How to Use Gomennasai When You Apologize in Japan (2024)

Gomennasai(ごめんなさい) is perhaps one of the first words that you will learn when you become interested in the Japanese language. But, gomennasaihas many variants that offer us many possibilities to say, “I’m sorry.”Below, we will learn some of the other variations of an apology, their meaning, and when to use them.

Some of our articles contain affiliate links. Whenever you use these links to buy something, we earn a commission to help support our work at Voyapon. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Informal and Formal Version

The wordgomennasaiis considered the dictionary form that means“I’m sorry,” and can beused as a formal apology.However, the shortened word,gomen(ごめん), is also heard frequently in daily life.Children and young people use this abbreviation as a colloquial way to ask for forgiveness. People also use it when they are in a hurry oras a gentle form of expression among friends or relatives.

See Also

https://www.fluentin3months.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/sorry-in-japanese_FB.jpgJapanese Language/Basic Greetings - WikiversityThe many ways to say sorry in JapaneseHow Would I Apologize in Japanese?

Feminine Version of Gomennasai

In almost every language, the younger generation change words in many ways.For example, the phrasegomennasaibecame modified intogomen, and from there, becamegomen-ne(ごめんね).

This phrase is most commonly used by womenand frequently heard from teenage pop idols. This form of an apology can be interpreted as sweet and cute, which can appeal to an audience if trying to gain sympathy.

Masculine Version of Gomennasai

One of the curiosities of the Japanese language is how they deal with gender– small changes can be made without changing the root of the original word. Again, we jump fromgomen-netogomen-na(ごめんな).Men most commonly use this phrase and is considered a ‘masculine’ form of an apology.Said in this way, one can casually deliver an abbreviated apology while sounding attractive to the ear.

Other Ways to Use Gomennasai

Gomennasaiis not the only way to say “sorry.” For instance, when we usesumimasen in Japanese, it’s another way to apologize or ask for one’s attention. However,gomennasaiis one of the fundamental words Japanese children learn from an early age. Japanese culturefocuses on showing deep respect and consideration for other people’s own space. That is whygomennasaiis taught at an early age and used in any critical situation where it’s appropriate to offer an apology.

Two useful ways to use gomennasai are the following ones:

Gomen Kudasai

Gomen kudasai(ごめんください) is a mix of “I’m sorry” with “Please.” Together, they form the phrase, “Please, sorry for the inconvenience.”

This phrase is useful when:

• Visiting someone’s house and want to say“May I come in?” in good manners.
• Trying to catch the attention of the general public before making a request. For example,when a group of students are collecting donations in the streets, they may use this phrase.

Hontouni Gomennasai

The expression,Hontouni gomennasai(本当にごめんなさい) means: hontouni= “truly”,gomennasai = “apology.” Together, it conveys adeeply remorseful apology. You may hear it on the newswhen someone takes responsibility for a mistakethat affected many people. For instance, if a company finds an error in its production line, the company representative will bow deeply in front of the press and sayhontouni gomennasai. In this way, the responsible person acknowledges the mistake and shows the desire to correct it.

In addition to apologizing, we can usegomennasaiwithin a conversation as a way to show empathy. It would imply a subtle “I understand your situation” or “My thoughts are with you”. It is also a neutral expression thathelps to relax a heavy atmosphere without showing direct or personal opinions. For example, it would be appropriate to usegomennasaiwhen we are told of someone’s death, about an accident or illness.

I hope these sentences are useful to you on your visit to Japan. They might help you improve your knowledge of the culture or satisfy your curiosity about the Japanese language. Until next time!

_{Traducción: Maria Peñascal}