Japanese people love using the the word ‘sumimasen（すみません）.’ It is certainly one of the most famous Japanese words that even if you don’t know Japanese, you might have heard of it somewhere else. Many foreigners might notice that ‘sumimasen’ means ‘sorry’, in fact, the expression has several meanings depending on different situations. Hence, Japanese beginners may find it confusing about the usage of the word. Here we gather the most common usage of ‘sumimasen’ to you~
1. To apologize: ‘I’m sorry.’
Japanese are known to be especially courteous. They always try to put a harmonious society and the benefit of the group ahead of their desires. Therefore, they are used to saying sorry whenever a conflict happened, no matter whoever started the small fire. For example, when you are late for a lunch date, people always say ‘sumimasen’ before explaining why they were late. If you bumped into someone at a busy train station, they will always quickly say ‘sumimasen’ to the person who got hit.
2. To get someone’s attention: ‘Excuse me.’
You will probably hear ” mostly at a restaurant or a bar. It is a polite and nice opening when you want to request or ask something. When you would like to call a waiter/waitress to take your order, say ‘sumimasen.’ When you would like to ask for direction, say ‘sumimasen.’
It is also very useful when you are stuck in traffic or crowds. If you want to get off over-crowded trains or elevators during rush hours, say ‘sumimasen.’ If you want to leave a band show to the bathroom, say ‘sumimasen’ (or shout).
3. To appreciate someone: ‘Thank you.’
In the Japanese language, it is common to say sorry when English speakers would say thank you. This may be the reason people consider the word ‘sumimasen’ very confusing as it can be used not only for apologizing but also appreciating.
For example, if someone holds a door for you, English speakers tend to say thank you, while in Japan, it is more common to say ‘sumimasen’ in this situation. However, does it simply mean sorry in this context? It is two different ways of looking at the same situation. You are thankful that someone helped you, and you are also feeling sorry for having inconvenienced them. In such a situation, ‘sumimasen’ expresses gratitude for the kindness and thoughtfulness of others.
Sumimasen VS gomenasai
‘Gomenasai’ is another common way to say sorry. The main difference between these two words is: ‘gomennasai’ is used when someone is admitting their mistakes and requesting other people’s forgiveness. While ‘sumimasen’ means someone only wants to express their feelings but no need to ask for a return.
Besides,‘gomennasai’ is also used to apologize to someone you have a close relationship with, like your family and partners. If you use it on your boss, it may be considered as rude.
Sumimasen VS arigatou
It is totally fine to say ‘arigatou’ when someone returns a lost wallet to you, or help you to open the elevator door. However, Japanese people say ‘sumimasen’ more often as it combined both apology and gratitude, which basically interpreted as “I am sorry to trouble you and I thank you for that.” You can also use them both by saying ‘sumimasen, doumo arigatou gozai gozaimashita’ to someone older or someone you respect.
