With apologies, you admit to doing something to upset another person. 如果你做出道歉,那就表示你承认自己做了某些打搅到别人的事。
Apologies can be informal:
Sorry一词比较口语,多用于非正式化的道歉,例如:
I am sorry that I was late. 对不起我迟到了。
I shouldn't have done that. Sorry, I'll never do it again. 我不该做出那种事的。对不起,以后不会了。
Apologies can be formal:
Apology(名词)以及apologize(动词)常用于正式化的道歉,例如:
I do apologize for this interruption, Mr Jones. 很抱歉打断你了,琼斯先生。
Mr Jones sends his apologies for not attending the meeting. 琼斯先生为不能出席会议致歉。
Things to say with apologies:
① 解释原因:
We apologise for the delay, which has been caused by a traffic jam. 很抱歉,我们因为堵车而延误了时间。
I'm sorry about my homework, Ms Li, the dog ate it. 李老师,对不起我没交作业,它被狗吃掉了。
② 表示并非有意而为之:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. 对不起,我不是故意吵醒你的。
可以用提问的方式:
Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you ok? 噢对不起,你没事吧?
Sorry I'm late. Were you waiting long? 对不起我来晚了,等很久了吗?
也可以用感叹句:
Oh no! I do apologise. Let me help you pick it up. 噢不!非常抱歉,我帮你捡起来吧。
③ 插入一些词加强道歉的语气:
I'm sorry.
I'm very sorry.
I'm really very sorry.
I'm really so very sorry.
I'm really so very sorry indeed.
I apologise.
I do apologise.
I do most sincerelyapologise.
I do most sincerely and abjectlyapologise.
Excuse me
We say Sorry because we feel bad that someone is upset. We Excuse me if we think we are about to upset someone. 因为打搅到别人而难过,我们说Sorry;因为将要打搅到别人,我们说Excuse me。例如:
Excuse me, do you have the time? 对不起,能占用你一点时间吗?
另外可以用please来加强语气,例如:
Excuse me please, I need to get off. 对不起(让一下),我要下车。
* 这里要说明下,在Sorry和Excuse me的使用上,英英和美英是有区别的:
英国人很喜欢用Sorry,所以有时他们会用Sorry代替Excuse me,例如:I'm sorry, but do you think you could move your car?
而美语中则可以用Excuse me表示Sorry的意思,例如:Excuse me, I didn't see you there.