"My wife heard me say I love you a thousand times, but she never once heard me say sorry"
About this Quote
The subtext is classic masculine mythology, especially the Hollywood version: the good man is loyal, expressive “enough,” and therefore exempt from the small humiliations of repair. “Sorry” isn’t just an apology here; it’s a surrender of rank. The quote frames contrition as optional, even weak, while casting repeated affection as a substitute for self-examination. That’s why it stings. Most relationships don’t break from a lack of “I love you.” They erode from the refusal to name harm and change course.
As an actor’s remark, it also feels like a persona leaking through: the Die Hard archetype who solves problems with grit, not vulnerability. The line performs a kind of emotional competency (look how often I said the big thing) while avoiding the harder intimacy of admitting fault. It’s self-protective, a little funny, and a little bleak.
Read generously, it’s an accidental confession: he knows the asymmetry. The thousand “I love you”s aren’t romance; they’re bargaining chips against a single word he couldn’t say.
Quote Details
| Topic | Husband & Wife |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Willis, Bruce. (2026, January 16). My wife heard me say I love you a thousand times, but she never once heard me say sorry. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-wife-heard-me-say-i-love-you-a-thousand-times-109566/
Chicago Style
Willis, Bruce. "My wife heard me say I love you a thousand times, but she never once heard me say sorry." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-wife-heard-me-say-i-love-you-a-thousand-times-109566/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"My wife heard me say I love you a thousand times, but she never once heard me say sorry." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/my-wife-heard-me-say-i-love-you-a-thousand-times-109566/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.








