga puluh menit lebih lambat dari jadwal.
We apologize because the event began thirty minutes later than scheduled. (formal)
Mohon maaf, Bu, saya baru dapat menyerahkan laporan ini besok pagi.
I’m very sorry, ma’am; I will only be able to submit this report tomorrow morning.
Atas ketidaknyamanan yang terjadi, kami menyampaikan permohonan maaf kepada seluruh penumpang.
For the inconvenience caused, we extend our apologies to all passengers. (formal)
The noun phrase permohonan maaf belongs especially to formal writing. An institution may also use kami mohon maaf atas.... Atas neatly introduces the matter apologized for in formal prose.
Permisi for access, passing, and interruption
Permisi prepares an intrusion rather than repairing a completed fault. Use it before squeezing past someone, entering a room, getting a stranger’s attention, or interrupting a conversation. When that opening leads into a favor, continue with an appropriate frame from the requests guide.
Permisi, saya mau turun di halte berikutnya.
Excuse me, I’m getting off at the next stop.
Permisi, Pak, apakah ruang administrasi ada di lantai ini?
Excuse me, sir, is the administration office on this floor?
Permisi, boleh saya masuk sebentar?
Excuse me, may I come in for a moment?
Permisi, Bu, boleh saya menyela untuk menambahkan satu informasi?
Excuse me, ma’am, may I interrupt to add one piece of information?
Permisi dulu, saya harus menjawab telepon ini.
Excuse me for a moment; I have to answer this call.
If the interruption later causes harm, maaf can follow: Permisi opens the interruption; maaf sudah memotong pembicaraan repairs it.
Permisi, saya perlu meluruskan angkanya. Maaf sudah memotong penjelasan Bapak.
Excuse me, I need to correct the figure. I’m sorry for interrupting your explanation, sir.
Four required situations
A minor bump
Maaf, Mbak, saya tidak sengaja menyenggol bahu Mbak.
Sorry, miss, I accidentally bumped your shoulder.
Maaf, saya tidak sengaja menumpahkan sedikit kopi. Saya ambilkan tisu.
I’m sorry, I accidentally spilled a little coffee. I’ll get a tissue.
Arriving late
Maaf, saya terlambat; bus yang saya tumpangi mogok di jalan.
I’m sorry I’m late; the bus I was on broke down.
Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan saya, Pak. Saya siap mengganti waktu yang terlewat.
I apologize for being late, sir. I’m prepared to make up the lost time. (formal/upward)
Interrupting
Permisi, boleh saya bertanya sebelum pembahasannya dilanjutkan?
Excuse me, may I ask a question before the discussion continues?
Maaf menyela, tetapi ada informasi darurat dari ruang sebelah.
Sorry to interrupt, but there is urgent information from the next room.
Permisi is the ordinary access formula. Maaf menyela foregrounds regret because the interruption itself is more disruptive.
A formal notice
Mohon maaf, kantor kami tutup lebih awal pada hari Jumat karena pemeliharaan sistem.
We apologize; our office will close early on Friday because of system maintenance. (formal notice)
Kami mohon maaf atas perubahan jadwal yang diumumkan secara mendadak.
We apologize for the schedule change announced at short notice. (formal)
Building a complete apology
For meaningful harm, a good apology can contain four parts: acknowledgment, responsibility, repair, and prevention. A reason may explain but should not erase responsibility.
Maaf, saya salah mencatat tanggal pertemuan kita.
I’m sorry, I wrote down the wrong date for our meeting. (acknowledgment)
Kesalahan itu tanggung jawab saya, bukan staf administrasi.
That mistake is my responsibility, not the administrative staff’s. (responsibility)
Saya akan mengirim dokumen yang benar dalam satu jam.
I will send the correct document within an hour. (repair)
Mulai sekarang, saya akan meminta rekan memeriksa tanggalnya sebelum undangan dikirim.
From now on, I will ask a colleague to check the date before invitations are sent. (prevention)
Saya sungguh-sungguh meminta maaf kepada Ibu atas kesalahan tersebut.
I sincerely apologize to you for that mistake, ma’am.
The verb phrase minta maaf kepada + person identifies the person apologized to; atas + noun phrase or karena + clause identifies the offense. Not every small apology needs this full structure.
Responses to apologies
Tidak apa-apa is the most broadly useful “It’s okay.” Tidak masalah says the issue is not a problem. Saya mengerti acknowledges the explanation without necessarily declaring that no harm occurred. More formal responses may explicitly accept the apology.
Tidak apa-apa, hanya sedikit tumpah.
It’s okay; only a little spilled.
Tidak masalah, rapatnya juga belum dimulai.
No problem; the meeting hasn’t started yet either.
Saya mengerti situasinya, tetapi mohon beri tahu saya lebih awal lain kali.
I understand the situation, but please tell me earlier next time.
Permohonan maaf Anda kami terima dan masalah ini kami anggap selesai.
We accept your apology and consider this matter closed. (formal)
Common Mistakes
1. Using maaf and permisi interchangeably
❌ Saya maaf untuk lewat.
Incorrect formula and structure for requesting passage.
✅ Permisi, boleh saya lewat di sebelah sini?
Excuse me, may I pass on this side?
2. Using permisi after causing harm
❌ Permisi, saya memecahkan gelas Anda.
Wrong social action — the speaker owes an apology, not access.
✅ Maaf, saya tidak sengaja memecahkan gelas Anda. Saya akan menggantinya.
I’m sorry, I accidentally broke your glass. I’ll replace it.
3. Giving an excuse instead of taking responsibility
❌ Maaf, tetapi semua ini terjadi karena petunjuk Anda tidak jelas.
Deflects responsibility onto the listener.
✅ Maaf, saya seharusnya meminta penjelasan sebelum mengambil keputusan.
I’m sorry; I should have asked for clarification before making the decision.
4. Omitting kepada before the person in a formal apology
❌ Kami meminta maaf para pelanggan atas gangguan ini.
Incorrect argument marking — the people apologized to need kepada.
✅ Kami meminta maaf kepada para pelanggan atas gangguan ini.
We apologize to our customers for this disruption. (formal)
5. Making the apology formula formal but the address careless
❌ Mohon maaf, ibu, Anda harus menunggu lagi.
Inconsistent capitalization and heavy mixed address to a specific customer.
✅ Mohon maaf, Bu, Ibu perlu menunggu sekitar lima menit lagi.
We apologize, ma’am; you will need to wait about five more minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Use maaf to recognize fault or inconvenience and permisi to request access or attention.
- Mohon maaf adds deference or formal institutional weight; it is not reserved only for severe offenses.
- A substantial apology names the harm, accepts responsibility, offers repair, and addresses recurrence.
- Kepada marks the person apologized to; atas or karena introduces the matter.
- Responses can accept the relationship repair without pretending that no harm occurred.
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