How to Say ‘Excuse me.’ in Japanese
すみません。
sumi mase n
[soo-mee mah-seh n]
💬 Usage Tip: Super multi-purpose: [すみません] can mean “Excuse me,” “Sorry,” or even “Thanks (for the trouble).” The [すみ] is short; the [ません] is gently stretched.
🇯🇵 In Japan: A soft opener before requests—especially with neighbors—signals you’re being considerate, not confrontational.
Phrase Breakdown
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse me / sorry (polite)
The first part of the polite apology/excuse phrase すみません. Used to get someone’s attention politely (e.g., when speaking to a neighbor).
すみません、となりの者ですが、音が少し大きいかもしれません。
Excuse me, I’m your neighbor, but the sound might be a little loud.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
(part of) polite negative ending
A component of ません (polite negative). In すみません, it helps form the fixed polite expression meaning “excuse me / sorry.”
すみません、いま音楽を小さくしてもらえますか。
Excuse me, could you turn the music down now?
ん
n
[n]
(sentence-ending sound) n
The final ん sound. It finishes expressions like すみません and ません, giving a soft, polite ending.
すみません、夜なので少し静かにしていただけませんか。
Excuse me, since it’s night, could you be a little quieter?
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