How to Say ‘Sorry.’ in Japanese
ごめんなさい。
gomen nasai
[goh-men nah-sai]
💬 Usage Tip: [ごめんなさい] is an apology, often a bit more personal/emotional than [すみません].
🇯🇵 In Japan: In neighbor situations, many people choose [すみません] for politeness; [ごめんなさい] can sound more intimate.
Phrase Breakdown
ごめん
gomen
[goh-men]
sorry (casual/personal apology)
A straightforward apology, less formal than 「申し訳ありません」. With neighbors, you can use it, but 「すみません」 often sounds softer as an opener.
ごめん、昨日は音楽が大きかった。
Sorry, yesterday the music was loud.
なさい
nasai
[nah-sai]
please do (polite request ending) / makes apology more polite
In 「ごめんなさい」 it adds politeness to 「ごめん」 and forms a common apology phrase.
ごめんなさい、気をつけます。
I’m sorry. I’ll be careful.
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