JLPT N4EverydayPolite

て・なくてすみませんsorry for…; sorry I didn't…

What you are sorry about goes in the て-form, and すみません comes after it: "sorry I'm late". For something you didn't do, the て-form is なくて: "sorry I didn't call".

did

会かい議ぎに遅おくれてすみません。

Sorry I'm late for the meeting.

didn't

昨日きのうは連れん絡らくしなくてすみませんでした。

I'm sorry I didn't get in touch yesterday.

can't

今日きょうは手て伝つだえなくてすみません。

I'm sorry I can't help today.

Something you did

Verb in the て-form + すみません

遅おくれる → 遅おくれてすみません.

Something you didn't do

Verb: ない → なくて + すみません

連れん絡らくしない → 連れん絡らくしなくてすみません. "Sorry I can't" is 行いけなくて, 手て伝つだえなくて.

Looking back

〜て／〜なくて + すみませんでした

For something that is over.

Things you'll say

A

遅おそくなってすみません。

Sorry I'm late.

B

いいえ、私わたしも今いま来きたところです。

Not at all. I've only just got here myself.

お待またせしてすみませんSorry to keep you waiting.

長ながい間あいだお待またせしてすみません。

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long.

返へん事じが遅おそくなってすみませんSorry for the late reply.

返へん事じが遅おそくなってすみません。

I'm sorry for the late reply.

The first line of many emails and messages.

何なん度ども〜てすみませんSorry to keep …ing.

何なん度ども質しつ問もんしてすみません。

Sorry for asking so many questions.

行いけなくてすみませんSorry I can't come.

明日あしたのパーティー、行いけなくてすみません。

I'm sorry I can't come to the party tomorrow.

Not から or ので

What you are sorry about takes the て-form, not から or ので. English "sorry that…" and "sorry because…" make them look right.

Not said: 遅おくれたから、すみません。

(Sorry I'm late.)

遅おくれてすみません.

すみません or すみませんでした?

遅おくれてすみません。

Sorry I'm late.

As you walk in.

昨日きのうは遅おくれてすみませんでした。

I'm sorry I was late yesterday.

The next day.

As you arrive, or while the trouble is still going on, it is usually すみません.

With an adjective

An adjective goes in front the same way: くて for an い-adjective, で after a な-adjective.

字じが汚きたなくてすみません。

Sorry about my messy handwriting.

日本にほん語ごが下手へたですみません。

I'm sorry my Japanese is so poor.

With friends, and at work

The first half stays as it is. Only the apology changes.

to a friend

遅おそくなってごめん。

Sorry I'm late.

Also ごめんね and ごめんなさい.

to a customer

ご連れん絡らくが遅おそくなって申もうし訳わけありません。

I apologize for being so late in contacting you.

Close neighbours

てくれてありがとうN4

Thanks are built the same way. The favor is the other person's doing, so it needs てくれて.

教おしえてくれてありがとう。

Thanks for telling me.

て・なくて (a reason)N4

The same two forms with other feelings: what made you glad, sad or worried goes in front.

友とも達だちに会あえなくて、寂さびしかったです。

I was lonely because I couldn't see my friend.

ないでN4

A verb's other negative て-form, for "without doing". An apology normally takes なくて.

朝あさご飯はんを食たべないで、学がっ校こうへ行いきました。

I went to school without eating breakfast.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

メールが来きていたんですね。（　　）すみません。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one is right?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Not the "sorry" of sympathy

すみません is for what you did, or someone on your side did. When English says "I'm sorry" about another person's bad news, Japanese says something else, such as 大たい変へんでしたね.

A

昨日きのう、財さい布ふをなくしたんです。

I lost my wallet yesterday.

B

それは大たい変へんでしたね。

That must have been awful.

More sentences

急きゅうに予よ定ていを変かえてすみません。

Sorry for changing the plan at short notice.

変へん更こうを知しらせなくてすみません。

Sorry I didn't tell you about the change.

朝あさ早はやく起おこしてすみませんでした。

I'm sorry I woke you up so early in the morning.

約やく束そくの時じ間かんを間ま違ちがえてすみません。

I'm sorry I got the time wrong.

メールを確かく認にんしなくてすみませんでした。

I'm sorry I didn't check the email.

子こどもがうるさくしてすみません。

I'm sorry my children are being so noisy.

Someone on your side.