How to Say ‘I'm sorry.’ in German
Es tut mir leid.
es toot meer lite
[es toot meer lite]
💬 Usage Tip: Apology phrase; useful and powerful everyday speech.
🇩🇪 In Germany: Apologies are crucial but expect fact-over-emotion in responses.
Phrase Breakdown
Es tut mir
es toot meer
Words in this phrase
Es
[es]
It
Refers to a thing previously mentioned or easily identified.
Es tut mir leid, dass ich keine Karte benutzen kann.
I'm sorry that I can't use a card.
tut
[toot]
does
Performs an action.
Der Fahrer tut sein Bestes.
The driver does his best.
mir
[meer]
me
Refers to the speaker themselves.
Mir tut es leid, dass ich kein Bargeld habe.
I'm sorry that I don't have any cash.
leid
[lite]
sorry
An expression of regret or apology.
Leid ist es, wenn man sich entschuldigen muss.
Sorry is when you have to apologize.
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