How to Say ‘Excuse me, do you have a moment?’ in Japanese
すみません、ちょっといいですか。
sumi mase n chotto ii desu ka
[soo-mee mah-seh n choht-toh ee dess kah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is the standard polite way to stop a stranger on the street; opening with すみません (sumimasen) apologizes for the interruption first. Expect some people to keep walking with a small bow — that's a normal polite no, not rudeness.
Phrase Breakdown
すみません、
sumi mase n
excuse me
A polite way to get someone's attention. The 'u' in 'su' is often soft.
すみません、駅はどこですか。
Excuse me, where is the station?
Words in this phrase
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse me; sorry
A polite attention-getter and light apology. Used to call a pharmacist/staff or to be polite before asking for help.
すみません、薬剤師さん。
Excuse me, pharmacist.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite negative (part of ません)
「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.
はいていません。
I haven’t vomited.
ん
n
[n]
negative ending
The final sound completing the negative polite form.
一人は魚が食べられません。
One person cannot eat fish.
ちょっといいですか。
chotto ii desu ka
do you have a moment?
A polite request for someone's time. Pause briefly on the small っ.
先生、ちょっといいですか。
Teacher, do you have a moment?
Words in this phrase
ちょっと
chotto
[choht-toh]
a little; just a moment
ちょっと softens the command and means for a moment.
ちょっとまってね。
Wait a moment, okay?
いい
ii
[ee]
good; okay
Means “okay/allowed” in the permission expression.
ここに座ってもいい ですか。
May I sit here?
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.
少し伺いたいです。
I would like to ask a little.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.
A席はありますか。
Are there A seats available?
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