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How do you say sorry <\/em>if you make a faux pas in Japan? Japanese people will say sorry<\/em> when they feel they\u2019ve done something wrong, when they want to correct an inconvenience\u2014and even when they want to say thank you<\/em><\/a>! Apologizing properly is vital in Japan. Some of you might already know the words \u3059\u307f\u307e\u305b\u3093 (sumimasen<\/em>) and \u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044 (gomen nasai<\/em>). These are a good place to start, but there are many layers to the etiquette for saying sorry<\/em> in Japanese. In this article, we\u2019ll look at the many ways to say sorry <\/em>in Japanese, as well as when to use which words. Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n Before we get into the different words for saying sorry<\/em> in Japanese, it\u2019s important to understand that the Japanese language has several levels of formality<\/a>. If you wish to apologize more casually, it\u2019s better to use either casual Japanese or \u4e01\u5be7\u8a9e (teinigo<\/em>) (\u201cpolite\u201d Japanese).<\/p>\n On the other hand, saying sorry<\/em> in Japanese \u5c0a\u656c\u8a9e (sonkeigo<\/em>) or \u8b19\u8b72\u8a9e (kenjougo<\/em>) (\u201crespectful\u201d or \u201chumble\u201d forms) will come across as more intense. As you consider which of the following words you want to use in your apology, be sure to think about how deeply<\/strong> you want to say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n We will be listing these phrases for sorry<\/em> in order from most respectful Japanese to most casual.<\/p>\n \u7533\u3057\u8a33\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093 (moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em>) is the humblest way to say sorry<\/em> in Japanese. It is often accompanied by a deep bow or even a \u571f\u4e0b\u5ea7 (dogeza<\/em>)<\/a>. Moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em> literally translates to there is no excuse. <\/em>Should you find yourself using this phrase to say sorry<\/em>, it will probably only be in conversation with a superior or with a customer of your own.<\/p>\n If you want to use this phrase to say an emphatic sorry<\/em> to a friend, you can say: \u7533\u3057\u8a33\u306a\u3044 (moushi wake nai<\/em>). The meaning remains the same, but the casual form makes it more natural for a conversation within your social circle or age group.<\/p>\n \u304a\u8a6b\u3073 (owabi<\/em>) is the Japanese word for sorry<\/em> that made international news in 1995<\/a> when Japanese PM Tomiichi Murayama apologized for Japan\u2019s offenses in World War II. Owabi<\/em> literally means apology<\/em>. If you are using this word to say sorry in a formal situation, you would either say \u304a\u8a6b\u3073\u3044\u305f\u3057\u307e\u3059 (owabi itashimasu<\/em>) or \u304a\u8a6b\u3073\u7533\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u307e\u3059 (owabi moushi agemasu<\/em>). Unlike moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em>, this is a strictly formal way to say sorry <\/em>in Japanese. There is no informal way to use the word owabi<\/em>.<\/p>\n When writing a letter of apology, you will want to use the phrase \u8b1d\u7f6a\u3044\u305f\u3057\u307e\u3059 (shazai itashimasu<\/em>). Using a letter or an email to say sorry<\/em> is quite common in Japanese culture. Shazai itashimasu<\/em> may come in handy if you decide to study in a Japanese university or work at a Japanese company. The phrase means, I apologize<\/em>. It is formal and should be kept that way in the context of writing your apology.<\/p>\n The phrases \u53cd\u7701\u3057\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059 (hansei shite orimasu<\/em>) and \u5f8c\u6094\u3057\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059 (koukai shite orimasu<\/em>) are heartfelt but polite ways to say sorry<\/em> in Japanese. They have less of a corporate stiffness to them and are often used by famous figures wishing to apologize for public indecency or for committing a crime.<\/p>\n Technically, both of these phrase can be made less formal by replacing –shite orimasu<\/em> with -shite imasu<\/em>. However, they are rarely used in informal situations.<\/p>\n The apology \u304a\u8a31\u3057\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044 (o yurushi kudasai<\/em>) can either stand alone or come coupled with one of the previous phrases for sorry <\/em>in Japanese. As we might say in English, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, please forgive me,\u201d o yurushi kudasai<\/em> might come after an I\u2019m sorry<\/em> phrase like moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em>. It literally means, Please forgive me <\/em>in Japanese. <\/em><\/p>\n This can be both a formal and informal way to say sorry<\/em>. If you want to use it to apologize to a friend or peer, you would say \u8a31\u3057\u3066\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044 (yurushite kudasai<\/em>). Even in its casual form, o yurushi kudasai<\/em> is still a bit heavier than apologies like gomen nasai <\/em>and sumimasen<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044 (gomen nasai<\/em>) is the textbook Japanese phrase for I\u2019m sorry<\/em>. If you\u2019re unsure about how to say sorry<\/em> in Japanese, gomen nasai<\/em> is your best choice. It is acceptable in both formal and informal situations.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re saying sorry<\/em> casually, you can shorten gomen nasai<\/em> to gomen ne <\/em>or even to gomen<\/em>. This has a friendly nuance to it, so only use it with your friends and peers.<\/p>\n \u60aa\u3044 (warui<\/em>) is a very casual way to say sorry <\/em>in Japanese. You would only use warui<\/em> to apologize to your friends and peers, and even then, you wouldn\u2019t use this apology for a serious matter. For example, if you stepped on your friend\u2019s toe, you would apologize by saying, Warui, ne!<\/em> Warui<\/em> can be used for a past offense; just say Waru<\/em>katta<\/em><\/strong> to imply that you are saying sorry for something that happened a while ago.<\/p>\n The Japanese phrase \u7a7a\u6c17\u3092\u8aad\u3080 (kuuki o yomu<\/em>) or \u201cread the air\u201d<\/a> sums up Japan\u2019s ideas on inconveniencing others: keep a constant eye out so that you don\u2019t<\/strong> inconvenience others. If you do happen to inconvenience someone in Japan, however, here are some ways to say sorry<\/em> in Japanese!<\/p>\n While the phrase may seem a bit of a mouthful, \u3054\u8ff7\u60d1\u3092\u304a\u304b\u3051\u3057\u3066\u7533\u3057\u8a33\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093 (go meiwaku o okake shite moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em>) is an incredibly common Japanese workplace phrase for saying sorry<\/em>. It\u2019s more of a formal greeting used in emails and service announcements than an actual apology. For example, if your water company left a notice that they would be turning off your water for some construction, they would close with, Go meiwaku o okake shite moushi wake gozaimasen.<\/em> The phrase literally translates to, I have no excuse for causing you this trouble.<\/em><\/p>\n The phrase \u5931\u793c\u3057\u307e\u3059 (shitsurei shimasu<\/em>) literally translates to, I\u2019m being rude. <\/em>There are many different ways to use shitsurei shimasu. <\/em>If you want to use this phrase to say sorry<\/em>, it\u2019s best to use it in the past tense: shitsurei <\/em>shimashita<\/em><\/strong> means, I\u2019m sorry, that was rude <\/em>in Japanese. <\/em>You would use this apology if you accidentally did something rude at dinner or bumped into someone on the street.<\/p>\n Another interesting use for the phrase shitsurei shimasu<\/em> is when entering an office of one\u2019s superior. When your knock is answered, it\u2019s important to say, \u201c\u5931\u793c\u3057\u307e\u3059\uff01\u201d when entering and, \u201c\u5931\u793c\u3057\u307e\u3057\u305f!\u201d <\/strong>when leaving. Finally, when leaving your workplace at the end of the day, be sure to say, \u201c\u304a\u5148\u306b\u5931\u793c\u3057\u307e\u3059\u201d (O saki ni shitsurei shimasu<\/em>), or, \u201cSorry for leaving before everyone else!\u201d<\/p>\n \u304a\u90aa\u9b54\u3057\u307e\u3059 (o jama shimasu<\/em>) is similar in meaning to shitsurei shimasu<\/em>. This is technically an apology (it means, Forgive me for intruding<\/em>), but Japanese people use it when they are visiting another person\u2019s home or office room. Even though visiting your friend who invited you is not technically wrong, it happens to be one of those things that people apologize for doing in Japan\u2014and o jama shimasu<\/em> is the apology to use!<\/p>\n When leaving the room or house you visited, be sure to say, o jama <\/em>shimashita<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>This is the same phrase, but simply in the past tense.<\/p>\n Another well-known Japanese apology, \u3059\u307f\u307e\u305b\u3093 (sumimasen<\/em>) is especially useful if you\u2019re in a rush and bump into somebody, or perhaps if you are trying to apologize quickly to someone you don\u2019t know very well. Sumimasen<\/em> translates to Excuse me<\/em> in English, and it should be used in the same types of scenarios in which one would say, Excuse me.<\/em><\/p>\n As with gomen nasai<\/em>, sumimasen<\/em> is a fairly versatile way to say sorry<\/em> in Japanese. It can be used in both formal and informal situations. If you want to make this apology a bit more heartfelt, you can add \u5927\u5909 (taihen<\/em>) before it. Taihen sumimasen<\/em> means, Please excuse me. <\/em>On the other hand, shortening sumimasen<\/em> to sumanai<\/em> or suman<\/em> makes the apology more casual and light-hearted. It\u2019s important to remember that this casual version of sumimasen<\/em> has a masculine nuance to it, however.<\/p>\n Several of the words for sorry <\/em>in Japanese that we\u2019ve listed in this article are also used to say thank you!<\/em> Those apologies are:<\/p>\n Any of these phrases, when used upon receiving a favor or a gift, mean thank you<\/em> in the sense that you are sorry that the other person went out of their way to do such a thing for you. This might seem odd to people from different cultures, but in Japan, it is considered to be very good manners. Don\u2019t be afraid to say Thank you<\/em> by saying Sorry<\/em> in Japanese!<\/p>\n If you’d like to learn more about ways to say thank you<\/em> in Japanese, see our blog post Saying \u201cThank You\u201d in Japanese: Politeness, Formality and Useful Phrases<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Saying sorry <\/em>properly is important in Japanese culture, and there are many ways that you can do so. The weight of your apology will depend not only on the phrase you choose, but also on your tone and body language.<\/a> When in doubt, however, you can always say gomen nasai <\/em>or sumimasen!<\/em><\/p>\n Clozemaster\u00a0<\/strong>has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With\u00a0features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in Japanese.<\/p>\nSaying Sorry<\/em> for a Mistake<\/h2>\n
\u7533\u3057\u8a33\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002(moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em>) \u2013 What I did was inexcusable.<\/h3>\n
\u304a\u8a6b\u3073\u7533\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u307e\u3059\u3002 (owabi moushi agemasu<\/em>) \u2013 I apologize.<\/h3>\n
\u8b1d\u7f6a\u3044\u305f\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002(shazai itashimasu<\/em>) \u2013 I apologize (written).<\/h3>\n
\u53cd\u7701\u30fb\u5f8c\u6094\u3057\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002 (hansei\u30fbkoukai shite orimasu<\/em>) \u2013 I regret what I have done.<\/h3>\n
\u304a\u8a31\u3057\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\u3002 (o yurushi kudasai<\/em>) \u2013 Please forgive me.<\/h3>\n
\u3054\u3081\u3093\u306a\u3055\u3044\u3002(gomen nasai<\/em>) \u2013 I\u2019m sorry.<\/h3>\n
\u60aa\u3044\u3002(warui<\/em>) \u2013 My bad.<\/h3>\n
![\"Japanese](\"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/3552499_l-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nApologizing for an Inconvenience<\/h2>\n
\u3054\u8ff7\u60d1\u3092\u304a\u304b\u3051\u3057\u3066\u7533\u3057\u8a33\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002 (go meiwaku o okake shite moushi wake gozaimasen<\/em>) \u2013 I\u2019m sorry for this inconvenience.<\/h3>\n
\u5931\u793c\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002 (shitsurei shimasu<\/em>) \u2013 Pardon me.<\/h3>\n
\u304a\u90aa\u9b54\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002(O jama shimasu<\/em>) \u2013 Pardon the intrusion.<\/h3>\n
\u3059\u307f\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002 (sumimasen<\/em>) \u2013 Excuse me.<\/h3>\n
![\"Japanese](\"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/544822_l-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nApologizing to Say Thank You<\/em><\/h2>\n
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Saying Sorry in Japanese \u2013 Conclusion<\/h2>\n
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