How to Say ‘Sorry for making you go to the trouble.’ in Japanese
気を遣わせてごめんなさいね。
ki o tsukawa se te gomen nasai ne
[kee wo tsoo-KAH-wah seh te gomen nah-SAH-ee ne]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Receiving a gift often triggers an apology rather than just thanks. It acknowledges the burden on the giver and is the normal gracious response.
Phrase Breakdown
気を遣わせて
ki o tsukawa se te
making you go to the trouble / making you worry about me
気を遣う means 'to be considerate' or 'to fuss over someone'. 遣わせて is the causative te-form: 'having made you be considerate'. Pronounce it 'ki o tsu-ka-wa-se-te'.
いつも気を遣わせて悪いね。
Sorry for always making you go out of your way.
Words in this phrase
気
ki
[kee]
care; attention
A word meaning attention or caution, often used in safety expressions.
気をつけてください。
Please be careful.
を
o
[wo]
direct object marker
Marks the direct object of a verb.
本を読む。
Read a book.
遣わ
tsukawa
[tsoo-KAH-wah]
use; be considerate (stem)
Stem of 遣う; 気を遣う means to be considerate or go out of one's way.
彼はいつも気を遣う。
He's always considerate.
せ
se
[seh]
causative marker (part)
Part of the causative ending (〜せる) meaning “let/make (someone) do.”
きょうは家で休ませます。
Today, I will let them rest at home.
て
te
[te]
te-form ending
Connects actions in sequence, like 'and' or 'then'.
ドアが開いて、入ります。
The door opens, and then I go in.
ごめんなさいね。
gomen nasai ne
I'm sorry, okay?
A gentle apology. ね adds warmth. Keep the ん as its own beat: 'go-me-n-na-sai-ne'.
待たせてごめんなさいね。
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Words in this phrase
ごめん
gomen
[gomen]
sorry
An informal way to apologize.
ごめん、本当に。
Sorry, really.
なさい
nasai
[nah-SAH-ee]
polite ending (in ごめんなさい)
Polite imperative ending; with ごめん it forms the standard apology 'I'm sorry'.
遅れてごめんなさい。
Sorry for being late.
ね
ne
[ne]
isn't it; right
A sentence-ending particle used to seek agreement or add a friendly tone.
深煎りですね。
It’s a dark roast, right?
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