Many ways for you to say "I'm sorry" in Japanese
The most polite way to say I'm sorry is to say "すみません(sumimasen) or すいません(suimasen).
Another basic Japanese word for offering an apology is "ごめん(gomen)".
The Japanese typically apologize more frequently.
This results from cultural differences between them.Apologizing is considered a virtue in Japan.
When apologizing the Japanese often bow.
If you are apologizing that something has been done, "申し訳ありませんでした(moushiwake arimasen deshita)" can be used.
Like "すみません(sumimasen)", "申し訳ありません(or ございません）Moushiwake arimasen(or gozaimasen)" is also used to express gratitude.
Here are some expressions used to apologize.
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| I'm sorry | ごめん gomen |
| ごめんなさい(polite) gomen nasai |
|
| すまん suman |
|
| すみません/すいません(polite) sumimasen/suimasen |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| I'm very(so)sorry | どうもすみません。 doumo sumimasen. |
If you are apologizing that something has been done, どうもすみませんでした。doumo sumimasen deshita |
|
| 申し訳ありません。/申し訳ございません。 moushiwake arimasen/moushiwake gozaimasen |
|
If you are apologizing that something has been done, 申し訳ありませんでした。/申し訳ございませんでした。moushiwake arimasen deshita/moushiwake gozaimasen deshita |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, I said too much. |
言いすぎてごめん。 iisugite gomen |
| I'm sorry, I said too much. |
言いすぎてごめんなさい。 iisugite sumimasen. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, I didn't it(that). | ごめん、そんなつもりじゃなかったんだ。 gomen, sonna tsumorija nakattanda. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, if I'm wrong. | ちがってたらごめん。 chigattetara gomen. |
| I'm sorry, if I'm wrong. | ちがってたらごめんなさい。 chigattetara gomen nasai. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, if I'm mistaken. | まちがってたらごめん。 machigatte tara gomen. |
| I'm sorry, if I'm mistaken. | まちがってたらごめんなさい。 machigatte tara gomen nasai. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, my bad. | ごめんごめん、私のミス。 gomen gomen, watashi no misu. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| I'm sorry [Sorry], I was wrong. | ごめんなさい[ごめん]、私がまちがってた。 gomennasai[gomen], watashi ga warukatta. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, I'm late. | 遅れてごめん。 okurete gomen. |
| I'm sorry, I'm late. | 遅れてごめんなさい。 okurete sumimasen. |
English |
Japanese & Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Sorry, I bothered you. | じゃましてごめん。 jama shite gomen. |
| I'm sorry, I bothered you. | じゃましてごめんなさい。 jama shite sumimasen. |
Hararie
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