🙏⏳

How to Say ‘Sorry to keep you waiting.’ in Japanese

お待たせしました。

o mata se shi mashi ta

[oh MAH-tah seh shee mah-shee tah]

🇯🇵 In Japan: Said after even a short wait, as a set politeness. Expect to hear it, and use it yourself whenever you've kept someone waiting.

Phrase Breakdown

お

[oh]

honorific prefix used in polite expressions

The polite prefix お makes the following word sound more courteous.

Example

お願いできますか。

Could you please do that?

待た

mata

[MAH-tah]

wait (stem)

Stem of 待つ (to wait) used before the causative ending.

Example

友達を待たせました。

I kept my friend waiting.

せ

[seh]

make/let (causative)

Causative ending: to have someone do something.

Example

子どもを休ませます。

I'll keep my child home.

し

shi

[shee]

し is the stem of する, meaning to do.

Example

予約しします。

I do the reservation.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things 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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