How to Say ‘Sorry for the trouble.’ in Japanese
ご迷惑をおかけしました。
go meiwaku o o kake shi mashi ta
[go meiwaku oh oh KAH-keh shee mah-shee tah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is a formal apology for causing someone a nuisance. Hearing it from a neighbor usually means the matter is settled, so you can close with something gracious.
Phrase Breakdown
ご迷惑を
go meiwaku o
trouble / inconvenience (to you)
迷惑 (meiwaku) means 'trouble'. ご makes it polite, and を marks the object. Say go-me-i-wa-ku-o.
ご迷惑ですか。
Is it a bother to you?
Words in this phrase
ご
go
[go]
honorific prefix
A prefix added to words to show respect.
ご出発はいつですか？
When is your departure?
迷惑
meiwaku
[meiwaku]
trouble
A situation causing inconvenience or annoyance.
彼は迷惑ばっかりかける。
He always causes trouble.
を
o
[oh]
object marker
The particle を marks the direct object of a verb.
チケットを二枚ください。
Two tickets, please.
おかけしました。
o kake shi mashi ta
I caused (humble)
This is the humble form of かける ('to cause'). Together with ご迷惑を, it is a formal apology: 'I'm sorry for the trouble.'
ご心配をおかけしました。
I'm sorry to have worried you.
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific/polite prefix
A polite prefix that makes a word sound more refined or respectful.
おすすめのおは、ことばを丁寧にします。
The o in osusume makes the word more polite.
かけ
kake
[KAH-keh]
to cause (trouble); to impose
Stem of kakeru; with meiwaku it means to cause someone trouble.
心配をかけてすみません。
Sorry to make you worry.
し
shi
[shee]
do; make
The verb stem of する, attached to 交換 to form the action 'to exchange.'
名刺を交換したいです。
I want to exchange business cards.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
polite past marker (part of ました)
「まし」 is part of 「ました」, the polite past tense. It makes the question polite (common in medical settings).
さっきはきましたか。
Did you vomit a moment ago?
た
ta
[tah]
past tense marker
Indicates past tense.
彼は来た。
He came.
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