Inklingo
← Dictionary

arrepentirse

ah-rreh-pen-TEER-seh/arepenˈtiɾse/

“arrepentirse” means “to regret” in Spanish (feeling sorry for an action or decision).

to regret, to repent

Also: to change one's mind
VerbB1pronominal and stem-changing ir
General
A person looking sadly at a broken ceramic vase on the floor, expressing regret for their action.
gerundarrepintiéndose
past Participlearrepentido
infinitivearrepentirse

📝 In Action

Me arrepiento de no haber estudiado más.

B1

I regret not having studied more.

Si no vas a la fiesta, te arrepentirás.

B1

If you don't go to the party, you will regret it.

Él se arrepintió de sus palabras en cuanto las dijo.

B2

He regretted his words as soon as he said them.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • lamentar (to lament/regret)
  • retractarse (to take back (one's word))

Antonyms

  • reafirmarse (to stand by (one's decision))
  • persistir (to persist)

Common Collocations

  • arrepentirse amargamente – to regret bitterly
  • arrepentirse de corazón – to regret from the bottom of one's heart
  • no arrepentirse de nada – to have no regrets

Idioms & Expressions

  • más vale prevenir que arrepentirse – better safe than sorry

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesse arrepintieran
yome arrepintiera
túte arrepintieras
vosotrosos arrepintierais
nosotrosnos arrepintiéramos
él/ella/ustedse arrepintiera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesse arrepientan
yome arrepienta
túte arrepientas
vosotrosos arrepintáis
nosotrosnos arrepintamos
él/ella/ustedse arrepienta

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesse arrepintieron
yome arrepentí
túte arrepentiste
vosotrosos arrepentisteis
nosotrosnos arrepentimos
él/ella/ustedse arrepintió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesse arrepentían
yome arrepentía
túte arrepentías
vosotrosos arrepentíais
nosotrosnos arrepentíamos
él/ella/ustedse arrepentía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesse arrepienten
yome arrepiento
túte arrepientes
vosotrosos arrepentís
nosotrosnos arrepentimos
él/ella/ustedse arrepiente
View All Tenses & Moods →

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "arrepentirse" in Spanish:

to regret→to repent→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: arrepentirse

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I regret the mistake'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
decirsereírse
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin prefix 're-' (expressing intensive force) and 'poenitere' (to cause regret/repentance).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: se repentirItalian: pentirsi

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'lamentar' and 'arrepentirse'?

'Lamentar' is like saying 'I am sorry that...' and doesn't require reflexive pronouns. 'Arrepentirse' is more personal, meaning YOU feel remorse for YOUR own actions, and it always needs 'me, te, se...'

Can I use 'arrepentirse' for small mistakes?

Yes, it can be used for anything from forgetting to buy milk to life-changing decisions.

Why does the 'e' change to 'ie' sometimes?

It is a stem-changing verb. In the present tense, the middle 'e' changes to 'ie' in all forms except 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'.