There is nothing more hurtful than being betrayed by the people who are supposed to care for us most.
When a good friend lets us down, it can leave us questioning whether that friendship is worth continuing.
After all, what is the point of spending time with and showing care and support for someone we cannot trust.
The truth is, in order to move on from being hurt by a friend, we need an to hear a sincere apology that conveys that our friend understands how badly they’ve hurt us and why their actions were unacceptable.
Even so, we may not always be ready to simply hear their “I’m sorry” and decide that all is forgiven.
However we feel about the apology, it can be tricky to find the words to express our emotions.
Here is a handy guide to help you work out how best to respond to an apology from a friend in a variety of different situations.
11 ways to respond to an apology from a friend
1. Thank you for saying that. I was really upset when it happened, but I forgive you now.
2. I appreciate your apology and I forgive you.
3. That’s okay, I know you never meant to hurt me.
4. It means a lot that you’ve apologized so sincerely. I forgive you. Let’s move on.
5. Thank you for your heartfelt apology. I’m sorry too and I’m ready to move on from this if you are.
6. That’s okay. I know you were going through a hard time too. Next time we’re feeling upset with each other, let’s just talk it through.
7. I appreciate you saying that, but I have been so hurt that it’s hard to move on from this. I think I still need a bit of time to think things through.
8. Thank you for your apology. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think our friendship is ever going to be the same after what you did, and I’m not sure I’m ready to forgive you yet.
9. Yeah, there’s absolutely no way I’m going to forgive you for what you did.
10. You hurt me so badly and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive you.
11. What you did showed me so clearly that you just don’t care about me, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to move on from that.
Short phrases to respond to an apology
1. That’s OK.
2. It happens.
3. No problem.
4. Don’t worry about it.
5. I forgive you.
(for serious problems)
Feb, 2023
Posted by Oxford Language Club
