🇯🇵 Japanese phrases
How to say “Sorry” in Japanese
すみません
sumimasen
Literally: it does not end (my debt to you)neutral
The all-purpose apology for small things, and it can also mean "excuse me" or even "thank you (for the trouble)". For a real apology use ごめんなさい with friends or 申し訳ありません in formal and business settings.
Other ways to say it
| Japanese | Pronunciation | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ごめんなさい | gomen nasai | I'm sorry | Sincere personal apology, to friends and family |
| ごめん | gomen | sorry | Casual, with close friends |
| 申し訳ありません | mōshiwake arimasen | I have no excuse | Formal or business apology, to customers or superiors |
In a sentence
遅れてすみません。
Okurete sumimasen.
Sorry I'm late.
More Japanese phrases
HelloこんにちはGoodbyeさようならThank youありがとうございますPleaseお願いしますExcuse meすみませんYesはいNoいいえGood morningおはようございますGood eveningこんばんはGood nightおやすみなさいHow are you?お元気ですか？My name is…私は…ですNice to meet youはじめましてI love you好きだよI miss you会いたいHappy birthdayお誕生日おめでとうございますCheers!乾杯！Enjoy your mealいただきますWelcomeようこそCongratulationsおめでとうございますHappy New YearあけましておめでとうございますI don't understandわかりませんDo you speak English?英語を話せますか？How much is it?いくらですか？Where is the toilet?トイレはどこですか？Help!助けて！BeautifulきれいFriend友達See you laterまたね
“Sorry” in other languages
🇬🇪 Georgianბოდიშიbodishi🇪🇸 SpanishLo sientoloh SYEHN-toh🇫🇷 FrenchPardonpar-DOHN🇩🇪 GermanEntschuldigungent-SHOOL-dee-goong🇮🇹 ItalianScusaSKOO-zah🇧🇷 Brazilian PortugueseDesculpajis-KOOL-pah🇷🇺 RussianИзвинитеizvinite🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese对不起duìbuqǐ🇰🇷 Korean죄송합니다joesonghamnida🇸🇦 Arabicآسفasif🇦🇲 ArmenianՆերեցեքneretsek🇦🇿 AzerbaijaniÜzr istəyirəmewzr ees-ta-yee-ram🇮🇷 Persianببخشیدbebakhshid🇹🇭 Thaiขอโทษkho thot🇻🇳 VietnameseXin lỗisin loy🇺🇦 UkrainianВибачтеvybachte🇷🇸 SerbianИзвинитеizvinite🇬🇷 GreekΣυγγνώμηsighnómi🇮🇱 Hebrewסליחהslicha