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Making Up — Se réconcilier by Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.

Sometimes when friends have misunderstandings, or when they have an accident, they just want to hear three little words: “I am sorry.” In French, you say, Je suis désolé. But in some situations, you need to say a little more. You need to say you didn't mean to step on someone's foot! Or that you ate their cake by mistake!

Here are some phrases you might find useful:

<tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>Sorry!</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Désolé!</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Excuse me.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Pardon.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I did something wrong.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je m'excuse.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I feel bad about it.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je le regrette.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Let me help you.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je vais t'aider.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I didn't do it on purpose.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je ne l'ai pas fait exprès.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I made a mistake.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je me suis trompé.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I misunderstood.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je n'ai pas compris.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Say “Sorry” Properly — <emphasis>Dis “désolé” comme il faut</emphasis></h2> <p>Knowing when and how to use “I'm sorry” phrases takes some practice. You don't want to overdo it! But you want to show that you have concern for others. Generally speaking, if the problem is a little one that will be forgotten quickly, a quick <emphasis>desolé</emphasis> will often do the trick.</p> <p><emphasis>Désolé</emphasis> is good if you accidentally take someone's coat when leaving a party. But if it's an even smaller incident, like bumping into someone in a crowded store, <emphasis>pardon</emphasis>! is often all you need.</p> <p>Look at these sentences and briefly describe (in English) a situation in which you might say them. Try to come up with a different situation for each phrase:</p> <p><emphasis>Je ne l'ai pas fais exprès.</emphasis> </p> <p><emphasis>Je n'ai pas compris.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Je le regrette.</emphasis> </p> <p><emphasis>Je vais t'aider.</emphasis> </p> <p><emphasis>Désolé!</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Je me suis trompé/trompée.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Pardon</emphasis>.</p> <p><emphasis>Je m'excuse.</emphasis></p> <div class="npsb"> <h2>MISTAKES TO AVOID <emphasis>Fautes à éviter</emphasis></h2> <p>Don't forget to say you're sorry when you've hurt someone, even accidentally. Don't worry if it feels strange to speak in French. If you don't say what you want to say correctly, the fact that you cared will still come through.</p> </div> <h2>Saying, “It's Okay” — <emphasis>Dire, “Ça va.”</emphasis></h2> <p>When it's time to forget about a misunderstanding or an accident, you usually say, “It's okay,” in English. Or you might say, “Forget about it.” Or even just “Not a problem.” Often in situations like these, your French friends don't speak in complete sentences, but the meaning is still understood.</p> <p>Here are some phrases you might want to know:</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>Not a problem.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Pas de problème.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>It's not serious.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Pas grave.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>It's not a big deal.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Pas grand chose.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Forget it.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Laisse tomber.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Let me help you.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je vais t'aider.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I didn't do it on purpose.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je ne l'ai pas fait exprès.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I made a mistake.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je me suis trompé.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Let's forget about it.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>On oublie.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>It's over!</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Fini!</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>Let's put together all the words you'll need to excuse yourself in case of a misunderstanding. Look at the English language clues and write what you might say in French in the lines that follow. Since there's more than one response in French, try to use as many as you can:</p> <div class="npmo"> <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/kids-french/p128-001.jpg"> </div> <div class="npsb"> <h2> FUN FACTS <emphasis>Pour s'amuser</emphasis></h2> <p>Negative sentences in French often are reduced to a couple of words. <emphasis>Ce n'est pas grave</emphasis> (“It's not serious”) sounds like <emphasis>pas grave</emphasis>, and <emphasis>Ce n'est pas un problème</emphasis> (“It's not a problem”) sounds like <emphasis>pas de problème</emphasis>.</p> </div> <p>You want to shake hands like a good sport.</p> <p>You feel a little annoyed, but not angry.</p> <p>You want to admit you made a mistake.</p> <p>You didn't do it on purpose.</p> <p>You want to just forget about it.</p> <p>You don't think it's worth any more attention.</p> <!--/gc--> <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/solving-problems-rgler-des-problmes.htm" title="Solving Problems — Régler des problèmes">Solving Problems — Régler des problèmes</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/girlfriends-and-boyfriends-amoureux-et-amoureuses.htm" title="Girlfriends and Boyfriends — Amoureux et amoureuses">Girlfriends and Boyfriends — Amoureux et amoureuses</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/making-up-se-rconcilier.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Making Up — Se réconcilier - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/solving-problems-rgler-des-problmes.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Solving Problems — Régler des problèmes - French for K... </a></li> <li><a href="http://french.about.com/od/mistakes/a/jesuisplein.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Je suis plein - French Mistake </a></li> <li><a href="http://french.about.com/u/ua/francophonie/francophiles.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> You might be a Francophile if ... vous pouvez lire cette phrase. </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/all-about-me-tout-sur-moi/my-personality-mon-caractre.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> My Personality — Mon caractère - French for Kids </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More Getting Along — Bien s'entendre</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/best-friends-les-meilleurs-amis.htm">Best Friends — Les meilleurs amis</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/expressing-feelings-exprimer-ses-sentiments.htm">Expressing Feelings — Exprimer ses sentiments</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/respecting-my-friends-respecter-ses-amis.htm">Respecting My Friends — Respecter ses amis</a></li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/solving-problems-rgler-des-problmes.htm">Solving Problems — Régler des problèmes</a></li> <li class="btO">Making Up — Se réconcilier</li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/girlfriends-and-boyfriends-amoureux-et-amoureuses.htm">Girlfriends and Boyfriends — Amoureux et amoureuses</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/kids-french/Cover.jpg"></a><h4><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">THE EVERYTHING KIDS' LEARNING FRENCH BOOK</a></h4><p><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">By Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.</a></p><div id="fp"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">Buy This Book</a></div></div></div> <div id="toc" class="pane"><div class="n3">French for Kids Sections</div><ul><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-get-started-allons-y/">Let's Get Started! 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