Beklage ('to regret, to be sorry, to complain') is a weak verb that English speakers consistently mishandle because it covers two ideas English keeps apart: a formal expression of regret ('I'm sorry that…', 'we regret that…') and — when reflexive — the act of complaining. On top of that, it competes with undskylde ('apologise') and brokke sig ('gripe'), and choosing the wrong one shifts both your meaning and your register.
Principal parts
Beklage is weak and regular: past -ede, participle -et.
| Form | Danish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | (at) beklage | to regret / be sorry |
| Present | beklager | regret(s) |
| Past | beklagede | regretted |
| Past participle | beklaget | regretted |
| Present perfect | har beklaget | have regretted |
| Imperative | beklag | regret! / be sorry! |
The perfect auxiliary is har: beklage is an action (expressing regret, or complaining), not a change of state, so it is har beklaget, never er beklaget.
Beklage — express regret / apologise formally
In its core, non-reflexive use, beklage means to be sorry about something. It is noticeably more formal than undskylde and is the verb of choice for institutions, businesses, and written apologies.
Det beklager jeg meget.
I'm very sorry about that.
Vi beklager de gener, forsinkelsen har medført.
We apologise for the inconvenience the delay has caused.
Han beklagede dybt, at sagen var endt sådan.
He deeply regretted that the matter had ended that way.
The fixed phrase Det beklager jeg is the standard, slightly formal way to say 'I'm sorry about that' — for instance when delivering bad news or acknowledging a fault. You can also beklage noget directly: Jeg beklager fejlen ('I'm sorry for the mistake').
Beklage sig (over) — complain
Add the reflexive sig and the meaning flips entirely: beklage sig means to complain. What you complain about takes over.
Gæsterne beklagede sig over støjen fra køkkenet.
The guests complained about the noise from the kitchen.
Du beklager dig altid over vejret.
You always complain about the weather.
Flere medarbejdere har beklaget sig over den nye chef.
Several employees have complained about the new boss.
The reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject: jeg beklager mig, du beklager dig, han/hun/de beklager sig, vi beklager os, I beklager jer.
Register: beklage vs. undskylde vs. brokke sig
These three sit on a scale of formality. Undskylde ('apologise') is the neutral, everyday verb you use when you personally bump into someone or arrive late — Undskyld, jeg kommer for sent ('Sorry I'm late') (informal/neutral). Beklage is a notch up in formality and is preferred in writing, customer service, and official statements (formal). For complaining, beklage sig over is the standard, fairly neutral verb, while brokke sig (over) means to gripe or grumble and is decidedly colloquial (informal).
Undskyld, det var min fejl.
Sorry, that was my fault.
Han brokker sig over alting — det er trættende.
He grumbles about everything — it's exhausting.
The adjective beklageligt ('regrettable, unfortunate') and the noun en beklagelse ('an apology, an expression of regret') belong to the same family and appear often in formal contexts: Det er meget beklageligt ('That is most regrettable').
Why English speakers stumble here
English has no single word that simultaneously means 'regret', 'apologise (formally)', and — with a reflexive — 'complain'. English keeps these as three separate verbs, so when learners meet beklage they tend to lock onto one translation and use it everywhere. The danger is the reflexive: because English "I'm sorry" and "I complain" share no surface form, learners do not feel the difference that sig makes, and they slip in or drop it at random. The safest mental rule is that beklage without sig always points outward (you are sorry about something), while beklage sig always points to the speaker's grievance (you are airing a complaint).
There is also a register trap. Because beklage is the verb plastered across signs, emails, and corporate apologies, learners assume it is the default everyday "sorry". It is not — in face-to-face life Danes say undskyld. Reserve beklage for written or formal contexts, or for softening bad news, where it sounds appropriately measured rather than stiff.
Vi beklager, men butikken er lukket på grund af inventering.
We're sorry, but the shop is closed for stocktaking.
Der er ingen grund til at beklage sig — vi gør, hvad vi kan.
There's no reason to complain — we're doing what we can.
Common mistakes
❌ Jeg beklager mig for forsinkelsen.
Incorrect — to apologise, use 'beklage' without 'sig'; 'beklage sig' means to complain.
✅ Jeg beklager forsinkelsen.
I'm sorry for the delay.
❌ Gæsterne beklagede støjen til personalet.
Incorrect — to complain you need the reflexive 'sig' and the preposition 'over'.
✅ Gæsterne beklagede sig over støjen til personalet.
The guests complained to the staff about the noise.
❌ Beklag, jeg kommer for sent.
Incorrect — the everyday apology before a person is 'Undskyld', not 'Beklag'.
✅ Undskyld, jeg kommer for sent.
Sorry I'm late.
❌ Firmaet beklagde fejlen.
Incorrect — 'beklage' is weak; the past is 'beklagede', not 'beklagde'.
✅ Firmaet beklagede fejlen.
The company apologised for the mistake.
❌ Vi er beklaget de gener.
Incorrect — 'beklage' takes 'har', not 'er'.
✅ Vi har beklaget de gener.
We have apologised for the inconvenience.
Key takeaways
- Principal parts: beklage – beklager – beklagede – har beklaget; weak (-ede / -et), auxiliary har.
- Without sig: express regret / apologise formally (Det beklager jeg) — more formal than undskylde.
- With sig
- over: complain (beklage sig over noget) — neutral; brokke sig is the colloquial 'gripe'.
- The reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject (mig / dig / sig / os / jer).
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