失礼します
shitsurei shimasu[ɕi̥t͡sɨɾe̞ː ɕima̠sɨ̥]
The Japanese phrase for goodbye on the phone is 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu).
失礼します is a polite way to end a phone call, used when you are hanging up first or concluding a conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "I am going to be rude" or "I am committing a discourtesy."
Which one should you use?
While 失礼します (present tense) is used to signal the act of hanging up, 失礼しました (past tense) is used to apologize for any inconvenience caused during the call or to conclude a formal interaction.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
失礼します is a polite way to say goodbye before hanging up the phone. For comparison, さようなら is the most formal way to say goodbye in Japanese.
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, simply saying "goodbye" (sayonara) on the phone can sound overly dramatic or permanent. Instead, one uses 失礼します to signal the end of the communication.
Did you know?
- While 失礼します is the standard polite way to end a call, it is also used physically when leaving a room or entering a superior's office, acting as a verbal 'excuse me'.
- The word 礼 (rei) in the phrase, which means 'courtesy' or 'manners', is the same character used in 'bowing' or 'formal bows' in many ritual contexts.
- In Japanese business etiquette, after saying 失礼します, it is common to wait a second before actually pressing the end button to avoid cutting off the other person mid-sentence.
Examples in context
- 失礼します。Goodbye.
- ありがとうございます！また連絡しますね！Thank you! I'll contact you again soon!
- あ、失礼します。a, shitsurei shimasu.Oh, goodbye.
Example conversation
Himari is calling Hiroto to finish a business-related discussion.
- 陽葵 Himari今日はお時間ありがとうございました。kyou wa ojikan arigatou gozaimashita.Thank you for your time today.
- 大翔 Hirotoこちらこそ、ありがとうございました。kochira koso, arigatou gozaimashita.Thank you as well.
- 陽葵 Himariでは、失礼します。de wa, shitsurei shimasu.Well, goodbye.
- 大翔 Hiroto失礼します。shitsurei shimasu.Goodbye.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 失礼します, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
