How to Say "Take Your Time" in German: Lass dir Zeit, Lassen Sie sich Zeit, Keine Eile
Learn three natural German ways to reassure someone there is no rush, choose between informal and formal address, and avoid accidentally telling people to calm down.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When you want to tell someone in German that there is no rush, you are usually not giving an order. You are offering reassurance: the other person can continue at their own pace. German has several common ways to do this, and the choice depends on who you are talking to and how formal the situation is. The three most useful expressions are Lass dir Zeit (informal singular), Lassen Sie sich Zeit (formal or plural), and Keine Eile (neutral and short). This lesson shows what each one does, how they differ from telling someone to calm down, and how to use them naturally with friends, colleagues, guests, or service staff.
By the end, you can…
- reassure an informal singular listener with Lass dir Zeit.
- reassure a formal or plural listener with Lassen Sie sich Zeit.
- use Keine Eile as a short, neutral no-rush comment.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Lass dir Zeit.
Take your time.
lahs deer tsyt
Informal singular, used with du. Use it with a friend, family member, or someone you already address informally. It reassures rather than commands.
Lassen Sie sich Zeit.
Take your time.
LAH-sen zee zikh tsyt
Formal singular or plural, used with Sie. Appropriate with strangers, older adults, customers, or in professional settings.
Keine Eile.
No rush. / There is no hurry.
KY-neh EYE-leh
Short and neutral. It works in both informal and formal situations because it does not contain a direct address form. It is often used as a brief reassurance.
Wir haben Zeit.
We have time.
veer HAH-ben tsyt
Useful when you are waiting together or when you want to reassure someone that the schedule allows more time. It shifts the focus from the other person to the shared situation.
Es eilt nicht.
It is not urgent. / There is no hurry.
es EYE-lt nikht
A calm, slightly more factual way to say there is no time pressure. It can sound more neutral than a direct instruction and works well in both informal and formal contexts.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is a form of lassen plus a reflexive pronoun and Zeit. With du, say Lass dir Zeit. With Sie, say Lassen Sie sich Zeit. The reflexive pronoun changes: dir for informal singular, euch for informal plural, and sich for formal Sie. You can also use the neutral phrase Keine Eile, which needs no pronoun and fits almost anywhere. For example, if a colleague is checking a document, you can say Lassen Sie sich Zeit, ich muss nicht sofort los. If a friend is getting ready, say Lass dir Zeit, wir sind nicht spät dran. These are reassurances, not commands to hurry or calm down.
When to use it
Use Lass dir Zeit only with someone you call du. Use Lassen Sie sich Zeit with someone you call Sie, or when speaking to more than one person in a formal context. Keine Eile is safe in both, but it is shorter and can sound slightly more casual or matter-of-fact. Do not confuse these with Beruhige dich or Beruhigen Sie sich, which mean calm down and can sound dismissive if the person is upset. If a guest is slow to decide, Lassen Sie sich Zeit is polite. If a friend is running late, Keine Eile, wir warten auf dich works well. If you are the one waiting, Wir haben Zeit can soften the situation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ich brauche noch ein paar Minuten für das Formular.
I need a few more minutes for the form.ikhh BROW-kheh nokh eye pahr mee-NOO-ten fewr dahs for-moo-LAHRLassen Sie sich Zeit. Ich kann hier warten.
Take your time. I can wait here.LAH-sen zee zikh tsyt. ikh kan heer VAR-tenDanke. Es ist nur eine Unterschrift, aber ich finde die Stelle nicht.
Thank you. It is only a signature, but I cannot find the place.DAHN-keh. es ist noor EYE-neh OON-ter-shrift, AH-ber ikh FIN-deh dee SHTEL-eh nikhtKeine Eile. Schauen Sie einfach in Ruhe.
No rush. Just take a look in peace.KY-neh EYE-leh. SHOW-en zee EYE-fakh in ROO-ehA little context goes a long way
Lass dir Zeit addresses one person as du. Lasst euch Zeit addresses several people as ihr. Lassen Sie sich Zeit is the formal form, for one or several people. These standard forms follow the relationship and number of people addressed; the plural is not restricted to Austria or any one region.
One thing to watch for
Using Beruhige dich or Beruhigen Sie sich when you simply mean take your time.
Try this instead: Beruhige dich means calm down and can sound as if you think the other person is overreacting. To offer reassurance about time, say Lass dir Zeit, Lassen Sie sich Zeit, or Keine Eile. For example, if a friend is rushing to get ready, say Lass dir Zeit, wir haben noch genug Zeit, not Beruhige dich.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A colleague you address with Sie is taking a long time to find a file. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
Lassen Sie sich Zeit.
This matches the formal Sie address and reassures the colleague that there is no rush. Keine Eile is also possible because it is neutral, but it does not include the polite Sie form.
2Your friend is getting ready and says they are almost done. What informal phrase can you use?
Show a sample answer
Lass dir Zeit.
This uses the informal singular du form and is appropriate with a friend. Keine Eile would also work, but Lass dir Zeit is more personal and directly reassuring.
3You want to say there is no hurry without directly addressing the other person as du or Sie. Which phrase fits?
Show a sample answer
Keine Eile.
Keine Eile contains no direct address form, so it works in both informal and formal situations. Es eilt nicht is another valid neutral option with a slightly more factual tone.
Use Lass dir Zeit with du, Lassen Sie sich Zeit with Sie, and Keine Eile as a short neutral option. These reassure someone about time; they do not tell them to calm down.
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