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How to Say ‘Oh, I'm sorry.’ in German

Oh, das tut mir leid.

oh dahs toot meer lite

[oh dahs toot meer lite]

Phrase Breakdown

Oh, das tut

oh dahs toot

Oh, that does

'Oh' shows sympathy. Keep 'das tut' short and light.

Example

Oh, das tut weh!

Oh, that hurts!

Words in this phrase

[oh]

An exclamation showing surprise, sympathy, or reaction.

Example

Oh, das wusste ich nicht.

Oh, I didn't know that.

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).

Completes 'Das tut mir leid'. 'leid' sounds like 'lied' in English 'side'.

Example

Das tut mir sehr leid.

I'm very 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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