Sorry I Was at Work in Spanish | Polite Ways To Say It Right

You can say “Perdón, estaba trabajando” for a simple, polite apology that explains you were working.

You sent a late reply. You missed a call. Someone waited on you. Now you want to say “sorry, I was at work” in Spanish without sounding stiff, dramatic, or careless.

This phrase sits in a sweet spot: it’s an apology, a reason, and a tone check all at once. The words matter. So does the mood, the relationship, and how late you are.

Below you’ll get natural Spanish options, when each fits, and small tweaks that make your message sound like something a real person would text.

What Spanish speakers usually say for “sorry, I was at work”

If you want one safe default that works in most places, go with:

• Perdón, estaba trabajando. (Sorry, I was working.)

It’s short, clear, and calm. It doesn’t overplay guilt. It doesn’t dodge blame either. It simply owns the delay and gives the reason.

Two close cousins that change the tone

Spanish gives you a few “sorry” words. They’re not identical. Pick based on what happened.

• Perdón feels like a quick apology for a slip, interruption, delay, or small mistake.
• Disculpa often feels a bit more direct or request-like, like “excuse me” or “sorry about that.”
• Lo siento leans toward real regret, used when something caused hurt or real inconvenience.

If you’re curious about how Spanish defines these words, you can check the Real Academia Española entries for “perdón” and “disculpa”. They’re dictionaries, not texting manuals, yet they still give a clean sense of meaning and usage. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Sorry I Was at Work in Spanish: Natural translations and when to use them

Here are natural ways to say it, from most casual to more formal. You’ll notice the same building blocks repeating: a short apology + “I was working” + a small softener when needed.

Simple and neutral

• Perdón, estaba trabajando.
• Disculpa, estaba en el trabajo.
• Perdona, estaba en el trabajo. (common in Spain; “perdona” is the informal “forgive me” form)

Pick “estaba trabajando” when you want to stress you were busy doing the task. Pick “estaba en el trabajo” when you want to stress where you were.

More apologetic, for a bigger delay

• Lo siento, estaba trabajando y no vi tu mensaje. (I’m sorry, I was working and didn’t see your message.)
• Perdón por tardar, estaba trabajando. (Sorry for taking a while, I was working.)

Use these when someone had to wait, or when your silence caused hassle. “No vi tu mensaje” keeps it honest and specific.

Formal, respectful, safe for clients or bosses

• Disculpe, estaba trabajando y no pude responder antes.
• Lamento la demora; estaba en horario laboral.

“Disculpe” is the formal “you” form. It lands well in professional messages. “Lamento la demora” can sound more corporate, so use it when the context is formal.

Short texts that sound like real life

When texting, people often trim the sentence:

• Perdón, estaba en el curro. (Spain; “curro” is slang for work)
• Perdón, andaba trabajando. (Latin America + Spain; “andaba” feels casual)
• Perdón, estaba a mil en el trabajo. (I was slammed at work)

Slang is risky with strangers. Use it with friends who talk that way.

Saying you were working in Spanish with the right tone

“Sorry” in Spanish isn’t just one word. Tone comes from three levers:

1. Apology strength: perdón (light) → disculpa (middle) → lo siento (heavier)
2. Reason detail: “estaba trabajando” (enough) vs “estaba en una reunión” (more detail)
3. Repair line: a quick “¿Sigues ahí?” or “¿Te viene bien ahora?” turns an excuse into a fix

A good apology doesn’t over-explain. It gives a clean reason, then moves to the next step.

Small add-ons that make your message land better

• Gracias por esperar. (Thanks for waiting.)
• Ya puedo responder. (I can reply now.)
• ¿Te va bien hablar ahora? (Is now a good time to talk?)
• ¿Lo retomamos? (Shall we pick it back up?)

These lines show you’re present now. That’s what most people want.

Common situations and the best wording

Use the situation to choose your sentence. A missed text needs different energy than missing an appointment.

When you’re late replying to a message

• Perdón por tardar, estaba trabajando.
• Disculpa, estaba en el trabajo y lo vi tarde.

If the delay is long, add a repair line:

• Perdón por tardar, estaba trabajando. ¿Sigues libre?

When you missed a call

• Perdón, estaba trabajando y no pude contestar.
• Disculpa, estaba en una reunión. ¿Te puedo llamar ahora?

When you showed up late

• Perdón por llegar tarde, salí tarde del trabajo.
• Lo siento por la tardanza; me retrasé en el trabajo.

Here, “llegar tarde” is the clean phrase for arriving late. “Me retrasé” sounds a touch more formal.

When someone feels ignored

This is where “lo siento” earns its spot.

• Lo siento, estuve trabajando y me desconecté. No fue mi intención.
• Perdón, hoy estuve liado en el trabajo. Ya estoy.

“No fue mi intención” helps when feelings are involved. Keep it short and sincere.

Spanish line	Natural English meaning	Best moment to use it
Perdón, estaba trabajando.	Sorry, I was working.	Late reply, small delay, neutral tone
Perdón por tardar, estaba trabajando.	Sorry for the wait, I was working.	Longer gap, you want to name the delay
Disculpa, estaba en el trabajo.	Sorry, I was at work.	Casual, polite, low-drama
Disculpe, estaba trabajando y no pude responder antes.	Sorry, I was working and couldn’t reply earlier.	Professional message, formal “you”
Lo siento, estaba trabajando y no vi tu mensaje.	I’m sorry, I was working and didn’t see your message.	They were inconvenienced, you want more empathy
Perdón, estaba en una reunión.	Sorry, I was in a meeting.	Missed call, you want a clear reason
Perdón por llegar tarde, salí tarde del trabajo.	Sorry I’m late, I left work late.	You arrived late in person
Perdona, andaba trabajando. ¿Te contesto ahora?	Sorry, I was working. Want me to reply now?	Friendly tone + quick repair move
Lo siento por la tardanza; me retrasé en el trabajo.	Sorry for the delay; I got held up at work.	Formal-ish tone without sounding cold

If you want a language note that’s easy to trust, FundéuRAE explains correct ways to talk about apologies in Spanish, including phrasing around “dar” o “pedir” disculpas: Palabras clave: dar disculpas. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Grammar tweaks that keep you out of trouble

You don’t need perfect grammar to sound polite. Still, these quick choices stop awkward vibes.

“Estaba trabajando” vs “estuve trabajando”

• Estaba trabajando feels like a background state: “I was working (at that time).” Great for missed calls and late replies.
• Estuve trabajando points to a finished block of time: “I was working (earlier, and now I’m done).” Useful when you’re now free.

Texting tip: if you’re free now, “estuve” can make that clear without extra words.

“No pude contestar” vs “No pude responder”

• Contestar pairs nicely with calls: “I couldn’t answer.”
• Responder fits messages and emails: “I couldn’t reply.”

Both work in many places, yet this pairing sounds natural.

Choosing “tú” vs “usted” fast

If you’d say “you” in English and feel casual, use disculpa or perdona. If you’d use “sir/ma’am,” a client tone, or a boss tone, use disculpe.

The verb behind “disculpe” comes from “disculpar”, which the RAE records with meanings tied to excusing and asking indulgence. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Text-ready scripts you can copy

Here are plug-and-play lines. Swap the bracketed bits and send.

Friendly reply after a delay

• Perdón por tardar, estaba trabajando. ¿Qué tal?
• Disculpa, estaba en el trabajo y lo vi tarde. ¿Sigues ahí?

Missed call, you want to call back

• Perdón, estaba trabajando y no pude contestar. ¿Te llamo ahora?
• Disculpa, estaba en una reunión. ¿Te viene bien si te llamo en 10?

Professional note

• Disculpe la demora. Estaba trabajando y no pude responder antes. Ya quedo atento.
• Lamento la demora; estaba en horario laboral. Ya puedo responder.

“Quedo atento” is common in many Latin American workplaces. If that’s not your vibe, swap it for “Ya puedo responder” or “Estoy disponible ahora.”

When the delay caused a problem

• Lo siento, estaba trabajando y te dejé esperando. Ya estoy aquí. ¿Cómo lo arreglo?
• Lo siento por no responder. Estaba trabajando y se me fue el tiempo. ¿Seguimos?

These lines move from apology to repair fast, which is what the other person feels.

If you mean this…	Say this in Spanish	Tone note
“Sorry, I was working” (neutral)	Perdón, estaba trabajando.	Safe default
“Sorry for taking so long”	Perdón por tardar, estaba trabajando.	Names the delay
“Sorry, I was at work”	Disculpa, estaba en el trabajo.	Simple, polite
“Sorry, I couldn’t answer” (call)	Perdón, estaba trabajando y no pude contestar.	Works in texts
Formal “Sorry, I couldn’t reply earlier”	Disculpe, estaba trabajando y no pude responder antes.	Client/boss-safe

Fast checklist before you hit send

• Pick the apology word that matches the harm: perdón (small) / disculpa (middle) / lo siento (bigger).
• Say “I was working” in one clean clause: estaba trabajando or estaba en el trabajo.
• Add one repair line when the wait mattered: ¿Te va bien ahora? or ¿Te llamo?
• Skip long explanations. One reason is enough.

If you want a trusted definition of the verb behind “forgive,” the RAE entry for “perdonar” is a clean reference point. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}