How to Say ‘Excuse me, do you have a moment?’ in Japanese
すみません、ちょっといいですか。
sumi mase n chotto ii desu ka
[soo-mee mah-seh n choht-toh ee deh-soo kah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Opening with this before your actual question is the polite norm, and most people in Japan will stop and try to help even if their English is limited.
Phrase Breakdown
すみません、
sumi mase n
Excuse me,
An opening to get a stranger's attention. Pause briefly after it.
すみません、トイレはどこですか。
Excuse me, where is the restroom?
Words in this phrase
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse me; sorry
Used to politely get someone’s attention (like “Excuse me”) or to apologize lightly. Common when asking for directions.
すみません、地下鉄の駅はどこですか。
Excuse me, where is the subway station?
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite negative (part of ません)
「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.
はいていません。
I haven’t vomited.
ん
n
[n]
negative ending
The final sound completing the negative polite form.
一人は魚が食べられません。
One person cannot eat fish.
ちょっといいですか。
chotto ii desu ka
do you have a moment?
'Chotto' means 'a little', and 'ii desu ka' means 'is it okay?'. Together they politely ask for a moment of someone's time.
ちょっといいですか。質問があります。
Do you have a moment? I have a question.
Words in this phrase
ちょっと
chotto
[choht-toh]
a little; a bit
A very common adverb meaning “a little” or “a bit,” often used to soften statements.
ちょっと静かな場所がいいです。
A slightly quieter place would be nice.
いい
ii
[ee]
good; okay
A common word for something being good, fine, or acceptable.
その形でいいです。
That shape is fine.
です
desu
[deh-soo]
is; polite copula
です makes a sentence polite and neutral. With a place + は + noun, it states/asks what something is or where it is.
ここは地下鉄の駅です。
This is the subway station.
か
ka
[kah]
question particle
「か」で依頼を質問の形にします。語尾を上げると自然です。
手順を説明してもらえますか。
Could you explain the procedure?
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