How to Say Sorry in Japanese
Say "gomen nasai" (ごめんなさい)., Say "sumimasen" (すみません)., Say "shitsurei shimasu" (失礼します) or "shitsurei shimashita" (失礼しました) for slightly less formal situations., Say "moushiwake arimasen" (申し訳ありません) for formal situations.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Say "gomen nasai" (ごめんなさい).
Saying "gomen nasai" is an informal way of apologizing, used for friends.
It's said as "go-MEN-naH-SAI".
More informally, you can say "gomen" (ごめん) or "gomen ne/na" (ごめんね/ごめんな), which are pronounced the same way as the "gomen" in "gomen nasai". "Gomen na" is a casual way for a man or boy to apologize to his friends and is never used by women. -
Step 2: Say "sumimasen" (すみません).
This is more often used as something more similar to "excuse me"
but is still classed as an apology
- for example, if you bump into someone on the street.
Pronounce it as "sue-me-MAH-sen"., This is often translated as "pardon me"
but it actually would literally mean "allow me to bother you"
and is a step up from "sumimasen".
Pronounce this as "SHE-tsu-ray-shi-MAS" or "SHE-tsu-ray-shi-MA-she-ta".
While this saying is fairly polite, you can be even more polite by saying "shitsurei itashimasu" (失礼いたします).
This is said as "SHE-tsu-ray-e-ta-shi-mas".
If you're having trouble with the "tsu" part, think of how the name of a breed of dog, the Shih Tzu, is pronounced.
Instead of making the sharp "tzu" sound, soften the sound a bit so it's more of a "tsu". , In a case where you're apologizing to someone like your boss or someone who is higher up, you would say this.
It is said as "MO-she-wah-keh-ah-REE-ma-SEN". -
Step 3: Say "shitsurei shimasu" (失礼します) or "shitsurei shimashita" (失礼しました) for slightly less formal situations.
-
Step 4: Say "moushiwake arimasen" (申し訳ありません) for formal situations.
Detailed Guide
Saying "gomen nasai" is an informal way of apologizing, used for friends.
It's said as "go-MEN-naH-SAI".
More informally, you can say "gomen" (ごめん) or "gomen ne/na" (ごめんね/ごめんな), which are pronounced the same way as the "gomen" in "gomen nasai". "Gomen na" is a casual way for a man or boy to apologize to his friends and is never used by women.
This is more often used as something more similar to "excuse me"
but is still classed as an apology
- for example, if you bump into someone on the street.
Pronounce it as "sue-me-MAH-sen"., This is often translated as "pardon me"
but it actually would literally mean "allow me to bother you"
and is a step up from "sumimasen".
Pronounce this as "SHE-tsu-ray-shi-MAS" or "SHE-tsu-ray-shi-MA-she-ta".
While this saying is fairly polite, you can be even more polite by saying "shitsurei itashimasu" (失礼いたします).
This is said as "SHE-tsu-ray-e-ta-shi-mas".
If you're having trouble with the "tsu" part, think of how the name of a breed of dog, the Shih Tzu, is pronounced.
Instead of making the sharp "tzu" sound, soften the sound a bit so it's more of a "tsu". , In a case where you're apologizing to someone like your boss or someone who is higher up, you would say this.
It is said as "MO-she-wah-keh-ah-REE-ma-SEN".
About the Author
Kathryn Campbell
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: