My bad
Meaning: A casual apology meaning 'my mistake' or 'that was my fault.'
'My bad' is a quick, informal way to take responsibility for a minor mistake. It's lighter than a full apology and is typically used for small errors rather than serious offenses. Using it for something serious can come across as dismissive.
Examples
- My bad, I thought the meeting was at 3, not 2. 我的错,我以为会议是3点不是2点。Perdona, pensaba que la reunión era a las 3, no a las 2.ごめん、会議は2時じゃなくて3時だと思ってた。미안, 회의가 2시가 아니라 3시인 줄 알았어.
- Oh, my bad — I didn't realize you were in line. 哦,不好意思——我没注意到你在排队。Ah, perdona — no me había dado cuenta de que estabas en la cola.あ、悪い——並んでたの気づかなかった。아, 미안——줄 서 있는 줄 몰랐어.
- He bumped into me and just said 'my bad' and kept walking. 他撞了我一下,只说了句'不好意思'就走了。Me dio un golpe y simplemente dijo 'perdona' y siguió andando.彼はぶつかってきて「悪い」とだけ言って歩いて行った。그가 부딪혀 놓고 '미안'이라고만 하고 그냥 가버렸어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: minor mistakes, casual apology, friends
Tone: lighthearted, acknowledging
✓ Do Say
- My bad, I'll fix it.我的错,我来改。Perdona, lo arreglo.悪い、直すよ。미안, 내가 고칠게.
- Oh, my bad!哦,不好意思!¡Ah, perdona!あ、ごめん!아, 내 잘못!
✗ Don't Say
- Don't use for serious situations — 'My bad for crashing your car' sounds dismissive不要用于严重的情况——'撞坏了你的车,我的错'听起来很敷衍No lo uses en situaciones serias — 'My bad por destrozar tu coche' suena despectivo深刻な場面では使わないこと——「車をぶつけちゃって、悪い」は軽すぎて失礼に聞こえる심각한 상황에서는 쓰지 말 것 — '차 들이받아서 미안'은 성의 없게 들린다
Origin & History
Originated in pickup basketball culture in the 1970s-80s, attributed to player Manute Bol. Entered mainstream American English in the 1990s, boosted by the movie 'Clueless' (1995).
Cultural Context
Era: 1980s basketball culture, mainstream from 1990s
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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