# I'm sorry to hear that...



## anialuo

Hi,

I'd like to know how to say "I'm sorry to hear that..." when you receive a letter from somebody telling they haven't been feeling well recently/ have had health problems.

My try:
听到你最近不舒服我感到非常遗憾.


Thanks in advance!


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## Vapor

You can also say “听说你最近不舒服，我很遗憾” or "知道你最近不舒服，我很遗憾". These two may sound more natural to native speakers. Besides, you can also replace "遗憾" by "难过". The latter is more colloquial


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## Ghabi

I'd probably drop dead on the spot if a friend writes to me saying that he's 很遺憾 to hear that I've been ill. Really, with friends like these who needs enemies? A friend is supposed to say something like 聽你說你最近病了,我真的很擔心,現在好些沒有? etc etc, isn't he?


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## xiaolijie

> I'd probably drop dead on the spot


I hope you wouldn't, Ghabi, as it's the same thing in English and probably in many other languages. When "normal people" () hear *"I'm sorry to hear that..."*, they would understand it only as *"I'm sorry* (to hear) *that..."*


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## donnamatch

emm.... I kinda agree with Ghabi. It's normal to say "I'm sorry to hear that..." in English, but in Chinese, "我很遗憾” sounds a little bit impersonal, or diplomatic.


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## xiaolijie

Yes, I agree with you, "我很遗憾” is a bit too formal between close friends 
Besides the suggestions by Vapor and Ghabi, "我很不安” should also be good.


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## dufresne37927

your response might be:
formal terms in traditional Chinese: “闻此以为憾事，吾惜之。”
formal terms in modern Chinese :“哦，你没事吧？”


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## anialuo

Thank you all for the suggestions.

I understand "我很遗憾” is too formal when talking to a friend but is it OK when writing to a boss/teacher etc.?


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## Achilles2011

When writing to a boss or teacher, you can say: 抱歉 or 真不好意思!


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## Ghabi

Firstly, it's not really a matter of "formality". 遺憾 just isn't used to express sympathy in Chinese, at whichever register. It's usually used to express regret. You use it when, for example, you can't attend a meeting: 很遺憾,今天晚上的活動我不能出席.

Secondly, the very structure "I'm sorry to hear that ..." isn't really idiomatic in Chinese. A literal translation, regardless of your word choice, won't sound right.

But of course you need to hear what normal people think. I'm supposed to be a zombie or something subhuman, and may get the human tongue wrong.


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## SuperXW

Achilles2011 said:


> When writing to a boss or teacher, you can say: 抱歉 or 真不好意思!


I'm sorry to tell you that's not what to say to somebody who is ill...


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## BODYholic

anialuo said:


> 听到你最近不舒服我感到非常遗憾.



I'm afraid 遗憾 is not used appropriately in this context. My first thought was 是我没死而令你感到遗憾吗？(笑). 

遗憾 is usually employed to express a feeling (of regret/pity) when an   intended consequence did not materialize or take place. And this is a   *strong* words.

Example,
You always wanted to pay a visit to a cancer-stricken relative, but you   procrastinated because of other personal priorities. The relative   eventually passed away before you have a chance to bid the final   farewell. You say "很遗憾没能见他最后一面。".

And the reason why I said it is a strong word because we don't typically use  遗憾 on nitty gritty matters, unless it is of great importance to the  speaker. So you wanted to buy a bar of soap after work before heading  home. Somehow, the purposeful plan slips. We *don't* say "很遗憾没能买到香皂". Unless, of course, that bar of soap means a lot to you.



anialuo said:


> "I'm sorry to hear that..."


My view is in line with Ghabi's.

These are not direct translations but I'll probably say something like "听说你病了，还好吧？" or "听说你病了，好一点了吗？".


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## Achilles2011

em～you say directly: 最近感觉好些了没有？


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## anialuo

Thank you all for your help!

BODYholic, Ghabi, thanks for your expalnations, I finally realized the translation was too literate .


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## SuperXW

Actually, the word "sorry" confuses some English learners in China too.  In Chinese, 对不起"sorry" is only used when YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE to other's lost. So Chinese don't "sorry" others when they are ill, they "worry"担心 instead...


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## xiaolijie

Yes, the word "sorry" can be used in all sorts of contexts and this can cause problems for English speakers learning other languages, but I don't think this is the problem here (apart from my lost joke in post #4). The problem is the use/ non-use of 遗憾, 抱歉, 真不好意思 by Chinese speakers in the context in this thread, as seen above, which can be confusing to learners. Elsewhere, I have also seen 遗憾 (and probably 抱歉) used in this type of contexts by Chinese speakers.


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## frisby

I've never heard anyone use 抱歉，遗憾，or 不好意思 in the context of offering your sympathies for someone who is ill. Unfortunately, I get sick a lot, so I've gotten a lot of sympathies from others  抱歉 or 不好意思 don't sound logical unless that person's illness is your fault. As far as 遗憾 goes, even in English, saying something like "You're sick? That's unfortunate" would usually come off as unnatural and cold.


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## yuechu

Hello!


Ghabi said:


> 聽你說你最近病了,我真的很擔心,現在好些沒有?


I have a 网友 who is visiting a sick family member at the hospital. In English, I said "I'm sorry to hear about your 舅舅！". Does anyone know what I could say in Chinese? I don't think "我真的很担心" would be appropriate because I don't know this friend's family member.
Thanks!


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## philchinamusical

@yuechu I'd say "很遗憾听到你舅舅住院了". However, in Chinese it's still quite formal that you sound like her/his boss who is sending your regards.

In my daily life, I'd say "是吗？没想到呢。希望你舅舅早日康复/出院". Literally, it's "Really? I didn't expect this. Hope your uncle recover/discharged soon".
——"discharged" may sound quite plain or even weird in English but in Chinese "出院" usually implies having recovered from disease.


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## yuechu

Thanks for your suggestions, philchinamusical!


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