German · Real conversations
How to say “I'm afraid I can't make it.” in German
Tell someone politely that you will not be able to attend.
Leider kann ich nicht kommen.
I'm afraid I can't make it.
Acknowledge the invitation or arrangement and make the cancellation clear.
Use it in three situations
Canceling a visit
Leider kann ich nicht kommen.
I'm afraid I can't make it.
Declining an event
Leider schaffe ich es heute Abend nicht.
I'm afraid I can't make it tonight.
Explaining a missed meetup
Leider schaffe ich es am Freitag nicht.
I'm afraid I can't make it on Friday.
What to watch for
'I'm afraid' expresses regret here; a literal statement about fear can change the meaning.
Read the whole expression before replacing a detail. The natural wording may use a different order or construction from the English sentence.
Your turn
Imagine changing plans. Say this in German: I'm afraid I can't make it tonight.
Reveal a sample reply
Leider schaffe ich es heute Abend nicht.
I'm afraid I can't make it tonight.
Build a useful exchange
Explain a change and offer a clear next step.
This expression in other languages
A note on speaking German
Use Sie for formal address and du with people you address informally. Könnten Sie …? is a useful polite request. Keep noun capitals and the verb position shown in each complete sentence.
The examples preserve German accents and ß. Read a full sentence before replacing a detail: a subordinate clause can move the verb to the end, and case can change an article or pronoun.
