Is it wrong to say "My bad" as a form of apology?

I don’t think it’s wrong. By saying this, you acknowledge, and admit that you made a mistake. I don’t see how or why it could be wrong.

Yeah, I just got skewered about that today…it “wasn’t proper use of the Queen’s English”....I don’t have a queen so I really don’t care. :) In all seriousness, it is more of a hipster apology rather than something you’d say to your grandmother or pastor.

It doesn’t seem sincere to me.

@KNOWITALL Ha, Ha. I learned it from my grandkids saying it to me.

Wrong in what sense? Grammatically or morally?

It does seem minimalist, as if the person were uttering the very smallest remark possible to acknowledge an error. For a tiny lapse, it’s probably sufficient. Did you forget to put napkins on the table? “My bad” covers it, I suppose. But it wouldn’t do if you betrayed a confidence, or damaged a friend’s car, or committed an infidelity, just to cite examples.

It is wrong grammatically, by normal standards of English (queen’s or otherwise), and for that reason I don’t say it and don’t like to hear it. It’s missing a noun.

@Jeruba Yes, I was thinking in terms of “oops, my mistake” type apology for a small error.

I use it, but generally for smaller “Oopsies.” For example, if I forget to do something at work – my bad. If I accidentally ran over someone’s cat, I would be prophetically spewing “I’m sorries” until I turned blue. A “My Bad” in that situation seems flippant.

“My Bad” is often better than just sorry, at least in my opinion. “Sorry” is something you say once you get called out on something, and only really expresses regret. “My Bad” is often said before anyone mentions anything, it is a kind of auto-correcting preemptive apology that not only expresses regret, but also suggests an effort to do better next time.

“My bad” is for a light error which can be laughed off. It is not for a serious error for which one should be really apologetic. “My bad” is like “Oops”

I use it all the time for minor stuff.

I’m okay with “my bad.” Just admitting that you recognize that you’ve done something wrong is meaningful, to me. No need to be wordy about it.

The term depends on the tone. I have heard it said in such a way as to mean: “it is not my fault” and also as a sincere form of apology. It is such a short statement that tone really has to be there to complete it. When I have heard it used without tone, I had to look at the person to see which meaning they were using. if my memory serves me correct no tone usually means some level of surprise or shock.

I usually hear it as an avoidance technique, as in the person saying it is trying to avoid being taken to task for their mistake. So it’s not wrong, except grammatically. It’s just not used sincerely enough to be respectable.

I don’t use it. It sounds odd to me. I don’t really mind if others use it though, as long as it is minor mistakes, as many people above have mentioned.

I think my objection is I don’t like calling people bad. “You have been a bad girl,” is different than, “it looks like you made a mistake.” In turn, I prefer someone admit to a mistake rather than call themselves bad. It also seems to not acknowledge what the mistake was. Sort of dismissive in a way. Not sure how to describe it.

But, really, it is just a phrase that has caught on, and how it sounds doesn’t necessarily describe the intent of the user.

its acceptable to your friends, but not professionally…

No it is not bad at all. Just it isn’t in the English dictionary. Only the real English pandits will consider it as bad.

I despise that expression. I admit that I would find it strangely cute though, hearing a senior utter it.

I really don’t like the expression “my bad”. I don’t really get what it means and it definitely doesn’t sound sincere. It sounds like a throwaway, superficial remark.

Where did this phrase originate? What exactly does “my bad” mean?

@FutureMemory My mother, a Boomer, often says it sincerely in what I assume is an attempt to appear “hip”.

@Bellatrix It apparently gained some popularity with Manute Bol, especially among streetball players, before becoming huge in 1995 thanks to one of the greatest movies of all time, Clueless. (Clueless also gave us “whatever, loser” with the hand spelling, “way harsh”, “like”, and “as if!”). It means “my mistake” or “mea culpa”; it probably tends to sound insincere because 90% of everything out of Cher’s mouth (the lead in Clueless) is less than entirely sincere. I think I need to rewatch this movie immediately.

It’s certainly annoying, sounds like something a petulant child would say.

I see it as a lighthearted apology, almost poking fun at yourself for being the one in the wrong and is fine for small offences. However, if the offence was really hurtful I would find using “my bad” as an apology a bit of a cop out, avoiding an actual apology. It doesn’t always sound very sincere in the way that “I’m sorry” does if said in a certain tone.

Edit: I also use it for small mistakes.

I don’t use it and I don’t really think of it as a sincere apology.

The point about age is interesting. I don’t recall hearing any young people use it. I first heard it 15 or more years ago on the lips of a woman of retirement age. My husband, who is even more senior than I am, says it, but I don’t, ever. (I have natural slang antibodies, whereas he is highly susceptible.) My kids don’t say it.

How interesting @Jeruba, I have only heard younger people say it. Those who would have quite probably watched Clueless the film @Aethelflaed has helped to promote the use of this term. I haven’t heard anyone in my peer group using this term. My children do though and younger people – 30s downwards. I was quite fascinated that @YARNLADY asked this question. Perhaps this is a cultural thing too. Perhaps it is more common in the US. Just surmising here.

I’ll use it in a lighthearted way, usually with my kids. It makes them cringe, so I enjoy it. :p

I had no idea that all those obnoxious expressions came from a movie, much less all from the same movie.

But “like”? What use of “like”? I’ve been hearing it as slang since the 1950s.

I think it’s perfectly fine to use it if your offence was minor. For instance if you accidentally knocked the sugar bowl over, or if you forgot to pick up milk when you were at the store.

I think it would be very bad form if it were used in more serious instances where you have hurt somebody’s feelings or failed to do something that was promised and it caused a serious or embarrassing problem for the other person.