Unfortunately…
un-FOR-chuh-nut-lee /ʌnˈfɔːtʃənətli/
Formal Polite
What it really means
A signal that bad news or a refusal is coming, very common in emails and customer service. Like "I'm afraid", it makes a "no" sound softer without changing the answer.
Chinese explanation
预示坏消息或拒绝即将到来，邮件和客服用语中极常见。和 I'm afraid 一样，只是把"不行"说得柔和些，结论并不会变。
Example conversation
A: Any news on my refund?
B: Unfortunately, we're unable to offer a refund in this case.
A：我的退款有消息了吗？
B：很遗憾，这种情况我们无法退款。
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake