N5 · Phrase guide
Sumimasen vs Gomennasai — Which Sorry to Use
すみません vs ごめんなさい
すみません / ごめんなさい
Excuse me / light sorry vs personal apology
Nuance
すみません = social friction with strangers or light regret. ごめんなさい = personal guilt toward someone you have a relationship with.
Cultural note
On a train, すみません. To your partner after forgetting a date, ごめんなさい. Mixing them up is a common learner tell.
Examples
すみません、通ります。
Excuse me, I'm passing through.
Crowded aisle
ごめんなさい、遅れました。
I'm sorry I'm late.
Apologizing to a friend
Common mistakes
- Saying ごめんなさい to a shop clerk
- Using すみません for a serious personal mistake
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