Here are some practical examples in English:
"Excuse Me": If someone is blocking my way and I need to get to the other side, I will say to the person "Excuse me, may I get through, please?" A simple "excuse me" will also tell him that he's in my way and should move aside.
"I am sorry" is used when I have done something wrong and need to apologise. It can also be used if I cannot help someone who has asked me a question. For example, if someone asks me for directions and I don't know where the place is, I would answer, "I'm sorry, but I don't know where that is."
My Filipino friend +Lloyd Estrada was in Istanbul and wrote this post about his experience.
I had a good laugh. As I read his blog post, I realised what the "problem" was. I do not know any Turkish, but I suspect that in Turkish, both "excuse me" and "sorry" are the same word. I made this conclusion because in Thai and Khmer, that is the case. In Thai ขอโทษ and Khmer សុំទោស is used to get someone's attention, or to apologise for a mistake made.
To someone who speaks English fairly well, the use of "sorry, you need a shirt" is quite funny, probably also a little strange. As with learning any language, we are bound to make mistakes. We must not be afraid to make a fool of ourselves. It is a very good way to learn quickly. Be yourself. As long as we're being understood, whatever brand of English you may speak is perfectly acceptable. Correct grammar will help along the way.
Have fun with languages!
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