How to Say ‘Excuse me.’ in Japanese
すみません。
sumi mase n
[soo-mee mah-seh n]
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan this is the normal way to get staff attention in a restaurant, and it sounds more natural than calling out "hey" or waving aggressively. It also covers "excuse me," "sorry," and "thanks for your trouble" depending on the moment.
Phrase Breakdown
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse me / sorry
The first part of a very common polite expression to get attention or apologize.
すみません、注文をお願いします。
Excuse me, I'd like to order.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
part of 'sumimasen'
Middle part of the fixed expression すみません.
すみません、遅れました。
Sorry, I'm late.
ん
n
[n]
part of 'sumimasen'
Final sound of the fixed expression すみません.
すみません、もう一度お願いします。
Excuse me, one more time please.
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