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How to Say ‘I'm very sorry.’ in Japanese

大変申し訳ございませんでした。

taihen moushiwake gozai mase n deshi ta

[TIE-hen moh-shee-WAH-keh goh-zah-ee mah-seh n deshi tah]

🇯🇵 In Japan: This is a very formal apology, the kind businesses give customers. Hearing it from a driver means he's taking real responsibility, and accepting it graciously is expected.

Phrase Breakdown

大変

taihen

[TIE-hen]

very; greatly

Adverb intensifying an apology or feeling.

Example

大変お世話になりました。

Thank you very much for everything.

申し訳

moushiwake

[moh-shee-WAH-keh]

excuse; apology

Formal word for an excuse; used in very polite apologies.

Example

申し訳ありません。

I'm very sorry.

ございませんでした。

gozai mase n deshi ta

there was none (very polite past negative)

Pronounced 'gozaimasen deshita'. It is the most polite past form, which makes the apology very formal.

Example

ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ございませんでした。

I am very sorry for the trouble I caused.

Words in this phrase

ござい

gozai

[goh-zah-ee]

to be; to exist (very polite)

A very polite version of あります, often used by staff in restaurants and hotels.

Example

駐車場がございます。

There is a parking lot.

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative (part of ません)

「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.

Example

はいていません。

I haven’t vomited.

ん

[n]

negative ending

The final sound completing the negative polite form.

Example

一人は魚が食べられません。

One person cannot eat fish.

でし

deshi

[deshi]

was

Past tense form of 'desu'.

Example

昨日は雨でした。

It was rainy yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

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