How to Say ‘I'm very sorry.’ in Japanese
申し訳ございません。
moushiwake gozai mase n
[moh-shee-WAH-keh goh-zah-ee mah-seh n]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Staff use this formal apology before giving bad news, such as "we don't have parking". It doesn't mean they did anything wrong.
Phrase Breakdown
申し訳
moushiwake
[moh-shee-WAH-keh]
excuse; apology
Formal word for an excuse; used in very polite apologies.
申し訳ありません。
I'm very sorry.
ござい
gozai
[goh-zah-ee]
to be; polite set phrase part
Part of the formal thank-you expression used with customers.
ございますをつけて丁寧に言います。
You add gozaimasu to say it politely.
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 verb ending
The ending used to make the verb negative in a sentence.
私は行きません。
I am not going.
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