How to Say ‘Sorry’ in Japanese
ごめんなさい
gomen nasai
[goh-men nah-SAI]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Fine for personal apologies, but at work or to customers すみません or 申し訳ありません "I'm very sorry" is expected.
Phrase Breakdown
ごめん
gomen
[goh-men]
sorry
Casual-to-polite apology, a bit more personal than すみません.
ごめんなさい。と先に謝りました。
I first said, “I’m sorry.”
なさい
nasai
[nah-SAI]
please do (polite command)
Polite imperative of 'to do'; attached here to make an apology more polite.
しずかに しなさい。
Please be quiet.
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