Should I apologise for my English in a job interview?
Short answer
No. You do not need to apologise for your English in an interview, and an apology at the start can make the interviewer think about your English before they hear your answers. If you need help during the interview, ask for it in a calm, practical way — for example "Could you say that again, please?" — and then answer the question.
Why an apology does not help you
The interviewer invited you because something in your application interested them. Your CV probably already shows that English is not your first language. They do not need you to tell them.
An apology like "Sorry, my English is not very good" asks the interviewer to judge your English before you have said anything about your work. It also uses your first minute, which is the best time to give a clear, calm first impression.
Many people apologise because they feel nervous, not because their English is too weak for the job. Feeling nervous is normal. But the apology does not reduce the nerves. A short first sentence that you have practised does more.
"Sorry" as a polite word is fine
There is a difference between saying sorry to be polite and apologising for your English.
"Sorry, could you repeat that?" is a normal, polite request. Native speakers say it all the time. Keep it.
"Sorry, my English is bad" is different. It is a judgement about yourself. You do not need to say it at all.
What to say instead
Each phrase below does a job. None of them apologises for your English.
- "Could you say that again, please?": Ask to repeat. Use it when you did not hear or did not follow the question. Asking once is normal.
- "What do you mean by [word]?": Clarify. Use it when one word or idea in the question is new to you. Name the word so they know what to explain.
- "Could you speak a little more slowly, please?": Clarify. Use it when the interviewer talks fast. It helps you give a better answer, so it is a fair request.
- "Let me think about that for a moment.": Buy thinking time. Use it when you need a few seconds to choose your example. Then really use the pause.
- "Let me say that more clearly.": Recover after a mistake. Use it when a sentence goes wrong. Say the sentence again in simpler words and continue.
- "Sorry — I mean [correct word].": Recover after a wrong word. One short "sorry" to fix a word is fine. Fix it and continue.
- "English is my second language, so sometimes I take a moment to find the right word.": Say you are still learning, without apologising. Use it once at most, only if you want to explain a pause. It is a fact, not an excuse.
If you want to mention your English, say it once
Sometimes it makes sense to talk about your English — for example, if the interviewer asks about it, or if the job uses a lot of written English and you want to show what you are doing about it. Say it once, as a fact, with one real example. Then return to talking about your work.
Instead of this
I'm so sorry, my English is not good. Please forgive my mistakes.
Try this
I use English every day at work, mostly in emails and team meetings. I am still improving my speaking, so I practise interviews like this one.
What an interviewer may and may not notice
- An interviewer may notice if you apologise many times. It can sound like low confidence, even when your answers are good.
- An interviewer will probably pay more attention to whether you answered the question with a real example than to small grammar mistakes.
- You will probably notice your own small mistakes more than the listener does. Many of them pass without comment.
- Some jobs ask for a specific English level, for example a test result. That is a requirement of the job. An apology does not change it, and neither does a lack of one.
- What an employer decides depends on many things you cannot see, such as the other candidates and the team's needs. No page and no practice tool can tell you what one interviewer will decide.
Prepare your first minute
The wish to apologise is often strongest at the very start. Prepare two sentences about the work you do now, and say them out loud several times before the interview. For example: "I work as a [job] at [type of company]. Most of my work is [main task]." When the first sentence is ready, there is less room for an apology.
Questions people ask
Should I say sorry for my English at the start of an interview?
No. Start with a greeting and a short sentence about your work. Let your answers show your English.
Is it rude not to apologise for my English?
No. Nobody expects an apology. Being clear and polite is enough.
Can I tell the interviewer that English is my second language?
Yes, once, if it helps you — for example, to explain a pause. Say it as a fact, not as an apology, and then continue with your answer.
What if the interviewer says my English is not good enough?
Stay calm and ask what the job needs, for example more written English or more phone calls. If you are still improving, say what you are doing about it, with one real example. Do not argue, and do not apologise many times.
Related pages
- What to say if you don't understand the interview question — how to ask, check and answer the right question
- Phrases for recovering from a mistake — what to say when an answer goes wrong
- Why a good answer sounds bad in English — four habits that hide strong content
About this page
Published by EnglishJobReady. Last reviewed: 8 October 2026.
This page gives general advice for practice. It cannot tell you what a particular interviewer will think or decide.
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