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How to Say "I'm Sorry" In German

Master Expressions of Forgiveness and Excusing Oneself

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by Ingrid Bauer
Updated June 29, 2017

You are bound to make either cultural mistakes or miscommunicate as a

German student while traveling among German-speaking countries. Therefore
on your long list of vocabulary essentials to master should be German
expressions of forgiveness and excusing oneself as well. As for which expression
to use, it is better to err on the side of excusing oneself too much than not
enough. Let’s just hope you don’t have to use the following expressions too
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EXCUSING ONESELF:

Entschuldigung - Excuse me (such as when you want to pass by.)

Entschuldigen Sie bitte/ Entschuldige (casual) - Excuse me

Entschuldigen Sie bitte meine Fehler - Excuse my mistakes.

Entschuldigen Sie/ Entschuldige, dass... - Excuse me that/ Sorry that...

Entschuldigen Sie bitte, dass ich Sie störe - Excuse me for disturbing you.

Entschuldige bitte, dass ich es vergessen habe - Sorry for forgetting.

SAYING SORRY FOR SMALL OCCURRENCES/ MISHAPS:

Entschuldigung/ Ich bitte Sie/dich um Entschuldigung - Sorry/ Please excuse

me.

To Ask for Forgiveness:

Jemanden um Verzeihung bitten - To ask somebody for forgiveness.

Ich bitte Sie/ dich um Verzeihung - I ask you for forgiveness.

Können/Kannst Sie/du mir diese Dummheiten verzeihen? Can you forgive my

stupidity?

Das habe ich nicht so gemeint - I didn’t mean it that way.

Das war doch nicht so gemeint - It wasn’t meant in that way.

Das war nicht mein Ernst - I wasn’t serious.

TO REGRET SOMETHING:

Etwas bedauern...

Ich bedauere sehr, dass ich sie nicht eingeladen habe - I regret not having
invited her.

Es tut mir Leid - I am sorry.

Es tut mir Leid, dass ich ihr nichts geschenkt habe - I regret not having given
her a present.

Leider habe ich keine Zeit dafür - Unfortunately, I do not have any time for
that.

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Schade! - Too bad!

Es ist schade, dass er nicht hier ist - It’s too bad that he is not here.

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