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Lesson 6 of 240

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Excuse me, sorry in Japanese

Leo's umbrella knocks the stand at Kissa Hotaru, then drips on the floor. He says sorry for both, and for thanks as well.

Masako will not sit through three sorrys. She cuts in and tells him it is fine.

By the end, you'll get attention, pass through a tight spot, apologise, and accept an apology.

すみません does a lot of jobs. ごめんなさい feels more personal.

By the end of this lesson

Get attention, pass through a crowd, apologise, and accept an apology.

  • すみません。Excuse me (to get someone's attention)
  • ごめんなさい。I'm sorry (a more personal apology)
  • 通(とお)らせてください。Please let me through.
  • ちょっと待(ま)ってください。Just a moment, please.
  • いいえ、大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)です。No, it's fine.
  • すみませんでした。I'm sorry about what just happened.

Scene — the wet stand

A wet morning at Kissa Hotaru. Leo pushes in with his clear umbrella and knocks the stand by the door.

Masako looks up from the siphon. In the aisle, Goro's long coat takes the whole path to the booth, and his blend coffee still sits untouched.

Leo has knocked the umbrella stand just inside Kissa Hotaru while Masako looks up from the siphon and Goro occupies the aisle to the booth.

Learn — excuse me and sorry

Six short lines cover excuse me, a personal sorry, and letting someone through.

You'll also learn how to ask for a moment and how to say it is fine.

  1. Leo stands just inside the doorway with his dripping clear umbrella and gives a small bow after knocking the stand.

    すみません。

    Excuse me (to get someone's attention)

    When to use it: Say this to get attention, apologise, or even thank someone.

    Learn it as one piece for sorry, excuse me, and thanks.

  2. Leo bows more deeply and reaches to steady the stand as Masako accepts his apology from beside the siphon.

    ごめんなさい。

    I'm sorry (a more personal apology)

    When to use it: Say this for a personal apology, not just a small bump.

    Learn it as one piece when you feel more sorry.

  3. Leo holds out an open palm as he tries to pass Goro in the narrow aisle toward the booth.

    通(とお)らせてください。

    Please let me through.

    When to use it: Say this when you need to pass someone in a tight spot.

    Learn it as one piece to ask someone to let you pass.

  4. Goro raises a hand to ask for a moment while Masako tends the brewing siphon nearby.

    ちょっと待(ま)ってください。

    Just a moment, please.

    When to use it: Say this when you need someone to wait a short time.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask for a short wait.

    Say it: The small っ is a short stop before と.

  5. Goro sits in the booth and lifts a small wave to let Leo go ahead, with his blend coffee untouched.

    いいえ、大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)です。

    No, it's fine.

    When to use it: Say this to accept an apology and tell them not to worry.

    Learn it as one piece when someone says sorry.

    Say it: The u in です is almost silent.

  6. Leo bows deeply in the aisle toward the booth after passing through, with his clear umbrella in the stand by the door.

    すみませんでした。

    I'm sorry about what just happened.

    When to use it: Say this after something already happened, to apologise for it.

    Learn it as one piece after something already went wrong.

Story — three sorrys

Watch Leo apologise for the stand, then for a drip on the floor. Masako tells him it is fine. Later he says sorry as thanks, and she answers with thanks.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Rain on the glass. Leo's umbrella knocks the stand.
  2. Leoすみません。Excuse me.
  3. Masakoいらっしゃいませ。Welcome.
  4. Leoこんにちは。Hello.
  5. A drip hits the floor by Masako's shoes.
  6. Leoごめんなさい。I'm sorry.
  7. Masakoいいえ、大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)です。No, it's fine.
  8. Goro's long coat fills the path to the booth.
  9. Leo通(とお)らせてください。Please let me through.
  10. Goroちょっと待(ま)ってください。Just a moment, please.
  11. Goroどうぞ。Go ahead.
  12. Leoすみませんでした。I'm sorry about that.
  13. Masako rights the stand and wipes the drip.
  14. Leoすみません。Thanks.
  15. Masakoありがとう。Thank you.

Practice — sorry or fine

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    すみません。Drop the English here
    ごめんなさい。Drop the English here
    すみませんでした。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    It is two in the afternoon at the kissa. Masako looks up. Greet her.

  4. What do you say?

    Your umbrella just hit the stand. Get Masako's attention and apologise.

  5. Pick the reply

    Goro says:

    あ、すみません。

    Sorry, I bumped you.

    And you reply with:

  6. Fill the gap

    Please let me through.

    通(とお)らせて____。

  7. What does it mean?

    ちょっと待(ま)ってください。

  8. Swap the word

    The drip already hit the floor. Fix the sorry so it looks back.

    ____でした。

  9. Build the line

    Just a moment, please.

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  10. Find the mistake

  11. What do you say?

    Someone is stuck behind you by the stand. Let them through.

Say it — say it back

Now you're Leo in the wet doorway. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Masakoいらっしゃいませ。Welcome.
  2. Leo (you)You knocked the stand. Get her attention and apologise.

    すみません。

    Excuse me (to get someone's attention)

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
すみません。Excuse me (to get someone's attention)
ごめんなさい。I'm sorry (a more personal apology)
通(とお)らせてください。Please let me through.
ちょっと待(ま)ってください。Just a moment, please.
いいえ、大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)です。No, it's fine.
すみませんでした。I'm sorry about what just happened.
Next: lesson 7See you tomorrow

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your sorrys ready for the door.

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