Excuse me in German is Entschuldigung. It gets a stranger's attention, gets you past someone and opens an interruption. Entschuldigen Sie is the more polite Sie form, and Verzeihung is formal. To squeeze past in a crowd, say Darf ich mal? If you didn't hear what someone said, ask Wie bitte? (pardon?).
- Getting attention
- Entschuldigung, … / Entschuldigen Sie, …
- Getting past
- Darf ich mal (vorbei)?
- Pardon?
- Wie bitte?
- Formal
- Verzeihung
- Level
- A1
How do you get someone's attention politely?
Start with Entschuldigung or Entschuldigen Sie, pause, then ask your question with Sie. With a stranger in Germany, Sie is the default, whatever their age.
Entschuldigung, wo ist der Bahnhof?
Excuse me, where is the station?
Entschuldigen Sie, ist hier noch frei?
Excuse me, is this seat free?
Entschuldigung, können Sie mir kurz helfen?
Excuse me, could you help me for a moment?
Entschuldigung, dass ich störe…
Sorry to bother you…
Before interrupting a conversation or knocking on an office door.
It also works as a polite opener when you call someone you don't know. A stranger's first words down the phone in this B1 story:
Entschuldigung, ich bin Konstantin.Which excuse me fits which moment?
English uses one phrase for many jobs. German splits them up, and a few situations have their own fixed words.
| Situation | German | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Asking a stranger something | Entschuldigung, … / Entschuldigen Sie, … | Then use Sie |
| Getting past on a bus or train | Darf ich mal (vorbei)? | Literally "may I (past)?" |
| Didn't catch what was said | Wie bitte? | Pardon? |
| Bumping into someone | Oh, Verzeihung! / Sorry! | Quick and automatic |
| Leaving the table for a moment | Entschuldigt mich kurz. | To friends (ihr); with Sie: Entschuldigen Sie mich kurz |
| Someone sneezes | Gesundheit! | "Health!"; the reply is Danke |
Jonas, whose Labrador has just dropped a ball at a stranger's feet, uses the Sie form, which is exactly right for someone you have never spoken to:
"Oh, entschuldigen Sie", sagt Jonas und wird rot.Why are there three forms: Entschuldigung, Entschuldige, Entschuldigen Sie?
Entschuldigung is a noun (an apology, an excuse), so it fits everyone. The other forms are commands of the verb entschuldigen (to excuse), and commands in German change with du, ihr and Sie.
Entschuldige, hast du kurz Zeit?
Sorry, have you got a minute?
du: a friend or colleague.
Entschuldigt, wir sind spät dran.
Sorry, we're running late.
ihr: to two or more friends.
Entschuldigen Sie bitte, wie spät ist es?
Excuse me, please, what time is it?
Sie: strangers, staff, anyone formal.
If in doubt, the noun is never wrong.
What do you say when you didn't hear something?
Wie bitte? is the polite pardon. Was? (what?) is common among friends but can sound blunt to a stranger. If someone speaks too fast, ask them to repeat or slow down:
Wie bitte?
Pardon? Sorry?
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
Could you repeat that, please?
Etwas langsamer, bitte.
A bit slower, please.
For apologies proper, see how to say sorry in German; for polite requests, how to say please in German.
Try German at your own pace: read a free A1 chapter and tap the words you didn't catch.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Entschuldigung?
"ent-SHOOL-di-goong", with the stress on the second syllable. The t of ent- runs straight into the sh of -schul-, and the ending -ung sounds like "oong".
What is the difference between excuse me and sorry in German?
Entschuldigung does both jobs when the matter is small: getting attention and apologising for a bump. For real regret or sympathy, German switches to Es tut mir leid, which never just gets attention.
How do you call a waiter in Germany?
Catch their eye, or say Entschuldigung! or Entschuldigen Sie! as they pass. Shouting Kellner! (waiter) is considered rude.
What do Germans say when someone sneezes?
Gesundheit! (health). The person who sneezed answers Danke.