😔

How to Say ‘I'm sorry’ in German

Das tut mir leid

dahs toot meer lite

[dahs toot meer lite]

💬 Usage Tip: This is for sympathy, not apology. To apologise for something you did, say Entschuldigung "sorry, excuse me".

Phrase Breakdown

Das tut

dahs toot

That does

Start of the fixed apology 'Das tut mir leid'. 'tut' has a long u, like 'toot'.

Example

Das tut gut.

That feels good.

Words in this phrase

Das

[dahs]

that / it

Can refer to a thing, item, or dish in front of you.

Example

Was ist das? Das Wort das can mean that or it.

What is that? The word das can mean that or it.

tut

[toot]

does (makes)

Form of 'tun'; in 'leid tun' it expresses feeling sorry.

Example

Es tut ihm leid.

He is sorry.

mir leid

meer lite

me sorrow (= I'm sorry)

'leid' rhymes with English 'side'. Together the phrase means 'I'm sorry'.

Example

Es tut mir leid.

I'm sorry.

Words in this phrase

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.

leid

[lite]

sorry

Express regret or Sympathy.

Example

Es tut mir leid, dass ich zu spät bin.

I'm sorry that I'm late.

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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