Do you want to know how to apologize to someone in German? Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Knowing how to apologize is important because of this. It helps us maintain relationships with those we care about and can rebuild friendships.
Here we'll introduce you to different ways to both form and accept apologies in German. Let's get started and learn this important skill!
Here we'll introduce you to different ways to both form and accept apologies in German. Let's get started and learn this important skill!
Making an Apology
Below we'll show you different ways to form an apology. Take a look and learn them for the next time you want to apologize for something!Es tut mir leid, dass ich zu spät bin
If you do something wrong, you can apologize by using the sentence pattern Es tut mir leid, dass ich + HANDLUNG.. Here is another example: Es tut mir leid, dass ich deinen Geburtstag vergessen habe. Another way to form simple apologies is to use the sentence pattern Ich entschuldige mich dafür, dass ich + HANDLUNG. An example apology using this is the sentence: Ich entschuldige mich dafür, dass ich zu spät bin. Of course, everyone will react to an apology differently, but here is an example response: Kannst du mich beim nächsten Mal anrufen, wenn du dich verspätest?.
Es tut mir leid, dass ich dir auf die Füße getreten bin
Jemandem auf die Füße treten is the German equivalent to the English to step on somebody's toes. So, this sentence is an apology for insulting or offending someone by getting involved with something that was their responsibility and not yours. Another way you could use this idiom is: Ich wollte ihm nur bei seiner Arbeit helfen, aber ich bin ihm damit auf die Füße getreten. In response to our original apology, someone might say something like: Das ist okay; ich weiß, dass du wolltest nur helfen.