#345 Stop Apologizing So Much in English!
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Transcript:
Hi! Iâm Georgiana, and Iâm back with a new episode of the Speak English Now podcastâthe podcast that helps you speak English fluently, with no grammar and no textbooks.
And if you like this episode, please share it with your friends. Thank you!
Great! Let’s start!
Todayâs episode is about something many English learners do too often:
Saying âsorryâ all the timeâeven when they donât need to.
Let me give you some examples:
- âSorry, can I ask a question?â
- âSorry, my English is bad.â
- âSorry for bothering you.â
- âSorry for my pronunciation.â
Maybe youâve said these before. Maybe you say them often.
Thatâs okay! Itâs a common habit, especially for people who want to be polite.
But hereâs the truth:
Saying âsorryâ too much makes you sound nervousâeven when youâre doing nothing wrong.
It makes your voice sound small.
It makes you feel weak inside.
And it teaches other people not to take you seriously.
Why Do People Say âSorryâ Too Much?
There are a few reasons:
- Youâre learning English, so you feel insecure.
- You donât want to seem rude.
- Youâre afraid of making mistakes.
- You want to be âextra polite.â
But being polite does not mean apologizing for speaking.
And it definitely doesnât mean apologizing for your English.
When Should You Say âSorryâ?
Yes, itâs okay to say âsorryâ when:
- You interrupt someone
- You are late
- You do something that causes a problem for others
But donât apologize just for speaking.
Donât say âsorryâ before every question.
Donât say âsorryâ because youâre not perfect.
You donât need permission to talk.
Youâre learning. Youâre trying. And thatâs something to feel proud ofânot ashamed.
đĄ Say This Instead
Letâs look at some better ways to express yourself with confidence and respect.
â Instead of:
âSorry for my English.â
â
Say:
âThanks for your patience. Iâm still learning.â
â Instead of:
âSorry to bother youâŚâ
â
Say:
âDo you have a moment?â
Or:
âI appreciate your time.â
â Instead of:
âSorry for the question.â
â
Say:
âCan I ask something quickly?â
These are respectful, but they donât make you sound small or afraid.
They say, âI value your timeâbut I also value myself.â
Donât Undervalue What You Say
Hereâs another important thing:
Stop putting yourself down before you even speak.
Many learners start their sentences like this:
- âThis is probably a dumb questionâŚâ
- âI donât know if this is right, butâŚâ
- âMy English is bad, but Iâll tryâŚâ
Please donât do this.
When you speak like this, people stop listening.
Even if your idea is great, your words sound weak.
And your brain starts to believe that what you say is not important.
So instead of saying:
âThis might be a stupid questionâŚâ
Try this:
â
âCan I build on that idea?â
â
âHereâs what Iâm thinking.â
â
âIâd like to share a thought.â
These phrases are strong. Theyâre polite. And they show confidenceâeven if your English isnât perfect.
đŻ The Message Is Simple
You donât need to say âsorryâ for learning English.
You donât need to apologize for asking something.
You donât need to speak like a native speaker to deserve respect.
You just need to breathe⌠stay calm⌠and speak with honesty and confidence.
Now, letâs practice with a point of view story.
 Â
Point of View-Story đ (Learn Grammar)
⨠PAST TENSE
Nate was a kind man who loved meeting his friends at a small cafĂŠ near his apartment.
Every Saturday, they gathered to talk about life, sports, musicâanything.
But Nate had a habit.
Before he said anything, he always apologized.
He would say things like:
âSorry, maybe this sounds dumbâŚâ
âSorry, I talk too much.â
âSorry, my English isnât great.â
Even when he had something interesting to say, he made it sound weak.
His voice got quiet. He looked down.
His friends smiled and listenedâbut they didnât really pay attention.
One day, someone new joined the groupâSarah, a friend of a friend.
After Nate said âsorryâ for the third time, she asked, kindly,
âWhy do you keep apologizing? You havenât done anything wrong.â
Nate laughed nervously and shrugged.
âI donât know⌠I guess I just donât want to sound silly.â
Sarah replied, âYou donât sound silly. But when you say âsorryâ first, itâs like you donât believe in what youâre saying.â
That night, Nate thought a lot about her words.
She was right. He had made âsorryâ a habit. A shield.
But it wasnât protecting himâit was making him small.
So he decided to stop.
The next Saturday, when his friends met again, Nate said,
âIâve been thinking about that movie you mentionedâcan I share my opinion?â
No apology. No excuse. Just calm, clear words.
Everyone listened. He didnât speak loudly or perfectly.
But for the first time, Nate felt that his voice mattered.
He didnât feel afraid.
He felt present.
He felt like himselfâwithout âsorryâ at the beginning.
⨠FIRST PERSON PRESENT
I meet my friends at the cafĂŠ almost every weekend.
We sit outside, order coffee, and talk about everythingânews, movies, funny stories.
I enjoy these moments⌠but I have a habit I canât ignore.
I keep saying âsorry.â
I say:
âSorry, this is probably stupidâŚâ
âSorry, my English is badâŚâ
âSorry, I talk too muchâŚâ
I donât even think about it. The words just come out.
And when they do, I feel smaller.
My friends smile. Theyâre kind. But I know they donât really listen.
They hear my wordsâbut not my voice.
Then one weekend, a new person joins us. Her name is Sarah.
After I say âsorryâ for something small, she looks at me and asks:
âWhy do you keep apologizing? You donât need to.â
I feel surprised. I laugh. I try to change the topic.
But later that night, I remember her question.
Sheâs right. Iâm not doing anything wrong. Iâm just afraid.
Afraid of sounding wrong.
Afraid of not being perfect.
Afraid of being seen.
So the next time we meet, I try something different.
I donât say âsorry.â
I say: âHey, Iâve been thinking about what you said last timeâcan I add something?â
Thatâs all. No apology. No fear. Just meâspeaking.
And the result?
They listen. Really listen.
I donât speak louder or smarter. I just stop hiding.
And for the first time, I believe my words matter.
đ Great work!
Youâve just practiced the same story in two tensesâpast and first-person presentâto help you learn grammar and confidence naturally.
Remember:
You donât need to say âsorryâ just to be polite.
You donât need to start every sentence with doubt.
Speak clearly. Speak calmly. You are enough.
If you want to practice more, get my
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