Sorry for not learning Spanish long time ago

Question

Hello my friends,

I really mean it when I say that I am sorry for not learning Spanish long time ago. Español es muy linda idioma.

Anyway, meanwhile I have a question about being sorry, I know how to say I am sorry = lo siento, but I do not know how to derive from this phrase such phrases like you are sorry, she is sorry... and so on.

Besides, I would be more than grateful if anybody explain to me why lo siento means I am sorry. Personally when I met the phrase for the first time I translated it to I feel it. One more thing that I would like to know about this topic is the negative of the phrase. Is it just to add no before the phrase?

Muchas gracias

Hi there MOH1 - can't answer your "Spanish" question about "lo siento" but just a small typo in your opening line "...for not learning Spanish a long time ago" - nonombre, Dec 21, 2011

Answer 1

I think the lo is an object pronoun meaning it.

So lo siento, as you rightly translated, means I feel it.

Hence the subsequent explanation could be that I am sorry is equivalent to I feel sorry. The it here means the thing that you are sorry about.

For example: I am sorry I broke your vase can be shortened to I am sorry about it.

Answer 2

Basically, the siento is the stem-changer. To change to tu, the phrase is "Lo sientes". By changing the form of "sentir", you'll be fine. Just remember to add the "lo".

Honestly, I'm not so sure about why 'lo' is before sentir. Unfortunately, I am not a native-born Spanish speaker; I just learn from my teacher! (:

But I think it's because the feeling of sorry is also meant to be an object, or thing so the feeling could be 'sentir' and the fact that you're emphasizing the feeling is expressed by 'lo'. That's just my prediction and explanation.

Hope you find your answer! (:

-Cindy

thanks - elFeo, Dec 21, 2011