|
sumimasen |
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 arimasen
moushiwake gozaimasen |
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.)
|