Apologies accepted I messed up after all. How? I can't imag | Learn German with Leo🦁

Apologies accepted

I messed up after all. How? I can't imagine! What a situation... Well, don't worry! It happens to everyone. The main thing is to be able to correctly and correctly apologize in any language, including German.

Yes, yes, today we are speaking just about that. You need to learn the options for apologies at the very, very beginning, because they will definitely be needed in life, at least in order to be polite. You've probably already learned the phrase:
Ich entschuldige mich - I'm sorry.

And you actively use it, but this is not a very correct phrase.
The most common, generally accepted and neutral apology is with the verb (sich) entschuldigen and the noun die Entschuldigung. They are used without restrictions and in any situation, however, as mentioned above, saying "Ich entschuldige mich" is not entirely correct (although German speakers often say so).

The fact is that (sich) entschuldigen is a reflexive verb, which means that we return the action to ourselves. Literally it turns out, I EXCUSE MYSELF - this is incorrect, the interlocutor must excuse you, so we give the correct versions of the apology:

Ich möchte mich bei Ihnen entschuldigen - I must apologize to you (the most polite option)

Entschuldigen Sie mich bitte! - I'm sorry/ Forgive me please

Ich bitte um Entschuldigung! - Pardon me/I ask for forgiveness

Entschuldigung! - Excuse me!

Ich möchte um Entschuldigung bitten! - I apologize to you.

Deep apologies for significant actions or deeds are usually expressed with the verb verzeihen and the noun die Verzeihung:

Verzeihung! - Excuse me!

Verzeihen Sie mir bitte! - Excuse me, please!

Ich möchte um Verzeihung bitten! - I want to ask for forgiveness!

Ich bitte um Verzeihung! - Sorry, sorry!

Verzeihen Sie meinen Fehler! - Forgive my mistake!


When something insignificant happened, it is customary to apologize with the word Pardon!
Such an apology is absolutely non-binding and is accepted only in informal communication.

How else can you make amends? There are also "pro" non-standard expressions, for example:

Was habe ich da angerichtet / gemacht / getan! - What have I done!

Wie kann ich das wieder gutmachen? - How can I make amends?

Seien Sie mir nicht böse! - Do not be angry at me!

Es tut mir leid! - I'm sorry!

Finally, the incident happened, the apology is accepted, which can be heard in response:

Das macht nichts - that's nothing

Das war doch nicht so schlimm - It's okay / It wasn't that bad

Kein Problem! Keine Frage! Kein Thema! - No problem! No question! No topic!


Now you are fully armed. And even if the trouble does happen, you can beautifully apologize. Then your opponent will have nothing to say but “macht nichts”.

Which phrase do you say more often?