What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "my heartfelt condolence", where herzliches means heartfelt or sincere.
Which one should you use?
You can say just Herzliches Beileid by dropping the mein to provide a more concise way of offering sympathy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The full phrase Mein herzliches Beileid is appropriate for both formal settings and personal acquaintances. If you wish to be more formal, you might use Mein aufrichtiges Beileid, Unser tiefstes Mitgefühl or Bitte akzeptieren Sie meine aufrichtige Anteilnahme. For informal situations where you are closer to the person, you can say Es tut mir so leid für dich or Ich fühle mit dir.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because Beileid is a neuter noun, the adjective herzliches takes the -es ending in this phrase.
Did you know?
- In German culture, it is common to send a Trauerkarte, a dedicated mourning card, written by hand, rather than just saying mein herzliches Beileid in person.
- The word Beileid is formed from bei, meaning 'with' or 'at', and Leid, meaning 'sorrow'. It literally describes the act of standing 'by' someone in their suffering.
- While Beileid is strictly for death, the root Leid is used in the common phrase Es tut mir leid to apologize for a minor mistake, such as bumping into someone.
Examples in context
- Mein herzliches Beileid zum Tod deines Vaters.Please accept my condolences on the death of your father.This sentence shows how to express condolences regarding a specific loss using mein herzliches Beileid.Tatoeba #2052876 by Tamy, translation #54382 by CM
- Mein herzliches Beileid!Please accept my sincere condolences.This sentence shows a short way to offer sincere condolences using mein herzliches Beileid.Tatoeba #8644569 by Melang, translation #10209508 by sundown
- Mein herzliches Beileid zu deinem schweren Verlust.My heartfelt condolences for your heavy loss.
Example conversation
Felix offers his sympathy to Hannah after her grandmother's passing.
- FelixHannah, es tut mir sehr leid.Hannah, I am so sorry.
- HannahDanke, Felix. Es ist eine schwere Zeit.Thank you, Felix. It is a difficult time.
- FelixMein herzliches Beileid.My heartfelt condolences.
- HannahDas ist sehr lieb von dir.That is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “condolences” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Beileid, mein, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
