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ごめんなさい
gomen'nasai
What does "ごめんなさい" mean?
I'm sorryごめんなさい、遅くなって。
I'm sorry I'm late.
How to use "ごめんなさい" correctly?
informal
A polite way to say sorry or apologize
ごめんなさい、約束を忘れていました。
I'm sorry, I forgot our appointment.
「ごめんなさい」と言って謝った。
I apologized by saying 'gomen'nasai'.
Commonly used in casual or friendly situations. Often shortened to ごめん in very informal contexts.
formal
A formal way to say sorry or apologize
大変申し訳ありませんが、キャンセルさせていただきます。
I sincerely apologize, but I will have to cancel.
More polite and suitable for formal or business situations.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Casual vs. Formal
Use ごめんなさい in casual settings and 申し訳ありません in formal or business contexts. Shortening to ごめん is very informal.
Gold Rule
Apology Hierarchy
In Japanese, the level of apology matches the gravity of the mistake. ごめんなさい is for minor issues, while 申し訳ありません is for serious mistakes.
Word Origin
Combination of ごめん (short for 御免, 'forgiveness') and なさい (imperative form of 為る, 'to do'). Literally means 'Please forgive me.'
Usage Notes
Used when you've done something wrong or caused inconvenience. More casual than 申し訳ありません but more polite than ごめんね.
Word Breakdown
ごめん
forgiveness (short for 御免)
rootなさい
please do (imperative form of 為る)
suffix和英辞典