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How to Say ‘No, I'm sorry’ in Italian

No, mi dispiace

noh mee dee-SPYAH-cheh

[noh mee dee-SPYAH-cheh]

Phrase Breakdown

[noh]

A negative response or denial.

Example

Purtroppo, il tassista ha detto 'No'.

Unfortunately, the taxi driver said 'No'.

[mee]

to me / me

An indirect object pronoun meaning 'to me' or 'me' depending on the structure.

Example

Mi ha colpito molto la tua presentazione.

Your presentation impressed me a lot.

dispiace

[dee-SPYAH-cheh]

is displeasing / I'm sorry

Literally suggests something is displeasing to me; in common use, it means 'I'm sorry'.

Example

Se faccio un errore, dico: "Mi dispiace."

If I make a mistake, I say: "I'm sorry."

Guides for Italian learners

Duolingo vs Busuu: Which Is Better for Actually Improving?Duolingo vs Busuu compared: a free gamified habit versus structured levels with corrections from native speakers. Which to choose, and when to use both.

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