You arrive five minutes late for a meeting.
You could say:
„Sorry I’m late.“
A straightforward apology. Perfectly appropriate.
„Thank you for waiting.“
Acknowledges the other person’s patience.
„Sorry I’m late, and thanks for waiting.“
Combines both.
But imagine you’ve kept someone waiting for 30 minutes without letting them know.
„Thank you for waiting“ alone might sound as though you’re avoiding responsibility.
đź’ˇ Quick tip:
Don’t replace every apology with a thank-you.
Sometimes an apology is exactly what’s needed.
