Bitte entschuldigen Sie
/ˈbɪtə ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡən ziː/word by word
The German phrase for "please accept my apology" is Bitte entschuldigen Sie.
This phrase is used as a formal way to ask for forgiveness after you have made a mistake or caused an inconvenience.
Which one should you use?
While Bitte entschuldigen Sie is a full, formal sentence used to apologize for a mistake, the single word Entschuldigung is a more common and shorter way to say "Excuse me" or "Sorry" in passing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The use of Sie makes Bitte entschuldigen Sie a formal expression suitable for business settings or when addressing strangers. If you are speaking to a friend or someone you address with du, you should use the informal form Bitte entschuldige mich instead.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɪtə ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡən ziː/
Did you know?
- The verb entschuldigen literally means 'to un-guilt' someone. It comes from the word schuldig, meaning 'guilty', so you are essentially asking to be removed from a state of guilt.
- While Entschuldigung is a common reflex for small accidents, using the full phrase Bitte entschuldigen Sie can signal to a German speaker that the mistake was actually serious.
Examples in context
- Entschuldige bitte.Please excuse me.
- Verzeih mir bitte.Please forgive me.
- Bitte entschuldigen Sie die Verspätung.Please excuse the delay.
- Bitte entschuldigen Sie die Unannehmlichkeiten.Please excuse the inconvenience.
- Bitte entschuldigen Sie meinen Fehler.Please accept my apology for my mistake.
Example conversation
Julia arrives late to a formal business meeting with Maximilian.
- JuliaBitte entschuldigen Sie meine Verspätung, Herr Müller.Please excuse my lateness, Mr. Müller.
- MaximilianDas ist kein Problem, Julia.That is no problem, Julia.
- JuliaIch bin sehr dankbar für Ihr Verständnis.I am very grateful for your understanding.
- MaximilianGerne, wir können jetzt anfangen.You're welcome, we can start now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Bitte, entschuldigen, Sie) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bitte, Sie, bitte, entschuldigen, sie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
