What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) is a standard way to apologize. The word ごめん (gomen) means apology or excuse, and nasai is a polite imperative form.
Which one should you use?
あ、ごめんなさい is polite enough for strangers or acquaintances in minor situations. However, it is not formal enough for business or serious errors. For a more formal and sincere apology, you might use ごめんなさい or for disruptions to someone's time or space, use 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu). For an even more versatile "I'm sorry," "Excuse me," or "Pardon me," use すみません (sumimasen).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For very casual settings with friends or family, you can drop the nasai to say あ、ごめん or simply ごめん. In more formal or professional contexts, use 失礼します to apologize for intrusions or ごめんなさい to express sincere regret.
How do you pronounce it?
a, gomen nasai
Did you know?
- While すみません is often taught as 'sorry', it literally means 'it does not finish'. It implies that the speaker's guilt or the debt of gratitude they owe the other person cannot be fully resolved.
- While ごめんなさい is an apology, the word ごめん actually comes from a word meaning 'pardon' or 'permission to be absent'. It originally requested that the other person grant the speaker a favor by forgiving them.
- In Japan, an apology is often accompanied by a bow, where the depth and duration of the bow signal the level of sincerity and the seriousness of the mistake.
Examples in context
- 「少し詰めていただけませんか」「あ、ごめんなさい。こんなに場所をとっていたなんて気付きませんでした」"Could you move over a little?" "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize I was taking up so much space."This example shows the use of あ、ごめんなさい when realizing one has taken up too much space.Tatoeba #146818 by arnab, translation #267743 by papabear
- あ、ごめんなさい。ペンを落としてしまいました。A, gomen nasai. Pen o otoshite shimaimashita.Oh, sorry. I dropped my pen.
Example conversation
Yui accidentally steps on Hiroto's foot.
- 結衣 Yuiあ、ごめんなさい！大丈夫ですか？A, gomen-nasai! Daijoubu desu ka?Oh, sorry! Are you okay?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、大丈夫ですよ。Hai, daijoubu desu yo.Yes, I'm fine.
- 結衣 Yui気をつけていなかったので、すみません。Ki o tsukete inakatta node, sumimasen.I wasn't paying attention, so I'm sorry.
- 大翔 Hiroto気にしないでください。Ki ni shinaide kudasai.Please don't worry about it.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
