The German translation for "I am sorry" depends on the level of apology you need. The most heartfelt and emotional version is "Es tut mir leid" which literally translates to "It does me sorrow." This is what you say when you have truly hurt someone, missed an important appointment, or want to express sympathy, for example "Es tut mir leid, dass ich zu spät gekommen bin" meaning "I am sorry that I came too late." For a stronger apology you can say "Es tut mir wirklich leid" or "Es tut mir so leid." For everyday small apologies like bumping into someone on the train or needing to get past, Germans usually say "Entschuldigung" which is more like "Excuse me" but functions as sorry, or "Entschuldige bitte" informally. Another option is "Verzeihung" or "Verzeihen Sie mir bitte" meaning "Forgive me please," which sounds more formal and old-fashioned. In informal youth language, many Germans simply say "Sorry" borrowed from English, often combined as "Sorry, mein Fehler" meaning "Sorry, my mistake." So for real emotional apologies use "Es tut mir leid" and for polite everyday situations use "Entschuldigung."
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