German Condolence Phrases | Study.com

Important Vocabulary

In these situations, it’s not always just about expressing condolences, but also about talking to the family and being there for them.

Let’s first take a look at some of the words that you might need and use in those situations:

Vocabulary
Pronunciation
Translation

das Beileid
BIY-liyd
the condolence

das Mitgefühl
dahs MEET-geh-fül
the compassion

der Verlust
dehr fehr-LOOST
the loss

das Andenken
dahs AHN-dehn-kehn
the memory

die Trauer
dee TROW-ehr
the grief, sorrow

die Gedanken
dee geh-DAHN-kehn
the thoughts

die Erinnerung
dee eh-REEN-eh-roong
the memory

der Verstorbene
dehr fehr-SHTOHR-beh-neh
the deceased (male)

die Verstorbene
dee fehr-SHTOHR-beh-neh
the deceased (female)

die Beerdigung
dee beh-EHR-dee-goong
the funeral

Here is how to use this vocabulary in sentences:

• Laura’s Großmutter ist gestorben. (Laura’s grandmother died.)
• Die Beerdigung ist am Samstag. (The funeral is on saturday.)
• Viele Leute kommen, um ihr Beileid auszudrücken. (A lot of people come to say their condolences.)
• In Erinnerung an die Verstorbene. (In memory of the deceased.)
• In Gedanken an unseren geliebten Freund. (In memory of our beloved friend.)

Translation: in loving memory

Condolence Phrases

Now, let’s take a look at phrases that people usually say while expressing condolences and talking to friends and relatives of the deceased.

Expressing Condolences

The standard thing to say when approaching a person who lost someone is:

• Mein herzliches Beileid. (My sincere condolences.)

However, if a whole family or a group of people is expressing condolences, you will change it to:

• Unser herzliches Beileid. (Our sincere condolences.)

You could also ad:

• Unser herzlichstes Beileid zu dem tragischen Verlust. (Our sincerest condolences for the tragic loss.)

Another way of expressing condolences would be to say:

• Mein tiefes Mitgefühl. (My deepest sympathy.)

Close friends can also just simply say:

• Es tut mir leid. (I am sorry.)

Translation: My sincere condolences.

Nice Words

If you knew the person, it is always nice to say a word or two about them, such as:

• Er war so ein netter Mann. (He was such a nice man.)
• Sie war so eine nette Frau. (She was such a nice woman.)
• Wir werden ihn sehr vermissen. (We will miss him greatly.)
• Sie wird sehr vermisst. (She will be missed a lot.)

It’s also common to offer help and comfort to the family:

• Während dieser traurigen Zeit denken wir an Sie. (During this sad period, we are thinking about you.)
• Können wir irgendwie helfen? (Can we help somehow?)

Lesson Summary

The standard way to express condolences is to say: Mein herzliches Beileid (My sincere condolences), or informally, Es tut mir leid (I am sorry). If you want to say something to the family, it’s nice to say: Sie wird sehr vermisst (She will be missed a lot) or Während dieser traurigen Zeit denken wir an Sie (During this sad period, we are thinking about you).