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Politeness & courtesy

How to Say “Sorry to Bother You” in Turkish

The usual way to say “Sorry to bother you” in Turkish is Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim. It is formal: polite: for strangers, elders, customers and officials. Below are 3 alternatives (neutral, informal), how to reply, an example dialogue and the grammar behind it.

In Turkish

Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim

Literally
“for my disturbing, I apologise”
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Formalpolite: for strangers, elders, customers and officials

How Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim is built

  1. rahatsız et-disturb
  2. -tiğ-participle -DIK (k → ğ before a vowel)
  3. -immy
  4. içinfor, because of
  5. özür dilerimI apologise
Grammar guideTurkish Relative Clauses: Master -en (Who Does) and -dık (Whom I Did) →Grammar guideTurkish Possessive Suffixes (İyelik Ekleri) & Noun Compounds →Grammar guideTurkish Postpositions: İle, İçin, Kadar, Göre, Sonra & Önce →Conjugate the verbözür dilemek (to apologize) →

Other ways to say “Sorry to bother you”

  • Kusura bakmayın, rahatsız ediyorumNeutral

    “sorry, I’m disturbing you”

    Common polite opener.

  • Rahatsız etmiyorum ya?Informal

    “I’m not disturbing you, am I?”

    Casual check.

  • Bir dakikanızı alabilir miyim?Formal

    “may I take a minute of yours?”

    Before a longer question.

How to reply

  • Rica ederim, ne demek.

    Not at all.

  • Estağfurullah, buyurun.

    Not at all, go ahead.

Example dialogue

  1. A

    Kusura bakmayın, rahatsız ediyorum. Burası boş mu?

    Sorry to bother you. Is this seat free?

  2. B

    Estağfurullah, buyurun oturun.

    Not at all, please sit down.

Related phrases

All phrases →
Excuse meAffedersinizFormalI’m sorryÖzür dilerimNeutralCan I ask a question?Bir soru sorabilir miyim?NeutralIs this seat taken?Burası boş mu?Neutral

More politeness & courtesy

Go deeper

GuideHow to Say Thank You, Please and Sorry in Turkish (Teşekkürler, Lütfen, Özür Dilerim)

“Sorry to bother you” in Turkish: FAQ

How do you say “Sorry to bother you” in Turkish?

The most common way is Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim (literally “for my disturbing, I apologise”), which is formal: polite: for strangers, elders, customers and officials. You will also hear Kusura bakmayın, rahatsız ediyorum (“sorry, I’m disturbing you”): common polite opener.

How do you reply to Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim?

Typical replies are Rica ederim, ne demek. (“Not at all.”) and Estağfurullah, buyurun. (“Not at all, go ahead.”).

What does each part of Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim mean?

rahatsız et- = disturb; -tiğ- = participle -DIK (k → ğ before a vowel); -im = my; için = for, because of; özür dilerim = I apologise. -DIğI için turns a verb into “because I…”: rahatsız ettiğim için (because I disturbed you).

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