Meaning of Idiom ‘Sorry To Bother You’
In English, to bother someone means to take up some of their time or annoy them. When we say ‘sorry to bother you‘ we are apologizing for taking up someone’s time or annoying them. While this can be a sincere expression of apology, it is just as often a phatic expression. That is, it is a polite social convention, often used after interrupting someone or before asking them to do something.
Sorry to bother you or I’m sorry to bother you are both acceptable. Most native speakers of English leave out the I’m.
Sentence Examples
“Sorry to bother you, but can you tell me where the restrooms are?”
“Sarah, sorry to bother you, but Ms. Collins is here to see you.”
“Sorry to bother you but could you please give me a moment of your time?”
“Thanks, sorry to bother you.”
Sorry For Bothering You
Sorry for bothering you is a variation that can be used the same way as ‘sorry to bother you.’ It can also serve as an informal way to apologize for bothering someone in the past. “Sorry for bothering you yesterday.” You can also say, “sorry to have bothered you yesterday.”
When repeatedly interrupting someone or asking them questions, etc. ‘sorry to keep bothering you’ is often used.
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