Polish · Real conversations
Apologize for inconvenience naturally in Polish
An effective apology identifies the inconvenience. You can acknowledge waiting, explain a changed arrangement, or add a concrete step that addresses the problem.
Three ways to say it
Przepraszam, że musisz czekać.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Acknowledge that the other person has had to wait.
Przepraszam za zmianę planów.
I'm sorry about the change of plans.
Recognize the effect of a change of plans.
Przepraszam za kłopot. Zaraz wyślę właściwy plik.
Sorry for the trouble. I'll send the correct file now.
Acknowledge trouble and immediately explain the corrective action.
Avoid translating word by word
English 'keep you waiting' means cause someone to continue waiting; it does not mean keep or own the person. Learn the target-language construction for making someone wait as a complete phrase.
See the difference in context
Arriving after someone has been waiting
Czekam od dziesięciu minut.
I've been waiting for ten minutes.
Przepraszam, że musisz czekać.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Acknowledging a changed meeting arrangement
Czyli dziś się nie spotkamy?
So we won't meet today?
Przepraszam za zmianę planów.
I'm sorry about the change of plans.
Your turn
You sent the wrong file. Apologize for the trouble and say that you will send the correct file now.
Reveal a sample reply
Przepraszam za kłopot. Zaraz wyślę właściwy plik.
Sorry for the trouble. I'll send the correct file now.
This speaking goal in other languages
A note on speaking Polish
Polish distinguishes familiar ty from polite pan and pani. Choose pan when addressing a man and pani when addressing a woman formally; the paired forms shown in examples are alternatives, so say one. A formal question usually uses a third-person verb, such as Czy może pan …? First-person past and conditional forms can change with the speaker’s gender.
Keep letters such as ą, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, and ż. Noun and adjective endings can change with their role in the sentence. Learn the complete expression before replacing a name, object, or time.
