Data
Polite formulas that show up most in movies
"i'm sorry" appears in the most films on this list: 460. "of course" is second, in 446 films, and "excuse me" is third, in 411. The rank is how many different films a phrase shows up in, not how many times it is repeated inside one film.
How this count is made
Each rank is the number of different films in the WinkLingo library whose dialogue contains the phrase. A line that comes back inside the same film still counts as one film. Phrases with the same film count are ordered by how many of those lines a person or a model has checked, then by name. Only multi-word expressions already published on the site are included; single words and fragments are left out.
The library now holds 1,000,000+ short clips, 1,000+ films, 2,800+ long-form chapters, and 1,800+ phrase pages. We are scaling to millions of clips and 10,000+ chapters, with new films added every week.
The library figures are refreshed daily. This ranking was generated at 2026-10-13 09:44 UTC.
| Rank | Phrase | Meaning | Films |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i'm sorry | used when you are apologizing for sth | 460 |
| 2 | of course | used to show that what you are saying is not surprising or is generally known or accepted | 446 |
| 3 | excuse me | used to politely get sb's attention, especially sb you do not know | 411 |
| 4 | let's go | Used as an exclamation to urge people to hurry up or start acting at once. | 356 |
| 5 | what do you mean | Used to ask someone to explain or say more clearly what they have just said, because you do not understand it. | 354 |
| 6 | got it | Shows that you understand, accept, or will do what someone just said or asked. | 343 |
| 7 | what do you think | Used to ask someone for their opinion or reaction to something just shown, said, or suggested. | 340 |
| 8 | what do you want | used to ask sb in a rude or angry way why they are there or what they want you to do | 293 |
| 9 | go home | to leave and return to the place where one lives or belongs, such as one's house, hometown, or country, often as an instruction to leave | 279 |
| 10 | listen to me | A spoken plea or command telling someone to stop and pay attention to what the speaker is about to say. | 273 |
| 11 | good night | A goodbye said when parting in the evening or before sleep, wishing someone a pleasant night. | 252 |
| 12 | the truth | the real facts about a situation, rather than a lie, a secret, or a false story | 251 |
| 13 | you okay | A short, worried check asking whether someone is unhurt, safe, or feeling all right, usually right after a shock, accident, or upset. | 239 |
| 14 | what's going on | used to ask what is happening, or to refer to the situation now unfolding, especially when it is unclear, sudden, or worrying | 234 |
| 15 | look at me | Tell someone to face you and pay attention, often to calm them, plead with them, or confront them. | 228 |
| 16 | good morning | A polite greeting said when meeting or addressing someone in the morning. | 215 |
| 17 | here we go | said when sth is starting to happen | 214 |
| 18 | what are you doing here | Said with surprise or as a challenge, to ask why someone is present in a place where they were not expected. | 212 |
| 19 | what are you talking about | A reply to something just said, showing you do not understand it or do not believe it and asking the speaker to explain. | 207 |
| 20 | long time | a lengthy period; a considerable amount of time | 202 |
| 21 | trust me | Used to ask someone to rely on you or have confidence in your judgment, honesty, or intentions. | 196 |
| 22 | what's the matter | Used to ask what is wrong, or what problem a person, thing, or situation has. | 190 |
| 23 | there you go | Said when handing something over or finishing a small helpful action, meaning here you are or there, that's done. | 186 |
| 24 | are you all right | A conventional question asking whether someone is unhurt, safe, or emotionally okay, usually after a shock, accident, or worrying silence. | 177 |
| 25 | i'm fine | Said to reassure someone that you are unhurt, safe, or emotionally all right. | 176 |
| 26 | i got it | I understand, or I have just figured out how to do it. | 172 |
| 27 | by the way | used to introduce a comment or question that is not directly related to what you have been talking about | 172 |
| 28 | what's wrong | Used to ask what is troubling someone or what the problem is. | 162 |
| 29 | look at you | An exclamation reacting to how someone looks or the state they are in, often with admiration, surprise, affection, or scorn. | 159 |
| 30 | good to see you | A greeting that says you are glad to meet or see someone, often after time apart. | 159 |
| 31 | are you okay | A concerned question asking whether someone is unhurt, safe, or emotionally all right, usually right after a shock, danger, or upset. | 156 |
| 32 | very well | Said on its own to accept a request, agree, or concede a point, often formally or with resignation. | 154 |
| 33 | look at that | An exclamation that calls attention to something just noticed as surprising, striking, funny, or worth remarking on. | 151 |
| 34 | what's up | A question about what is happening, what is wrong, or why something is the way it is. | 147 |
| 35 | i promise | A personal guarantee that you will do something or that something will happen, said so the other person can rely on you. | 146 |
| 36 | forget it | used to emphasize that you are saying'no' to sth | 146 |
| 37 | good evening | A polite greeting said when meeting someone, answering a greeting, or opening a talk or broadcast in the evening. | 136 |
| 38 | how you doing | An informal greeting that asks how someone is, used when meeting, calling, or saying hello. | 135 |
| 39 | i'm so sorry | A strong apology for something you did, said, caused, or failed to know. | 134 |
| 40 | are you sure | Used to ask someone to confirm a statement, choice, or feeling, often because the speaker doubts it or wants them to think again. | 133 |
| 41 | i don't think so | used to say very strongly that you do not agree with sth, or that sth is not possible | 131 |
| 42 | no problem | used after sb has thanked you or said they are sorry for sth | 129 |
| 43 | no idea | Not knowing a fact, reason, place, method, or answer, or being unaware of something. | 127 |
| 44 | be right back | Say you are leaving only for a moment and will return very soon. | 121 |
| 45 | nice to meet you | A polite formula said when you are introduced to someone or meet them for the first time. | 118 |
| 46 | see you later | A casual goodbye, said when leaving, often implying you expect to meet again before long. | 109 |
| 47 | you know what i mean | A conversational check that the listener grasps the point or implication just made, especially when it is left vague or unsaid. | 99 |
| 48 | like what | A follow-up question asking someone to name a concrete example of a vague claim they just made. | 98 |
| 49 | i have no idea | Used to say you simply do not know something: a fact, reason, place, method, or what someone means. | 95 |
| 50 | i swear | Used to insist that what you are saying is true, especially when someone may doubt you. | 93 |
How to study with this list
- Start with the first ten. Open the phrase, play the line, and say it once out loud.
- The number is a film count, so the top of the list is what you are most likely to hear again in another movie.
- When you want more of the same kind, leave this table and browse that category, or search the clip player for a line you just heard.
Cite this data
Source: WinkLingo, "Polite formulas that show up most in movies" (https://winklingo.com/en/data/polite-formulas-in-movies), updated 2026-10-13