How to Say Sorry in Thai: ขอโทษ (khaw thot)
Learn how to say sorry in Thai with ขอโทษ (khaw thot), male and female polite forms, excuse me, formal apologies and sympathy phrases, all with romanization.
The standard way to say sorry in Thai is ขอโทษ (khaw thot); a male speaker can say ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap), a female speaker can say ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha), and the same core phrase also works for excuse me in many everyday situations. That 1 expression covers most of what you need, because Thai uses it both to apologise and to get someone’s attention politely. The Wiktionary entry defines ขอโทษ (khaw thot) as an apology and as the interjection for sorry, excuse me or pardon.
Pronunciation is approximately khaw thot, with a rising tone on the first part and a falling tone on the second. All romanization in this lesson is approximate, so treat it as a starting point rather than an exact spelling. If you want to train the tones properly, our guide to Thai tones breaks them down step by step. By the end of this lesson you will be able to apologise, get attention, let someone pass and avoid the common mistake of using an apology phrase when you actually mean sympathy.
Step 1: Start With ขอโทษ (khaw thot) for a Simple Apology
ขอโทษ (khaw thot) is the standard way to apologise for everyday mistakes in Thai. Bump into someone at a market, arrive late, step on a foot: this phrase handles all of it. It is the safe default you can use before you learn anything else.
Say it approximately as khaw thot, with a rising tone followed by a falling tone. The romanization is only a guide, so trust your ear more than the spelling as you practise. What matters most at beginner level is using the phrase at all, then refining the tones over time.
To make it polite, add the ending that matches you as the speaker: ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap) for a male speaker and ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha) for a female speaker. According to the Royal Society explanation of sentence-ending particles, ครับ (khrap) is the particle for male speakers and ค่ะ (kha) for female statements.
2 quick examples:
- You nudge someone’s elbow in a crowd: ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap) or ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha).
- You slip past someone’s table at a cafe: ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha), said with a slight smile.
This is the same politeness pattern you meet in our lesson on how to say thank you in Thai. Learn the phrase first, then bolt on the ending, and you have a working apology for almost any small situation.
Step 2: Use ขอโทษ (khaw thot) for Excuse Me and ขอทางหน่อย (khaw thang noi) to Pass
ขอโทษ (khaw thot) also works as excuse me to get someone’s attention, and ขอทางหน่อย (khaw thang noi) is the phrase for asking someone to let you pass. These are 2 different situations, and Thai gives you a dedicated option for each.
The excuse me sense covers the moments when you need attention before anything else. Catching a waiter’s eye, starting a question with a stranger or interrupting someone politely all begin with ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap) or ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha). It is the same word as the apology, so nothing new to memorise.
For crowds and narrow spaces, Thai has a situational phrase: ขอทางหน่อย (khaw thang noi) asks someone to let you pass. Think of the packed aisles of a weekend market or a busy walkway where you need people to make room.
| Situation | Phrase to use |
|---|---|
| Getting attention, such as calling a waiter or opening a question | ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap) / ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha) |
| Asking someone to let you pass | ขอทางหน่อยครับ (khaw thang noi khrap) / ขอทางหน่อยค่ะ (khaw thang noi kha) |
A short exchange at a restaurant looks like this. You: ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha), to signal the waiter. Waiter: ครับ (khrap), as he comes over. Keeping the polite endings in these examples keeps the pattern visible, so the habit carries over into your own speech.
Step 3: Give the Reason With ขอโทษที่ (khaw thot thii)…
ขอโทษที่ (khaw thot thii)… lets you say sorry for the specific action or reason. The … slot holds whatever you did, which turns a bare apology into a specific one. This is the difference between a general sorry and an apology that names the mistake.
2 everyday examples:
- ขอโทษที่มาสาย (khaw thot thii maa saai), sorry for coming late.
- ขอโทษที่โทรมา (khaw thot thii thoo maa), sorry for calling.
To keep the politeness consistent, add your ending after the whole construction: ขอโทษที่มาสายครับ (khaw thot thii maa saai khrap) or ขอโทษที่มาสายค่ะ (khaw thot thii maa saai kha). The construction stays the same; only the ending changes with the speaker. Practice it once with your own most common mistake and you own the pattern.
Step 4: Switch to ขออภัย (kho aphai) When You Need a Formal Apology
ขออภัย (kho aphai) is a more formal apology expression than ขอโทษ (khaw thot). When a situation is serious or the setting is formal, this is the phrase that raises the register. Everyday mistakes stay with ขอโทษ (khaw thot), while ขออภัย (kho aphai) signals that you treat the matter with more weight.
| Phrase | Romanization | Register |
|---|---|---|
| ขอโทษ (khaw thot) | khaw thot | Everyday apology and excuse me |
| ขออภัย (kho aphai) | kho aphai | More formal apology |
1 guardrail before you overthink it: for ordinary everyday apologies, ขอโทษ (khaw thot) remains the standard choice. ขออภัย (kho aphai) adds formality rather than replacing the everyday phrase, so you can rely on khaw thot for everyday situations and reach for kho aphai when the moment clearly calls for more formality. Romanization here, as everywhere in this lesson, is approximate.
Step 5: Say เสียใจด้วย (sia jai duay) for Sympathy, Not for Apology
เสียใจด้วย (sia jai duay) expresses sympathy or condolences and is distinct from apologising with ขอโทษ (khaw thot). This is a distinction English speakers can miss, because English uses 1 word, sorry, for both meanings. Thai splits them, and using the apology phrase when you mean sympathy confuses the message.
The slip is easy to make and easy to fix. When a friend tells you bad news, reach for the sympathy phrase rather than the apology. Choose with this quick check:
| What happened | What to say |
|---|---|
| You made a mistake | ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap) / ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha) |
| You heard bad news and want to show sympathy | เสียใจด้วยครับ (sia jai duay khrap) / เสียใจด้วยค่ะ (sia jai duay kha) |
The phrases themselves are simple; choosing the right one in the moment is a listening habit. If you want to practise Thai with certified teachers, our Thai language course covers situations like this one.
FAQ: Saying Sorry in Thai
What is the difference between ขอโทษ (khaw thot) and ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap)?
ขอโทษ (khaw thot) is the core apology phrase, and ขอโทษครับ (khaw thot khrap) adds the polite ending used by male speakers. For female speakers, the statement ending is ขอโทษค่ะ (khaw thot kha). The bare phrase and the polite version mean the same thing, but the polite ending softens and completes the sentence in conversation.
Can I use ขอโทษ (khaw thot) for excuse me in Thai?
Yes, ขอโทษ (khaw thot) covers excuse me when you want to get someone’s attention, such as calling a waiter or starting a question. Its dictionary senses include sorry, excuse me and pardon. To ask someone to let you pass in a crowd, use ขอทางหน่อย (khaw thang noi) instead.
How do I say sorry for something specific in Thai?
Use ขอโทษที่ (khaw thot thii)… and put the action or reason after it. For example, ขอโทษที่มาสาย (khaw thot thii maa saai) means sorry for coming late. Add ครับ (khrap) or ค่ะ (kha) at the end to keep the apology polite.
How do I pronounce ขอโทษ (khaw thot) correctly?
Say it approximately as khaw thot, with a rising tone on the first part and a falling tone on the second. The romanization is only a rough guide, so listening and repeating matters more than reading. Our Thai tones guide explains each tone with examples you can practise.