Dr. Gary Chapman, creator of the Five Love Languages, also co-authored a book titled When Sorry Isn’t Enough: Making Things Right with Those You Love with Dr. Jennifer Thomas. In it, they present Five Apology Styles: Expressing Regret, Accepting Responsibility, Genuinely Repenting, Making Restitution, and Requesting Forgiveness. 

Chapman and Thomas suggest we rely on the Five Love Languages to make restitution by assuring the injured party of our love for them.

For instance, if your partner’s Love Language is Gifts and her Apology Style is Making Restitution—consider making flowers part of your apology. 

1. Expressing Regret

I made a mistake and I feel terrible.

In its simplest form, Expressing Regret is just saying I’m sorry. It’s acknowledging that your actions caused someone else pain and feeling bad about it. 

Expressing Regret zeroes in on emotional hurt by admitting guilt and shame for causing pain to another person. It doesn’t make excuses or attempt to deflect blame. It is understood as a sincere commitment to repair and rebuild the relationship. Regret is most clearly expressed when the person offering the apology reflects sincerity not only verbally, but also through body language.

2. Accepting Responsibility

It was my fault, I shouldn’t have acted the way I did.

Accepting responsibility means taking the blame and consequences that come with your actions. To accept responsibility, you must do so verbally and be willing to correct your error. 

No one likes to be portrayed as a failure. However, we must all admit that we make mistakes. If the apology doesn’t accept responsibility, many people will not feel as though it was meaningful and sincere. Being sincere in your apology means allowing yourself to be weak, and admitting that you make mistakes. 

3. Genuinely Repenting

I will take actionable steps to make sure this never happens again.

Apologies don’t mean much if the bad behavior continues. To genuinely repent, you need to create a plan and share it with the person you have wronged that details the steps you will take to change your behavior in the future. 

Many people doubt the sincerity of an apology if it is not accompanied by their partner’s desire to modify their behavior to avoid the situation in the future. One important aspect of genuinely repenting is verbalizing your desire to change. Your partner cannot read your mind.

4. Making Restitution

What can I do to make it up to you and fix my mistake?

Sometimes sorry isn’t enough. Some mistakes require reparations and damages. It’s important that you include the person you’ve wronged in developing a plan to right your wrong. And be willing to eat some crow and follow through. 

In our society, many people believe that wrong acts demand justice. The one who commits the crime should pay for their wrongdoing. Many people believe that in order to be sincere, the person who is apologizing should justify their actions.

5. Requesting Forgiveness

How can I earn your forgiveness and make this right?

In its simplest form, Requesting Forgiveness is just saying, Please forgive me. The weight of this apology style lies in the vulnerability it requires. When you have wronged someone, it’s especially humbling to ask for their forgiveness knowing they have the power to reject you. 

In some relationships, people want to hear their partner physically ask for forgiveness. They want assurance that their partner recognizes the need for forgiveness. Requesting forgiveness also shows that you are willing to put the future of the relationship in the hands of the offended partner. You are leaving the final decision up to them – to forgive or not forgive.

Just like the Five Love Languages, there is an online quiz you can take to discover which of the Five Apology Styles work best for you.