How to Say ‘Sorry for not saying it’ in Japanese
言わなくてすみません
iwa naku te sumi mase n
[ee-wah nah-koo teh soo-mee mah-seh n]
💬 Usage Tip: [言わなくてすみません] means "sorry for not saying it." The [なくてすみません] pattern is very useful: [持ってなくてすみません] "sorry I don't have it," [遅くなってすみません] is a similar apology pattern.
Phrase Breakdown
言わ
iwa
[ee-wah]
not say; did not say
Negative stem of 言う, used here in an apology for not saying something.
最初に言わなくてすみません。
I'm sorry I didn't say it at the beginning.
なく
naku
[nah-koo]
not
Negative connector attached to verbs, leading into a reason or apology.
言わなくて後で困りました。
Because I didn't say it, I had trouble later.
て
te
[teh]
and; because
Te-form connector; in this pattern it links to an apology expression.
言わなくてすみませんでした。
I'm sorry I didn't say it.
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
sorry
Part of すみません, a common polite apology or excuse me.
すみません、現金しかありません。
Sorry, I only have cash.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite negative part
Middle part of すみません, forming the polite apology expression.
すみませんと先に言いました。
I said 'sorry' first.
ん
n
[n]
negative ending
Final sound of すみません, completing the polite expression.
すみません、最初に言わなくて。
I'm sorry for not saying it at the beginning.
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