How to Apologize in German
Everyone makes mistakes. Today we are going to discuss how you can dig yourself out of a hole! Knowing a few "apology" type phrases can be extremely useful in making sure that you come across as polite in all situations!
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The easiest way to apologize in German is to say...
Entschuldigung!
Excuse me! (formal)
or
Entschuldige!
Excuse me! (casual)
You could also say
Das tut mir leid!
Sorry! / I'm sorry to hear that
A very polite, but less common way of apologizing in German is to say
Verzeihung!
Forgiveness!
For example:
Entschuldigung, wie spät ist es bitte?
Excuse me please, what time is it? (formal)
Entschuldige, kannst du mir sagen wo der Bahnhof ist?
Excuse me please, could you tell me where the train station is? (casual)
Du hast Kopfschmerzen? Das tut mir leid!
You have a headache? I'm sorry to hear that.
If someone stepped on your toes and apologized you might want to say
Macht nichts!
No worries!
Why not check out some more lessons on German phrases next?
- What about learning how to say I love you in German.
- This lesson has a bunch of useful German phrases that you can use in your next German conversation!
- Understanding the basic German phrases so you can blend in with the locals!
Bis bald!
Paul Weber: Rocket German
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