sumimasen /
suimasen
|
I'm sorry. (Excuse me.)
- Can be used to get someone's attention. |
gomen nasai /
gomen
|
Forgive me. (The nasai form is polite.)
- Use for apologies or when declining something. |
| shitsurei shimasu |
Please excuse me. (Lit. I'm going to break form.)
- Use when entering a room during a meeting (for serving tea etc.) or when looking for something on someone's desk. (If you are intruding on someone's time/space it's good to say this.)
- Used by school children as they enter the teachers' room. |
| shitsurei shimashita |
Please excuse me, I was rude. (Lit. I broke form.)
- Use when exiting a room.
- Used by school children as they exit the teachers' room. |
moushiwake gozaimasen /
moushiwake arimasen |
I have no excuse. (The gozaimasen form is more polite.) |
| ikenai koto o shimashita |
I've done something I shouldn't have. |
| watakushi ga warukatta |
I was wrong. (Lit. I was bad.) |
