Have you ever heard someone use the term ‘mea culpa’ in a conversation? If you have, you may have wondered what the term means. We are going to take a look at its meaning and how the saying can be used in a conversation. We will also look at the history of the term and where it came from in the first instance.
Mea Culpa
“Mea Culpa” Meaning
The meaning of the phrase ‘mea culpa’ is that the speaker is claiming that something is their fault. The phrase is a literal translation of ‘it is my fault.‘
Origin of this idiom
As we mentioned, the phrase is a direct translation of ‘it is my fault’ and it comes from the Latin language. The phrase originally comes from a prayer from the Catholic church for confession.
“Mea Culpa” Examples
Examples in Statements
This is a statement made by someone in the workplace.
- ‘I am so sorry you received the wrong details for the project, mea culpa. It won’t happen again.’
Here is a statement made by a husband to his wife.
- ‘I forgot to pick up the bread and milk because I was in the pub, mea culpa.”
Conversation Examples
If you are curious as to how the term ‘mea culpa’ can fit into a conversation, here are some examples of conversations which feature the phrase.
The first conversation is between two friends.
- Person 1: “I can’t believe we missed our dinner reservations.”
- Person 2: “It’s because I was late.”
- Person 1: “Yes, you should not have stayed at work so late.”
- Person 2: “Mea culpa.”
The next conversation is taking place between a girlfriend and her boyfriend.
- Person 1: “We are going to my parents house tonight.”
- Person 2: “But I made plans to go to the gym with Mike.”
- Person 1: “I told you about this last week.”
- Person 2: “Mea culpa, I completely forgot.”
Other Ways to Say “Mea Culpa”
There are other ways in which you can express the meaning of the term ‘mea culpa.’ Here are some examples of other things you can say which carry the same meaning.
- My bad
- It’s all on me
- I messed up
- It is my fault
- I am guilty
Mea Culpa Definition | Picture
Last Updated on December 18, 2020