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Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Sorry if / to
Hi,
could someone explain the difference between "sorry if someone does something" and "sorry to do something"?
These are the meanings I understand:
Sorry if I'm disturbing you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. <-- Maybe I'm really disturbing you, maybe not, but since it's likely I'm disturbing you, I say "sorry".
Sorry to disturb you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner.<-- I think I'm disturbing you, so I say "sorry".
Now, the problem is that in Italian we use the construction with "if" even if something is happening or definitely going to happen. Example:
Mrs. Historeater, sorry if I don't know anything about the Middle Ages (= I actually don't know anything), but I really couldn't study yesterday.
Sorry if you are sick (= you are sick), but I need you to do that job right now... Get starteeeeed!!!
Thanks in advance
could someone explain the difference between "sorry if someone does something" and "sorry to do something"?
These are the meanings I understand:
Sorry if I'm disturbing you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. <-- Maybe I'm really disturbing you, maybe not, but since it's likely I'm disturbing you, I say "sorry".
Sorry to disturb you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner.<-- I think I'm disturbing you, so I say "sorry".
Now, the problem is that in Italian we use the construction with "if" even if something is happening or definitely going to happen. Example:
Mrs. Historeater, sorry if I don't know anything about the Middle Ages (= I actually don't know anything), but I really couldn't study yesterday.
Sorry if you are sick (= you are sick), but I need you to do that job right now... Get starteeeeed!!!
Thanks in advance
Top answer
«Sorry if I'm disturbing you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. Sorry to disturb you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. The very explanation that I'd give!
- «Sorry if I'm disturbing you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner.
- Sorry to disturb you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner.
- The very explanation that I'd give!
- As to the Italian, well, this particular construction differs from English.
- ".
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1 Answers
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«Sorry if I'm disturbing you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. <-- Maybe I'm really disturbing you, maybe not, but since it's likely I'm disturbing you, I say "sorry".
Sorry to disturb you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. <-- I think I'm disturbing you, so I say "sorry".»
The very explanation that I'd give!
Sorry to disturb you while you're studying, but I'm almost done using the vacuum cleaner. <-- I think I'm disturbing you, so I say "sorry".»
The very explanation that I'd give!
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