How do you say "Excuse me." in Japanese?

"Excuse me." in Japanese is "すみません。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘Excuse me.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "すみません。" mean in English?

"すみません。" means "Excuse me." in English. Usage tip: Super useful all-purpose phrase: use it to get attention, apologize lightly, or say “thanks for your trouble.” Softer than shouting “Hey!”

すみません。

sumi mase n

[soo-mee mah-seh n]

💬 Usage Tip: Super useful all-purpose phrase: use it to get attention, apologize lightly, or say “thanks for your trouble.” Softer than shouting “Hey!”

🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, starting with [すみません] before a question is very normal and polite—especially when asking directions.

Phrase Breakdown

すみ

sumi

[soo-mee]

excuse me; sorry (polite)

First part of すみません. Used to get someone’s attention (e.g., before asking directions) or to apologize politely.

Example

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) ‘-masen’ negative ending (part of すみません)

Second part of すみません (すみ + ません). Together it becomes a fixed polite phrase meaning “Excuse me / I’m sorry.”

Example

ませ、すみませんが今お時間ありますか。

Excuse me, do you have a moment now?

ん

[n]

final ‘n’ sound (part of すみません)

The last sound in すみません. It completes the fixed phrase; you don’t use ん alone here.

Example

ん、すみません、もう一度お願いします。

Um—excuse me, could you say that one more time?

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