The main ways to say sorry in Croatian

When you ask “How do I say sorry in Croatian?”, the honest answer is: it depends. Croatian doesn’t use one magic word. Instead, it has different expressions for different kinds of “sorry” – small mistakes, formal apologies, and emotional sympathy.

Oprosti – informal “sorry” to friends

Literal meaning: something like “forgive (me)” in the informal ti form.

When to use it: Oprosti is your go-to word for small, everyday apologies with people you know well or with kids. Use it when you bump into someone, interrupt a friend, or make a small mistake in an informal situation.

When not to use it: Avoid oprosti in formal situations – with your boss, with older strangers, or in emails to people you don’t know. There, you’ll usually switch to oprostite or ispričavam se.

Example: Oprosti, kasnim pet minuta. – “Sorry, I’m five minutes late.” (to a friend)

Oprostite – polite or formal “sorry”

Literal meaning: “forgive (me)” in the polite/plural Vi form.

When to use it: Use oprostite with strangers, in shops, with a waiter, with older people you don’t know well, or any time you want to sound polite and respectful. It’s safe in most situations where you’d say a quick “Sorry!” or “Excuse me!” in English.

When not to use it: You wouldn’t normally use oprostite to express deep emotional regret, like “I’m so sorry for your loss.” For that, Croatians use žao mi je.

Example: Oprostite, možete li mi pomoći? – “Sorry / Excuse me, could you help me?”

Žao mi je – “I’m (truly) sorry” or “I feel sorry”

Literal meaning: “It is sad to me” or “I feel sorry.” It expresses an emotional reaction, not a small social apology.

When to use it: Use žao mi je when you’re expressing genuine regret, sympathy, or empathy, especially about something bad that happened. For example, when someone tells you their relative is ill, they lost their job, or they’re going through something difficult.

When not to use it: Don’t use žao mi je as a quick reflex “sorry” like English speakers do. Saying žao mi je when you bump into someone on the tram sounds too heavy, almost like “I feel deeply sorry” for something serious.

Example: Žao mi je zbog tvoje bake. – “I’m so sorry about your grandmother.”

Ispričavam se – “I apologise” (more formal)

Literal meaning: “I apologise (myself).” This is closer to the English phrase “I apologise” than to a casual “sorry.”

When to use it: Ispričavam se is perfect for professional, serious, or slightly more formal situations. Use it:

• when you’re late for a meeting
• when you’ve made a mistake at work
• in formal emails
• when you want to show you’re taking responsibility

When not to use it: You wouldn’t normally use ispričavam se with close friends for tiny things – it can feel too stiff or serious. There, oprosti is more natural.

Example: Ispričavam se zbog greške u računu. – “I apologise for the mistake on the bill.”

“Excuse me” or getting someone’s attention: Oprostite vs. Izvinite

English uses “sorry” and “excuse me” to get attention. In Croatia, when you want to call a waiter or politely interrupt someone, you usually say Oprostite – the same word you use for a polite “sorry.”

Example: Oprostite, možete li donijeti još vode? – “Excuse me, could you bring some more water?”

You might also hear Izvinite, especially in Bosnia and Serbia, or from people in Croatia who are influenced by those varieties. It also means “Excuse me / Sorry,” but it’s not the standard choice in Croatian language courses or textbooks. If you’re learning Croatian in Croatia, stick with Oprostite.