They both mean sorry — but they are not the same thing.
In English, “sorry” does a lot of work. You use it when you bump into someone, when you’re late, when a friend is upset, when you didn’t hear what someone said. In Italian, different situations call for different words. Let’s sort it out.
The two main words
A simple way to think about it: scusa is for actions, mi dispiace is for feelings.
| Scusa / Scusi | Mi dispiace |
|---|---|
| excuse me / sorry (action-based) | I’m sorry (feeling-based) |
| You did something small | You feel bad about something |
| You need to get past someone | Someone told you bad news |
| You want someone’s attention | You can’t help or can’t come |
| You interrupted someone | You caused real inconvenience |
Scusa vs Scusi
Scusa is informal — use it with friends, family, people your age. Scusi is formal, for strangers, shop assistants, older people. Same meaning, different register.
Scusa, posso passare?
Sorry, can I get past? (to a friend)
Scusi, sa dov’è la stazione?
Excuse me, do you know where the station is? (to a stranger)
When to use mi dispiace
Mi dispiace, non posso venire domani.
I’m sorry, I can’t come tomorrow.
Mi dispiace molto per tua nonna.
I’m so sorry about your grandmother.
Mi dispiace, ho sbagliato.
I’m sorry, I made a mistake.
A mini dialogo
Here’s how both words might appear in the same conversation:
Excuse me, are you Marco?
No, my name is Luca.
Oh, sorry! I’m sorry, wrong person!
No problem!
Notice: the first scusa is just to get attention. The second is “oops, my fault.” Then mi dispiace adds genuine regret. All three fit, all three are different.
Quick reference
| Situation | Italian |
|---|---|
| Getting someone’s attention on the street | Scusi |
| You bump into a friend | Scusa! |
| You’re late to meet someone | Scusa, sono in ritardo |
| A friend tells you bad news | Mi dispiace molto |
| You can’t make it to an event | Mi dispiace, non posso |
| You made a real mistake | Mi dispiace, ho sbagliato |
Worth knowing
Italians also use mi dispiace where English speakers say “that’s a shame” or “what a pity” — not just for personal apologies. So if someone tells you their flight was cancelled, mi dispiace! is exactly right, even if it’s nothing to do with you.
Want to practise your Italian
with a real teacher?
Small online conversation groups — maximum 6 people, all levels, once a week. Or take the free test to find out how much Italian you already know.