Sorry in Japanese
Sorry in Japanese is ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) with people you know, or すみません (sumimasen), the everyday polite apology that also means excuse me. For a serious apology at work or to a customer, say 申し訳ありません (mōshiwake arimasen).
ごめんなさい
- Romaji
- gomen nasai
- Meaning
- sorry
Polite and casual
| Form | Who and when |
|---|---|
| ごめんgomenCasual | Sorry, to friends and family. |
| ごめんなさいgomen nasaiNeutral | A heartfelt sorry to people you know; what children say to adults. |
| すみませんsumimasenPolite | Sorry, excuse me, and thanks for the trouble: strangers, staff, coworkers. |
| 申し訳ありませんmōshiwake arimasenFormal | A serious apology: to a boss, a client, a customer. |
| 申し訳ございませんmōshiwake gozaimasenVery formal | The politest form: what shops, airlines and companies say to customers. |
When to use it
Learn すみません first. It apologizes when you bump into someone, calls a waiter (すみません!), and thanks someone who holds the elevator.
ごめんなさい is more personal: you hurt someone or let them down, and you mean it. With friends it shortens to ごめん or ごめんね.
For a mistake at work, use 申し訳ありません, usually with a bow. In shops and announcements you will hear 申し訳ございません.
When not to
ごめん to a boss or a customer sounds childish or careless.
すみません for a serious mistake can sound too light; say 申し訳ありません. And 申し訳ございません with friends sounds cold, like a company statement. More on levels of politeness in keigo.
Examples
すみません、駅はどこですか？
Reading: すみません、えきはどこですか？
Romaji: sumimasen, eki wa doko desu ka?
Excuse me, where is the station?
遅れてごめん！
Reading: おくれてごめん！
Romaji: okurete gomen!
Sorry I'm late!
本当にごめんなさい。
Reading: ほんとうにごめんなさい。
Romaji: hontō ni gomen nasai.
I'm really sorry.
ご迷惑をおかけして、申し訳ありません。
Reading: ごめいわくをおかけして、もうしわけありません。
Romaji: gomeiwaku o okake shite, mōshiwake arimasen.
I'm very sorry for the trouble I caused.
すみません、もう一度お願いします。
Reading: すみません、もういちどおねがいします。
Romaji: sumimasen, mō ichido onegaishimasu.
Sorry, could you say that again?
bunka · culture
Apologies smooth everyday life in Japan: as you pass in front of someone, an announcement when a train runs a few minutes late. A serious apology comes with a bow, and the deeper and longer the bow, the more serious the apology.
Common mistakes
- Saying ごめん to a teacher or a boss. Use すみません, or 申し訳ありません for something serious.
- Writing すいません. It is how すみません often sounds in speech, but in writing use すみません.
- Hearing すみません only as sorry. It is also excuse me and thank you; the moment tells you which.
Questions people ask
Say it out loud, with feedback
Knowing a phrase is not the same as saying it. In Naraio you practice phrases like these in short role plays with Hana, a tutor who listens, answers in natural Japanese and scores your pronunciation, and spaced reviews bring them back before they fade.