How to Say ‘I'm sorry.’ in Japanese
ごめんなさい。
gomen nasai
[goh-men nah-sai]
🇯🇵 In Japan: [ごめんなさい] is natural but fairly personal and not especially formal. In service situations with strangers, [すみません] often fits better unless you are clearly apologizing for something.
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 forgive me (apology ending)
Completes ごめんなさい, making the apology sound softer and fuller.
ごめんなさい。と素直に言いました。
I honestly said, “I’m sorry.”
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