How to Say ‘Excuse me.’ in Japanese
すみません。
sumi mase n
[soo-mee mah-seh]
💬 Usage Tip: [すみません] is very useful: it can mean “excuse me,” “sorry,” or even a light “thank you for the trouble.” Great first word when asking museum staff for help.
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, starting with [すみません] before a question sounds polite and gentle. It’s the museum magic word for getting attention nicely.
Phrase Breakdown
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse
First part of すみません, used in a polite expression to get someone's attention or apologize.
すみません、恐竜の展示はどこですか。
Excuse me, where is the dinosaur exhibit?
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite continuation
Middle part of すみません; it helps form the polite expression すみません.
すみません、入口はどこですか。
Excuse me, where is the entrance?
ん
n
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