How do you say regret in Spanish?

Regret in Spanish is most often arrepentirse, a reflexive verb (Me arrepiento de eso, I regret that). For formal regret use lamentar (Lamento la pérdida, I regret the loss). For casual I'm sorry, use lo siento.

How do you pronounce arrepentirse?

Arrepentirse is pronounced ah-rreh-pen-TEER-seh. Roll the rr, stress the TEER syllable, and run the final -se as a soft seh. The full word has five syllables.

What's the difference between arrepentirse and lamentar?

Arrepentirse is for personal, internal regret about your own choices (Me arrepiento de no haber estudiado, I regret not having studied). Lamentar is heavier and more formal, used for losses (Lamento mucho su pérdida, I deeply regret your loss) and professional apologies (Lamentamos informarles..., We regret to inform you...).

How do I remember regret in Spanish?

Hear arrepentirse used in real emotional contexts (interviews, vlogs, family conversations). Parrot's videos surface the verb in lived situations, which is the fastest way to feel the difference between everyday me arrepiento and the heavier lo lamento.

Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate

Regret in Spanish: Arrepentirse, Lamentar, and When to Use Each

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Arrepentirse · verb (reflexive) · ah-rreh-pen-TEER-seh

Regret in Spanish is most often arrepentirse, a reflexive verb used for personal regrets (Me arrepiento, I regret it). Lamentar is heavier and more formal, used for mourning losses or in professional apologies. Sentir, in lo siento, covers light regret and is the everyday I'm sorry.

Arrepentirse is pronounced ah-rreh-pen-TEER-seh. The double r is the rolled Spanish rr (vibrate the tip of your tongue). Stress falls on TEER, the third-from-last syllable.

Me arrepiento de no haber estudiado más.

I regret not having studied more.

Regret in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for regret, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
arrepentirse	regret	ah-rreh-pen-TEER-seh	Default, widely understood
lamentar	regret		more formal, used for mourning a loss or formal apologies
sentir	regret		I'm sorry / I regret it casually: lo siento

How Native Speakers Use Arrepentirse

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Personal regret about a choice

Me arrepiento de no haberle dicho la verdad.

I regret not having told her the truth.

Most natural everyday phrasing. Arrepentirse de + infinitive (haber + past participle) = to regret having done / not done something.

Formal regret in a professional setting

Lamentamos informarles que la reunión se ha cancelado.

We regret to inform you that the meeting has been canceled.

Lamentar replaces arrepentirse in formal contexts: announcements, condolences, business communication.

Light apology

Lo siento, llegué tarde.

I'm sorry, I was late.

Lo siento is the everyday I'm sorry. Use this for small regrets and apologies, save arrepentirse for deeper feeling.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Arrepentirse

Forgetting the reflexive (yo arrepiento)

Incorrect: Yo arrepiento mucho.

Correct: Me arrepiento mucho.

Arrepentirse is reflexive: the regretting falls back on the speaker. So it always pairs with me, te, se, nos, os, se. Without me, the verb just sits there with no subject acting on itself.

Using regretar (English-borrowed, not real Spanish)

Incorrect: Yo regreto mi decisión.

Correct: Me arrepiento de mi decisión.

Regretar is not a Spanish verb. English speakers reach for it because regret looks easy to translate. The real verbs are arrepentirse (personal) and lamentar (formal). Both take a little practice.

Lock in Regret Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Arrepentirse used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using arrepentirse in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me arrepiento de no haber estudiado más. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Regret in Spanish

How do you say regret in Spanish?: Regret in Spanish is most often arrepentirse, a reflexive verb (Me arrepiento de eso, I regret that). For formal regret use lamentar (Lamento la pérdida, I regret the loss). For casual I'm sorry, use lo siento.
How do you pronounce arrepentirse?: Arrepentirse is pronounced ah-rreh-pen-TEER-seh. Roll the rr, stress the TEER syllable, and run the final -se as a soft seh. The full word has five syllables.
What's the difference between arrepentirse and lamentar?: Arrepentirse is for personal, internal regret about your own choices (Me arrepiento de no haber estudiado, I regret not having studied). Lamentar is heavier and more formal, used for losses (Lamento mucho su pérdida, I deeply regret your loss) and professional apologies (Lamentamos informarles..., We regret to inform you...).
How do I remember regret in Spanish?: Hear arrepentirse used in real emotional contexts (interviews, vlogs, family conversations). Parrot's videos surface the verb in lived situations, which is the fastest way to feel the difference between everyday me arrepiento and the heavier lo lamento.