How to Apologize in German for Small Mistakes: Formal and Informal
Learn to say sorry in German for bumping into someone or arriving late, using informal Entschuldigung and formal Entschuldigen Sie, plus natural replies.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In everyday German, small apologies are short and frequent. If you bump into someone, squeeze past on a train, or arrive a few minutes late, you need a quick phrase that sounds natural. German has an informal apology, Entschuldigung, and a formal one, Entschuldigen Sie. This lesson teaches both, shows how to add a short reason, and gives you the usual replies you will hear. It does not cover serious offenses, where German uses stronger wording.
By the end, you can…
- apologize informally for bumping into someone or being late.
- apologize formally to a stranger or someone older.
- respond appropriately when someone apologizes to me.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Entschuldigung!
Sorry! / Excuse me!
ent-SHOOL-dee-goong
The standard informal apology. Use it when you bump into someone, need to get past, or interrupt briefly. It works with strangers too, but it is not as formal as Entschuldigen Sie.
Entschuldigen Sie bitte.
Excuse me, please. / I'm sorry.
ent-SHOOL-dee-gun zee BIT-tuh
Formal apology. Use it with strangers, older people, officials, or in a shop or office. The verb form Sie marks polite distance.
Tut mir leid.
I'm sorry.
toot meer lite
A warm, sincere apology for a small mistake, such as being late or forgetting something. It is neutral in register and very common.
Entschuldigung, ich bin zu spät.
Sorry, I'm late.
ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, ikh bin tsoo zate
Use this when you arrive late to a class, meeting, or appointment. Add a short reason if you want, for example Der Bus kam nicht.
Kein Problem.
No problem.
kine pro-BLAYM
A common friendly reply when someone apologizes to you. It accepts the apology and closes the exchange.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
German apologies often start with Entschuldigung or Entschuldigen Sie, then add a short reason with ich bin or es tut mir leid. For example: Entschuldigung, ich bin zu spät. (Sorry, I'm late.) Entschuldigen Sie, ich habe Sie nicht gesehen. (Excuse me, I didn't see you.) The verb usually comes in second position: Entschuldigung, ich habe dich nicht gesehen. Keep the reason short; a long explanation sounds heavy for a minor mistake.
When to use it
Use Entschuldigung with friends, classmates, and people your own age. Use Entschuldigen Sie with strangers, older people, customers, or anyone you address with Sie. Tut mir leid works in both situations and sounds sincere. If you bump into someone in a shop, Entschuldigung! is enough. If you arrive late to a formal meeting, say Entschuldigen Sie bitte, ich bin zu spät. In Austria and parts of southern Germany, you may also hear Entschuldigung, bitte very commonly in shops; the wording is the same, but the tone is often softer.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, ich bin zu spät. Der Bus kam nicht.
Sorry, I'm late. The bus didn't come.ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, ikh bin tsoo zate. dair boos kahm nikhtKein Problem. Setz dich.
No problem. Sit down.kine pro-BLAYM. zets dikhEntschuldigen Sie bitte, ich habe Sie nicht gesehen.
Excuse me, please, I didn't see you.ent-SHOOL-dee-gun zee BIT-tuh, ikh HAH-buh zee nikht guh-ZAY-enMacht nichts.
It's nothing. / No worries.makht nikhtsA little context goes a long way
German politeness often depends on the pronoun Sie. With strangers and older people, Entschuldigen Sie is safer than Entschuldigung. In shops and on public transport, short apologies are normal and expected; a quick Entschuldigung while moving past someone is not rude. In Austria and Switzerland, you may hear the same phrases, though Swiss German speakers often use different dialect forms in casual speech.
One thing to watch for
Using Entschuldigung with a formal stranger and expecting it to sound fully polite.
Try this instead: For formal situations, use Entschuldigen Sie bitte. Example: Entschuldigen Sie bitte, ich bin zu spät. Entschuldigung is fine informally, but with a stranger or an official, the Sie form shows respect.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You arrive five minutes late to a friend's party. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Entschuldigung, ich bin zu spät.
This uses the informal Entschuldigung and a short reason with ich bin. Tut mir leid, ich bin zu spät is also correct and sounds a little warmer.
2You bump into an older stranger in a shop. What is the polite apology?
Show a sample answer
Entschuldigen Sie bitte.
The Sie form is appropriate for an older stranger. Entschuldigung! is also possible in a quick, accidental situation, but Entschuldigen Sie bitte is safer and more formal.
3Someone says Entschuldigung to you after stepping on your foot. Give a friendly reply.
Show a sample answer
Kein Problem.
Kein Problem accepts the apology and keeps the tone friendly. Macht nichts is another common reply with the same meaning.
For small mistakes, use Entschuldigung informally and Entschuldigen Sie bitte formally; add tut mir leid for sincerity, and reply with Kein Problem or Macht nichts.
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