Apology Messages For A Partner: 40 Ways To Say Sorry

Apology messages for a partner

Apologising to the person you live with is harder than apologising to anyone else, because they have heard every version of your excuses already.

The messages below are written to be said or copied into a card. Pick one that sounds like you, then add the specific thing you got wrong - that detail is what makes it land.

Cards to write it in

Blank inside, so the words are yours and not a printed verse.

You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card) You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card) £3.87 Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him £3.87 Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card) Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card) £3.87 Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her £3.87 I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Diet Coke Ever (Valentines Day Card) I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Diet Coke Ever (Valentines Day Card) £3.87 Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card) Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card) £3.87

Browse cards

Short and honest

  • I was wrong. I am sorry.
  • I have been going over it all day, and you were right.
  • No excuse, no defence. Just sorry.
  • I hate how I spoke to you last night.
  • I am sorry. I would like to try that conversation again.
  • You did not deserve any of that from me.
  • I put my pride ahead of you and I am sorry.
  • I am sorry for the words and the silence that followed them.

Heartfelt apologies

  • I would rather be honest with you than right with you.
  • I keep thinking about your face when I said it. I am so sorry.
  • You have never made me feel small, and I did that to you.
  • I am sorry. Not for how it looked, for how it felt to you.
  • I love you, and I am sorry that I made you doubt that for a day.
  • You have carried more of this than you should have. That stops now.
  • I am sorry for the version of me you got this week.
  • I want to fix it, not win it.

After a serious row

  • I am not going to ask you to move on before you are ready.
  • I understand if you need a few days. I will still be here.
  • I have thought about what I would need to change, and here it is.
  • I am sorry, and I know sorry on its own is not enough this time.
  • You told me how this made you feel and I did not listen. I am listening now.
  • There is nothing you did that made me behave that way.

When you want to lighten it after the apology

  • I am sorry. Also, I bought the good biscuits.
  • I was wrong, and I have put it in writing so you can keep it.
  • This card is a formal admission of guilt.
  • Sorry. Tea is on its way and I am not saying another word until you have had it.

What not to write

  • I am sorry you feel that way - this is not an apology.
  • I am sorry, but... - the but deletes the sorry.
  • If I upset you - you know you did.
  • Anything that lists what they did wrong. That is a different conversation.

Browse cards

How to write it so it lands

  • Write it out before you say it. It stops the apology drifting into a defence.
  • One apology, not five. Repeating it turns into asking to be forgiven.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to apologise to your partner?

Name the specific thing you did, say how you think it made them feel, and say what you will do differently. Skip the explanation until they ask for it.

Should you apologise by text or in person?

In person where you can, but a written apology gives them time to read it without having to react in front of you - which is why a card often works better after a serious row.

How long should you wait to apologise?

Say sorry quickly, then leave space. A short apology now and a proper conversation later beats a perfect speech three days on.

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