How to Say ‘Excuse me’ in Japanese
すみません
sumi mase n
[sue-mee mah-seh n]
Phrase Breakdown
すみ
sumi
[sue-mee]
excuse
A stem used in polite expressions like apologies or getting someone's attention.
すみません、コンサートのチケットについて聞きたいです。
Excuse me, I would like to ask about the concert tickets.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite negative/formal part
This part helps form a very polite expression in すみません.
すみません、S席はありますか。
Excuse me, are there S seats available?
ん
n
[n]
n
The final sound in すみません that completes the polite expression.
すみません、A席の値段はいくらですか。
Excuse me, how much is the A-seat price?
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