Learn Spanish (Latin America): Lo siento, señora.

Lo siento, señora.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

Breakdown of Lo siento, señora.

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Questions & Answers about Lo siento, señora.

Since I am talking to a señora, does that mean I should use tú or usted if I keep speaking to her?

You must use the formal usted. Using titles like señora (ma'am) or señor (sir) automatically sets a formal tone. If you were to ask how she is doing right after saying this, you would use the formal verb form: ¿Cómo está? instead of the informal ¿Cómo estás?

What does lo siento actually mean word-for-word?

It literally translates to "I feel it." Siento is the "I" form of the verb sentir (to feel), and lo means "it." Spanish doesn't use a literal adjective for "sorry" like English does; instead, you express that you feel bad about the situation by saying lo siento.

Why isn't señora capitalized here?

In Spanish, titles like señora (ma'am), señor (sir), and doctor (doctor) are not capitalized when you spell them out in the middle of a sentence. However, if you write the abbreviation (Sra.), you do capitalize it!

Is there a rule for when to use señora versus señorita?

Traditionally, señora is for married women and señorita is for unmarried women. Today, however, señora is the safest, most respectful way to address any adult woman you don't know well (like saying "ma'am"), regardless of her marital status.