Sei nicht böse, ich komme später.

to be

Breakdown of Sei nicht böse, ich komme später.

• kommen: to come
• ich: I
• nicht: not

Questions & Answers about Sei nicht böse, ich komme später.

Why is it Sei and not Bist?

Because this is the imperative of sein (to be), which is irregular. Imperative forms:

• du: sei
• ihr: seid
• Sie: Seien Sie Bist is indicative (“you are”), not a command form.

How do I say this to more than one person or formally?

• Informal plural: Seid nicht böse, ich komme später.
• Formal (one or more people): Seien Sie nicht böse, ich komme später.

Does böse mean “evil” here?

No. In this context böse means “angry,” “mad,” or “upset.” It can mean “evil” in other contexts, but with people’s feelings (e.g., böse auf mich) it means “angry.”

Is Sei mir nicht böse the same as Sei nicht böse?

Close, but Sei mir nicht böse specifically means “Don’t be mad at me.” The dative mir is idiomatic here. Another explicit option is Sei nicht böse auf mich (note: auf + Akkusativ, not “mit mir”).

Why is there a comma before ich komme später? Could it be two sentences?