😅🙏

How to Say ‘Sorry for the trouble’ in German

Entschuldigen Sie die Umstände

ent-SHOOL-di-gen zee dee OOM-shten-deh

[ent-SHOOL-di-gen zee dee OOM-shten-deh]

💬 Usage Tip: Umstände literally means "circumstances", but in this set phrase it means the hassle you've caused. You'll also hear Machen Sie sich keine Umstände "Don't go to any trouble".

Phrase Breakdown

Entschuldigen Sie

ent-SHOOL-di-gen zee

Excuse me / Please excuse

This is the formal way to apologize. Stress 'SHUL': 'ent-SHUL-di-gen zee'.

Example

Entschuldigen Sie, wo ist der Bahnhof?

Excuse me, where is the station?

Words in this phrase

Entschuldigen

[ent-SHOOL-di-gen]

excuse / apologize for

Formal request for forgiveness.

Example

Entschuldigen Sie bitte!

Excuse me, please!

Sie

[zee]

you (formal)

Formal second person pronoun.

Example

Können Sie mir zeigen?

Can you show me?

die Umstände

dee OOM-shten-deh

the inconvenience / the trouble

'Umstände' literally means 'circumstances'. Here it means the trouble caused. Say 'OOM-shten-duh'.

Example

Machen Sie sich keine Umstände.

Don't go to any trouble.

Words in this phrase

die

[dee]

the

Definite article used to specify something already known.

Example

Die Katze ist süß.

The cat is cute.

Umstände

[OOM-shten-deh]

inconvenience / trouble

Plural of 'Umstand'; here the bother caused.

Example

Machen Sie sich keine Umstände.

Don't go to any trouble.

Guides for German learners

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