How to Say ‘Excuse me.’ in Japanese
すみません。
sumi mase n
[soo-mee mah-seh n]
💬 Usage Tip: [すみません] is super useful: it can mean “excuse me,” “sorry,” or even a light “thank you.” A true Japanese multitool.
🇯🇵 In Japan: At a ward office, start politely with [すみません] to get staff attention. It sounds softer and more natural than calling out loudly.
Phrase Breakdown
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse
This part of すみません comes from the idea of apologizing or asking politely for attention.
すみません、と言って店員さんを呼びます。
I say "Excuse me" to call the clerk.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite continuation
This is the middle part of the polite expression すみません and helps make it formal and courteous.
すみません、の「ませ」は丁寧な感じがあります。
The "ませ" in sumimasen gives a polite feeling.
ん
n
[n]
final n sound
This is the ending sound in すみません and completes the polite expression.
すみません、の「ん」は最後の音です。
The "n" in sumimasen is the final sound.
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