ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありません
gomeiwaku o okakeshite mōshiwake arimasen
In Japanese, "sorry for troubling you" is expressed as ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありません (gomeiwaku o okakeshite mōshiwake arimasen).
This phrase is a polite apology used when you have caused someone an inconvenience or a problem. It is commonly used in professional emails or when a mistake has caused actual work or difficulty for someone else.
What does it mean word for word?
The portion 申し訳ありません (mōshiwake arimasen) literally means "there is no excuse" or "there is no way to explain".
Which one should you use?
You can use ご迷惑をおかけしてすみません as a slightly less formal but still polite version of this apology by replacing the end with すみません. While すみません is a general term for "excuse me" that can also be used to apologize, the full phrase provided here is specifically for addressing an inconvenience.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありません is a formal and polite way to apologize, making it suitable for business or speaking to superiors. If you need to express a deeper sense of regret and a more sincere apology, you can use 申し訳ございません.
How do you pronounce it?
gomeiwaku o okakeshite mōshiwake arimasen
Did you know?
- In an effort to avoid causing 迷惑 (meiwaku) to others, some Japanese people will apologize for things they did not actually do, such as apologizing for a rainy day during an outdoor event.
- While English speakers use 'sorry' to express sympathy for others, in Japanese, using 申し訳ありません (mōshiwake arimasen) in a sympathy context can sound strangely self-centered, as it focuses on your lack of excuse rather than the other person's pain.
- When apologizing for 迷惑 (meiwaku) in a formal setting, it is common to perform a deep bow. The angle and duration of the bow signal the level of regret and the perceived scale of the trouble caused.
Examples in context
- 何度もご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありません。Nando mo gomeiwaku o okake shite moushiwake arimasen.I am truly sorry for troubling you so many times.
- 仕事の手を止めてしまい、ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありません。Shigoto no te o tomete shimai, gomeiwaku o okake shite moushiwake arimasen.I am sorry for troubling you by interrupting your work.
Example conversation
Yota is apologizing to Himari for a mistake at work.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵さん、ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありません。Himari-san, gomeiwaku o okakeshte moushiwake arimasen.Ms. Himari, I am sorry for troubling you.
- 陽葵 Himari大丈夫ですよ。気にしないでください。daijoubu desu yo. ki ni shinaide kudasai.It's okay. Please don't worry about it.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとうございます。次は気をつけます。arigatou gozaimasu. tsugi wa ki o tsukemasu.Thank you. I will be careful next time.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、よろしくお願いしますね。hai, yoroshiku onegai shimasu ne.Yes, I appreciate that.
