To say sorry in German, use Entschuldigung (ent-SHOOL-di-goong) for small slips such as bumping into someone, and Es tut mir leid (ess toot meer LITE) when you genuinely regret something or want to show sympathy. Casual speech often uses English Sorry. To apologise to someone directly, say Entschuldige! (du) or Entschuldigen Sie! (Sie).
- Small slip
- Entschuldigung
- Real regret
- Es tut mir leid
- Casual
- Sorry
- To one person (du / Sie)
- Entschuldige / Entschuldigen Sie
- Accepting
- Kein Problem, Schon gut
- Level
- A1
What is the difference between Entschuldigung and Es tut mir leid?
Entschuldigung asks to be excused: it's for accidents, interruptions and minor inconvenience. Es tut mir leid says "it hurts me", so it carries real regret, and it's also what you say when someone tells you bad news. If you broke a friend's favourite mug, Entschuldigung alone would sound too light.
| German | Register | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sorry | Casual | Small slips among friends and colleagues |
| Entschuldigung | Neutral | Bumping, interrupting, being slightly late |
| Entschuldige! | Informal (du) | Apologising to a friend |
| Entschuldigen Sie! | Formal (Sie) | Apologising to a stranger |
| Verzeihung | Formal | A polite, slightly old-fashioned pardon |
| Tut mir leid | Neutral | Regret; the everyday spoken form |
| Es tut mir wirklich leid | Sincere | A serious apology |
| Ich bitte um Entschuldigung | Very formal | Official apologies, announcements |
| Mein Fehler | Casual | "My bad", owning a small mistake |
Sorry has been part of everyday German for decades. Julia, forty minutes late to the patisserie where her sister is waiting, says it twice and laughs:
Sorry, sorry! Ich bin müde.How do you apologise for something specific?
Name the problem after Entschuldigung or Es tut mir leid, either as a noun (für + accusative) or as a clause with dass.
Entschuldigung, dass ich zu spät bin.
Sorry I'm late.
Entschuldige die Verspätung!
Sorry for the delay!
du. To someone you call Sie: Entschuldigen Sie die Verspätung.
Es tut mir leid, dass ich nicht angerufen habe.
I'm sorry I didn't call.
Ich entschuldige mich für den Fehler.
I apologise for the mistake.
How do you say sorry when someone has bad news?
Use Das tut mir leid (I'm sorry to hear that). It is sympathy, not an admission of guilt. For a death, the set phrase is Mein herzliches Beileid (my sincere condolences). For illness, Germans wish Gute Besserung (get well soon).
Oh nein, das tut mir leid.
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that.
Das tut mir so leid für dich.
I'm so sorry for you.
du.
Mein herzliches Beileid.
My sincere condolences.
How do you accept an apology in German?
Keep it short. These all mean some version of "it's fine":
- Kein Problem. No problem.
- Schon gut. It's all right.
- Macht nichts. Never mind, it doesn't matter.
- Alles gut. All good. Very common, especially with younger people.
- Nicht so schlimm. It's not so bad.
To get a stranger's attention rather than apologise, the same word works differently; see how to say excuse me in German. For replies to thanks, see how to say you're welcome in German.
Read The Swap Weeks free at A1: twin sisters, one bakery, and a swap that goes wrong.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Es tut mir leid?
"ess toot meer LITE". Leid sounds like the English word "light", because a final d in German is said as t. Tut has a long "oo", as in "boot".
Why is leid written in lower case?
In es tut mir leid, leid is part of the verb leidtun (to be sorry), not the noun das Leid (suffering). Since the 2006 spelling reform it is written in lower case.
Is Sorry acceptable in German?
Yes, in casual speech and messages. With a stranger, in writing to a company or when the mistake is serious, use Entschuldigung or Es tut mir leid instead.
What is Verzeihung?
A polite, slightly formal word for pardon or sorry. You'll hear it when someone bumps into a stranger or squeezes past. Verzeih mir (forgive me) is much heavier and personal.
Is Ich entschuldige mich wrong?
It's widely used and fine in everyday German. Some people object that you can't excuse yourself, only ask to be excused, so in formal writing Ich bitte um Entschuldigung avoids the debate.