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How to Say ‘Sorry to bother you when you're busy.’ in Japanese

お忙しいところ、すみませんでした。

o isogashii tokoro sumi mase n deshi ta

[oh ee-soh-gah-shee toh-koh-roh soo-mee mah-seh n desh ta]

🇯🇵 In Japan: This set phrase is the polite way to wrap up after taking a colleague's time, especially someone senior. Leaving with just ありがとう can feel abrupt in a Japanese office.

Phrase Breakdown

お忙しいところ、

o isogashii tokoro

while you are busy

This polite opener recognizes the listener's busy schedule.

Example

お忙しいところ、失礼します。

Excuse me for interrupting while you're busy.

Words in this phrase

お

[oh]

honorific prefix

Makes 荷物 more polite in customer service language.

Example

おを付けると丁寧です。

Adding お makes it polite.

忙しい

isogashii

[ee-soh-gah-shee]

busy

An i-adjective meaning busy, often used for work or schedules.

Example

今週は仕事が忙しいです。

Work is busy this week.

ところ

tokoro

[toh-koh-roh]

place; spot; point (in time/situation)

Means a place/spot. In soccer: an open spot, a good position, or an area to receive a pass.

Example

パスをもらえるところに行こう。

Let’s go to a spot where you can receive a pass.

すみませんでした。

sumi mase n deshi ta

I'm sorry (for taking your time)

This is a past-tense apology for the trouble already caused.

Example

ご迷惑をかけて、すみませんでした。

I'm sorry for the trouble.

Words in this phrase

すみ

sumi

[soo-mee]

excuse me; sorry

A polite attention-getter and light apology. Used to call a pharmacist/staff or to be polite before asking for help.

Example

すみません、薬剤師さん。

Excuse me, pharmacist.

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative (part of ません)

「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.

Example

はいていません。

I haven’t vomited.

ん

[n]

negative ending

The final sound completing the negative polite form.

Example

一人は魚が食べられません。

One person cannot eat fish.

でし

deshi

[desh]

was (polite) (part of でした)

でし is part of でした, the polite past form of です. It helps make a polite question about the past.

Example

もうけっかはでしったと聞きましたか。

Have you already heard that the results were out?

た

[ta]

past tense ending

This marks the action as completed in the past.

Example

スタッフが来ました。

The staff member came.

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