😔❗

How to Say ‘I'm really sorry.’ in German

Tut mir echt leid.

toot meer ekht lite

[toot meer ekht lite]

💬 Usage Tip: Word for word this is "does me really sorry": the feeling "does" something to you, so it's mir "to me", not ich "I". echt "really" can be swapped for sehr "very" to sound a bit more formal.

🇩🇪 In Germany: echt makes this casual. It's for friends and acquaintances, not for an apology to your boss.

Phrase Breakdown

Tut mir

toot meer

(it) does to me

The start of the set phrase 'Es tut mir leid' (I'm sorry). 'Es' is usually dropped in casual speech. 'Tut' has a long 'oo' sound.

Example

Tut mir leid!

Sorry!

Words in this phrase

Tut

[toot]

does

Performs an action.

Example

Der Fahrer tut, was er kann, um zu helfen.

The driver does what he can to help.

mir

[meer]

to me

Dative pronoun used to show that something matters or happens to the speaker.

Example

Mir ist eine offene Kommunikation besonders wichtig.

Open communication is especially important to me.

echt leid.

ekht lite

really sorry

'echt' means 'really' in casual speech. 'leid' rhymes with English 'side' but ends in a 't' sound.

Example

Das tut mir echt leid.

I'm really sorry about that.

Words in this phrase

echt

[ekht]

really

Casual intensifier meaning really or genuinely.

Example

Das sieht echt gut aus.

That looks really good.

leid

[lite]

Sorry

An expression of regret or apology.

Example

Das tut mir leid, dass mein Gerät nicht funktioniert.

I'm sorry that my device isn't working.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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