Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide, Second Edition

Ja, nicht?

Yes, it is, isn’t it?

(c) An explanation of the origin of something may be given:

Das habe ich vom Karstadt./Das habe ich schon lange.

I got it at Karstadt./I’ve had it a long time.

65 Expressing commiseration

65.1 Sympathizing

To express sympathy or empathy any of the following might be used:

jmd. tut jmdm. Leid ‘sb. feels sorry for sb.’ (see also 19.7)

Pech haben ‘to be unlucky’

Mitleid für etw./mit jmdm. haben ‘to have sympathy for sth./with sb.’

mit jmdm. mit*fühlen ‘to sympathize with sb.’

Verständis für etw. haben ‘to show understanding for sth.’

jmdm. Verständnis entgegen*bringen ‘to show sb. understanding’

jmdm. etw. nach*fühlen/nach*empfinden ‘to understand sb.’s feelings’

sich in jmds. Lage (hinein*)versetzen ‘to put oneself in sb.’s position’

 See also^111 (pp. 393–400) on ‘Expressing happiness, fear and sadness’.

(a) To express sorrow at something, use

Es tut mir (wirklich) Leid.

I’m (really) sorry.

 See also 68.1a–b (p. 206) on ‘Apologizing and seeking forgiveness’.

(b) But with people use:

Er/Sie tut mir Leid.

I feel sorry for him/her.

Die Kinder tun mir Leid.

I feel sorry for the children.

Alternatively, ‘poor’ might be placed before the person or after du/Sie:

Der arme Willi!/Die arme Frau!

Poor Willi!/The poor woman!

 See 23.2g (p. 40) for the use of the definite article in German.

Du Arme(r)!/Sie Arme(r)!

Poor you.

 See 28.5 (p. 50) on adjectival nouns.

(c) There is a wide range of possible exclamations which convey sympathy. The most

common are:

Schade!

What a pity!

65

Expressing commiseration