Ho commesso un errore. Me ne scuso.

I made a mistake. I apologise for it.

Pronunciation

'Commesso' = kom-MES-so. 'Scuso' = SKOO-zo. Both 's' sounds are voiced here.

When to use it

Use this immediately after discovering a mistake. In Italian professional culture, acknowledging errors promptly and directly — without making excuses — is a sign of maturity and integrity.

What it means

'Commettere un errore' is more formal than 'fare un errore'. 'Me ne scuso' (I apologise for it) uses the reflexive 'scusarsi' in formal register. Avoid 'mi dispiace' alone — it sounds more personal than professional.

Variations

Mi sono sbagliato/a. Come posso rimediare?

I was wrong. How can I make it right?

Solution-focused; shows accountability and willingness to fix things

È colpa mia. Provvedo a correggerlo subito.

It is my fault. I will correct it right away.

Very direct; use when the fix is straightforward and quick

Chiedo scusa per l'inconveniente.

I apologise for the inconvenience.

Slightly more distancing; used in written communications too

Mini Dialogue

Tirocinante: Dottoressa Marino, ho commesso un errore nel foglio di calcolo. Me ne scuso. Dottoressa Marino: Capisco. Che tipo di errore? Tirocinante: Ho inserito i dati sbagliati nella colonna C. Posso correggerlo adesso. Dottoressa Marino: Sì, correggi e manda la versione aggiornata entro oggi.

Intern: Dr. Marino, I made a mistake in the spreadsheet. I apologise for it. Dr. Marino: I understand. What kind of mistake? Intern: I entered the wrong data in column C. I can correct it now. Dr. Marino: Yes, correct it and send the updated version by today.

Cultural Note

In Italian work culture, owning mistakes directly and proposing solutions is respected. Defensiveness or making excuses ('menare il can per l'aia') is heavily frowned upon and damages professional relationships quickly.

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