How to Say ‘Excuse me’ in Japanese
すみません
すみません
💬 Usage Tip: Commonly used to get attention or apologize.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Japanese culture values politeness, making [すみません] frequent in daily life.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
すみすみ
[sumi]
sumi
Typically part of a word, but not used independently.
すみません、もう一度お願いします。
Excuse me, please say that again.
ませませ
[mase]
mase
A polite form marker in verbs.
すみません、お願いします。
Excuse me, please.
んん
[n]
n
A negation indicator in verbs.
すみません、知りません。
Excuse me, I don't know.
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