condolences
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condolences
The sympathy and compassion that one expresses toward someone who has suffered a serious loss, especially a death.
Ich möchte Ihnen mein herzliches Beileid zum Tod Ihrer Mutter aussprechen.
I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to you on the death of your mother.
The word is made up of the preposition 'bei' (with/by) and the noun 'Leid' (sorrow, pain). So it literally expresses that you are with someone in their sorrow and feel compassion.
Er hat mir geschrieben, um mir sein Beileid zu schicken.
He wrote to me to send me his condolences.
'Beileid' (condolences) is almost always used with certain verbs. Typical formal expressions are 'sein Beileid aussprechen' (to express one's condolences), 'sein Beileid bekunden' (to convey one's condolences), or 'sein Beileid übermitteln' (to send one's condolences).
Der Bundespräsident sprach den Hinterbliebenen sein tiefes Beileid aus.
The Federal President expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved.
The person to whom you offer condolences is always in the dative. So you express your condolences to 'jemandem' (someone, dative).
Wir möchten der ganzen Familie unser herzliches Beileid aussprechen.
We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the whole family.
In a direct, personal situation, you can also simply say 'Mein Beileid!' (My condolences!). This is a shortened but very common form of condolence.
Als er mir die Hand schüttelte, sagte er nur: „Mein Beileid!“
As he shook my hand, he simply said, 'My condolences!'
compassion
„Mitgefühl“ and „Beileid“ express sympathy for another person's suffering. However, „Beileid“ is specifically used to express sympathy after a serious loss, especially a death, while „Mitgefühl“ is also appropriate for illness or other problems. Choose „Beileid“ when someone has died.
Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter sprach ich meiner Nachbarin mein Beileid aus.
After her mother died, I expressed my condolences to my neighbor.
Nach der schweren Operation zeigte ich meiner Nachbarin mein Mitgefühl.
After the difficult operation, I showed my neighbor my compassion.
