How to apologize to a girl can be one of the most difficult things to do when you know you have wronged them. For some reason, this seems to be even harder for individual men. It could be pride or an ego thing. For some reason, guys often feel it is a sign of weakness to admit you have made a mistake.

12 Ways to say sorry to a girl

It is important to acknowledge when you have done something wrong and then apologize for it. If you are one of those people who find it difficult to apologize, here are some helpful tips if you want to know how to apologize to a girl.

Be Genuine

The most important thing for an apology is that you must be genuine. You hopefully really feel sorry, and that emotion will come through your words. Girls, especially one that knows you well, will be able to tell if you are just going through the motions and don’t mean it. Insincerity will hurt her worse than the original offense.

Give yourself a cooling-off period

give yourself a cooling-off period

Don’t try to apologize in the heat of an argument. You may realize you’re wrong, but this isn’t the time to work that in. She will still be angry and possibly unwilling to forgive you. Allow some time to pass so you can think through your feelings. You might even talk to an objective friend so they can help you see your mistakes.

An important aspect of the forgiveness process is empathy

One of the best ways to say sorry to a girl is to try to put yourself in her shoes and determine what you would need to forgive. See things from her point of view, even if you don’t agree with her. Form an apology that fits her needs. Try to imagine what you would like to hear if it were you.

The right words do matter

the right words do matter

When looking to learn how to apologize to a girl you have to make sure that you choose the right words. If you say, “I’m sorry your feelings were hurt,” or “I’m sorry you got upset,” these are not real apologies. This kind of statement will probably only make things worse because you are not accepting responsibility for your actions. Don’t put the ownership on her. Say very simply, “I was wrong. I am sorry.’

Take time to think and form an apology

Once you have had time to think and formed an apology, look for the right time to discuss it with her. You will want a time when you two are alone and in person. Be straightforward and tell her you would like to talk about it. Don’t beat around the bush and try to be coy. If she is not ready to speak of the situation, respect her and let it go. If her birthday is coming up, make sure to give her a thoughtful birthday present.

Give her an honest and sincere apology

If she is ready to listen, look her directly in the eye and give her an honest and sincere apology. Acknowledge what you did and let her feel your remorse. Don’t say, “I’m sorry but…” That is not an apology but an excuse, and it won’t fly with your girl. Make sure you let her talk as well. Hear her out, even if she is going back to the problem. She may need just to say things aloud to move past them.

Come up with a different way to handle things in the future

Another part of the apology should be how you will do things differently in the future. You have taken the time to think through the situation, and hopefully, you have come up with a different way to handle things in the future. When you explain this to your girlfriend, she will know that you have put some thought into the situation.

Accept the consequences

Accept and acknowledge consequences that may occur because of you’re wrong. “Hey, I know it may take you a while to trust me again…” Let your girlfriend know that you recognize that there will be repercussions from your error. Don’t play it off or try to be cool about it. Sometimes you just have to pay the price. When you choose the behavior, you must handle the consequences.

Keep it short

Another great tip when looking to know how to apologize to a girl is to keep it short. In this situation, you need to keep the apology short and straightforward. You don’t want to rehash the situation or offer excuses, so just admit you are wrong and sincerely apologize. The longer the conversation lasts, the more the chances for further miscommunication. Just look her directly in the eye and tell her you were wrong and that you know you hurt her. This will go a long way in letting her know you care.

Come up with a follow-up question

One great question to follow up your apology is, “What can I do to make things better from here?” This allows your girlfriend to have some input to the resolution, and she will be more likely to want to move forward if she has some control. Hopefully, the two of you can come up with a concrete plan to make progress past the problem.

Don’t defend your actions

An apology is a humbling experience. You may feel defensive if she is still angry and says some hurtful things to you. Try not to take these words to heart and allow her to vent. Don’t defend your actions or the apology will ring untrue. Just listen and let it go.

Time to move on

time to move on

You have done all that you can do, and now you both can hopefully move on. Let the past be the past and don’t bring it up anymore. This is the perfect time to do something romantic for your girlfriend to show her that you love her! It may take time for the wounds to heal but a genuine apology goes a long way in helping that.

Learn how to apologize correctly

How to apologize to a girl shouldn’t be that hard. The hard part is admitting to yourself and other people that you were wrong. The greater harm would be if you never recognized or acknowledged your mistakes. That type of attitude leads to a lonely life. We all make mistakes from time to time. The difference in a commitment to someone is that you are willing to do the work to make things right.

A stable relationship will be able to move past hurt and errors. You may have to work extra hard to prove that you meant it when you said you were sorry. That is just part of being in a relationship and making it last. It is all about genuine care for another person that makes you want to be a better person, too.