<![CDATA[General Background: Apology strategies are essential in communication, influencing interpersonal relationships and social interactions. Understanding how men and women employ these strategies differently can provide insights into gender-based linguistic variations. Specific Background: Olshtain and Cohen (1983) identified five categories of apologetic techniques: Apology, Repair Offer, Account Explanation, Acceptance of Responsibility, and Forbearance Promise. While previous studies have explored apology strategies, limited research has examined their application in real-life contexts, particularly in Padang. Knowledge Gap: Despite extensive research on gender and language, there remains a lack of empirical studies comparing the specific techniques men and women use when apologizing and how these choices are shaped by social and cultural factors. Aims: This study aims to analyze the similarities and differences in the apology strategies of men and women, identifying patterns in their linguistic choices and behavioral tendencies. Results: Findings reveal that both genders employ all five apology strategies, with direct apologies being the most commonly used and forbearance promises being the least. Men favor explanation-based apologies, while women prefer offering repair. These differences stem from distinct communication styles—women emphasize emotions and solidarity, whereas men focus on logic and status. Novelty: Unlike prior studies, this research uses a purposive sampling method to analyze real-life expressions of regret in a natural setting. It highlights the impact of gendered communication styles on apology choices, offering new perspectives on pragmatic language use in social interactions. Implications: Understanding gender-based apology strategies can enhance cross-gender communication and reduce misunderstandings. These findings are valuable for interpersonal communication training, language teaching, and cross-cultural studies, contributing to the broader field of sociolinguistics and pragmatics. Highlights: Analyze gender differences in apology strategies. Women prefer repair offers; men favor explanations. Enhances cross-gender communication and sociolinguistic understanding. Keywords: men and women, apology, apology strategies, utterance.]]>
