How to Say ‘I’m sorry.’ in Japanese
ごめんなさい。
gomen nasai
[goh-men nah-sigh]
💬 Usage Tip: [ごめんなさい] is a straightforward apology. More polite/formal: [申し訳ありません].
🇯🇵 In Japan: In neighbor situations, quick apologies are common—even if the person didn’t realize it was loud.
Phrase Breakdown
ごめん
gomen
[goh-men]
sorry (casual)
Part of 「ごめんなさい」. 「ごめん」 alone is casual; suitable among friends, but to neighbors 「すみません」 is usually safer.
ごめん、気づかなかった。
Sorry, I didn't notice.
なさい
nasai
[nah-sigh]
please (do); (polite apology ending)
In 「ごめんなさい」 it completes the apology and makes it more polite than just ごめん.
ごめんなさい。音楽の音を下げます。
I'm sorry. I'll turn down the music.
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