ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateadjetivoadjetivo
RegretfulvsRegrettable
'Regretful' describes a person feeling regret; 'regrettable' describes an event or situation that is unfortunate.
Side-by-side comparison
Regretful
adjetivo"Regretful" describes the feeling of the person who regrets something. The person feels sadness or remorse about something that happened or that they did.
He was visibly regretful after snapping at his colleague and immediately apologized.
She gave a regretful nod, acknowledging that the project had not gone as planned.
I am truly regretful that I missed your graduation, it is one of the few events I wish I could attend again.
Regrettable
adjetivo"Regrettable" describes the situation or event that causes the regret. It is something worthy of being lamented because it is bad, unfortunate, or deplorable in itself.
The loss of the irreplaceable manuscript in the fire was deeply regrettable.
It is regrettable that the two sides could not reach an agreement before the deadline expired.
The minister described the policy reversal as regrettable but necessary given the changed economic circumstances.
Common mistake
- •"The decision was regretful" should be "regrettable", a decision (an event) cannot FEEL regret.
- •Only people feel regret ("I am regretful").
- •Events ARE deplorable or unfortunate ("It is regrettable").
Trick to remember it
- •REGRET-FUL = FULL of regret (suffix "-ful" means full of, like "grateful" = full of gratitude).
- •Only PEOPLE can be full of a feeling.
- •REGRET-TABLE = worthy of being lamented (suffix "-able").
- •EVENTS are worthy of regret.
Quick rule
- •"Regretful" = feeling regret or remorse (people).
- •"Regrettable" = deplorable, unfortunate (events, situations).
Did you know?
The person/event distinction in -FUL vs -ABLE adjectives appears in several English pairs: "sorrowful" (a person feeling sorrow) vs "deplorable" (a situation worthy of condemnation); "hopeful" (a person with hope) vs "hoped-for" (a desired outcome); "grateful" (a thankful person) vs "gratifying" (a situation producing gratitude). Understanding that -FUL = full of a feeling (always a person or living being) and -ABLE = capable of being treated in a certain way (events, objects, situations) helps distinguish dozens of similar English pairs. And the adverbs: "regretfully" = with regret ("I must regretfully inform you..."); "regrettably" = unfortunately ("Regrettably, the event was cancelled").
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
He felt _____ about missing his friend's wedding. It still bothered him years later.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
It was a _____ decision that affected the whole team negatively.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
FortuitousvsFortunate
"Fortuitous" = happening by chance or accident, unplanned; "fortunate" = lucky, having good fortune, favored by circumstances.
AbovevsOver
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
ActuallyvsReally
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
ActuallyvsCurrently
'Currently' means 'at the present time'; 'actually' means 'in reality', not 'nowadays'.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy