spijt
regret, remorse
Pronunciation
/spɛi̯t/
Cultural Note
'Het spijt me' (I'm sorry, literally 'it regrets me') is the standard Dutch apology. Unlike the English 'sorry' (which the Dutch also use informally), 'het spijt me' carries more weight and sincerity. Using the full phrase signals genuine remorse.
📝 Example Sentences
Ik heb er spijt van dat ik dat heb gezegd.
I regret saying that.
Het spijt me heel erg.
I'm very sorry.
Spijt komt altijd te laat.
Regret always comes too late.
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