Apologise in German

Apologizing is important in many languages. It's a common part of establishing fluency and being able to express yourself in a language. Like other languages, German has its own various forms for apology, with some popular short phrases being the most common. If you need to figure out how to extend an apology in German, these basic steps will help you master this linguistic task.

Steps

  1. Identify the severity of the situation. As in all languages, forms of apology in German will differ based on the kind of situation for which the speaker is apologizing. This ranges from the basic forms of light apology for situations like squeezing through crowds, to more serious situations where a personal apology is necessary.
  2. Choose variants of common German apology language to address each of the above situations.
    • For an informal, polite apology like asking someone for the time, asking them to move aside, or other similar situations, the Germans used the words "Entschuldigung" or "Entschuldige, bitte." This translates roughly as "excuse me."
    • Another common German phrase for apology is "Das tut mir Leid." This translates to "I'm sorry" or "That's too bad." It's important to note that in general, "Das tut mir Leid" has the association with saying "I'm sorry (for you)" and not asking for forgiveness. Another common form of this phrase is "Es tut mir leid." (I'm sorry for this or that)
    • Another alternative for apology in German is the expression "Verzeihung." This literally means "forgiveness" and is generally understood as a request for forgiveness, or an effective apology. You can also use an imperative form, such as "Please forgive me" which would be "Bitte verzeih mir".
  3. Pronounce your German vocabulary well. Listen to audio resources or native speaking individuals pronouncing these phrases in order to model your pronunciation well and accurately imitate the sounds that will make your speech sound good.
  4. Evaluate using additional language to enhance your basic apologies. For example, one commonly used word in German is "bitte," which translates to "please." You could add this to forms of apology in phrases like "Bitte verzeih mir" (see above) to more accurately convey your expression. You should take into account that some combinations, such as "Verzeihung, bitte" are usually not used when apologizing heartfeltedly, but is rather used, when bumping into someone or asking someone to step aside, so you don't bump into them (comparable to "Excuse me, please" in English).
  5. Utilize German sentence structure for longer responses or expressions. Following up a single phrase with clarification requires understanding the unique structure of German sentences. Take an advanced look at German grammar and expand your vocabulary to be able to give a more detailed apology.
    • Consider the phrasing of "Ich habe das nicht gewollt," a phrase that translates into English as "I didn't mean to do that." Taking each word in literal translation, the phrase would look something like this: "I have that not wanted." (/"I have not wanted that")
    • Assess German sentence structure in phrases like "Kann ich es wieder gut machen?" This translates as "Can I make it up to you?" but word for word, something like "Can I (it) again good make?" (or in a more understandable way "Can I make it good again?)

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