Forgiving in Japanese: Saying 'Daijōbu' and 'Ki ni shinaide'
Learn elementary Japanese phrases to accept an apology, reassure someone, and move on, focusing on the receiver's role rather than apologizing yourself.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When someone apologizes to you in Japanese, you often need a different set of phrases than when you apologize. This lesson teaches you how to respond as the receiver: to say 'It's okay, don't worry' or 'I appreciate your apology,' and to move on. You will learn natural expressions like 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) and 気にしないでください (ki ni shinaide kudasai), understand when to use casual versus polite forms, and practice a short dialogue. By the end, you can smoothly accept an apology and keep the conversation friendly.
By the end, you can…
- accept an apology in Japanese with a polite or casual phrase.
- reassure someone that a mistake is not a problem and move on.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
大丈夫です。
It's okay. / It's fine.
daijōbu desu
Polite and very common. Use when someone apologizes for a small mistake; it literally means 'it's all right.'
気にしないでください。
Please don't worry about it.
ki ni shinaide kudasai
Polite request not to worry. Good for work or with acquaintances. For casual speech, drop ください: 気にしないで (ki ni shinaide).
謝ってくれてありがとう。
Thank you for apologizing.
ayamatte kurete arigatō
Casual but sincere. Use with friends or close colleagues. For polite form: 謝ってくれてありがとうございます (ayamatte kurete arigatō gozaimasu).
もう大丈夫ですよ。
It's already okay. / We're good now.
mō daijōbu desu yo
Adds もう (mō, already) and よ (yo, reassurance). Use to signal the matter is closed and you can move on.
次から気をつけてね。
Just be careful next time, okay?
tsugi kara ki o tsukete ne
Friendly and forward-looking. Use with friends or peers; it gently accepts the apology while giving a light reminder.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A key pattern for forgiving is 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) plus a short follow-up. 大丈夫 alone means 'okay' or 'no problem.' You can combine it with 気にしないで (ki ni shinaide, don't worry) to make the forgiveness warmer: 大丈夫です、気にしないでください (daijōbu desu, ki ni shinaide kudasai). To thank someone for apologizing, use 〜てくれてありがとう (〜te kurete arigatō): 謝ってくれてありがとう (ayamatte kurete arigatō). This pattern shows you appreciate the apology, not that you are apologizing.
When to use it
Use 大丈夫です in most situations, from coworkers to strangers. Use 気にしないでください when you want to be clearly polite, and 気にしないで with friends. If the apology is for something serious, 大丈夫です alone may sound too light; add もう大丈夫ですよ (mō daijōbu desu yo) to show you have moved on. Avoid saying 私もごめんなさい (watashi mo gomen nasai, 'I'm sorry too') unless you truly share fault; otherwise it can confuse the roles of apologizer and receiver.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
あ、すみません。遅れました。
Oh, I'm sorry. I was late.a, sumimasen. okuremashita.大丈夫ですよ。気にしないでください。
It's okay. Please don't worry about it.daijōbu desu yo. ki ni shinaide kudasai.本当にすみません。次から気をつけます。
I'm really sorry. I'll be careful next time.hontō ni sumimasen. tsugi kara ki o tsukemasu.はい、もう大丈夫ですよ。ありがとう。
Yes, it's already okay. Thank you.hai, mō daijōbu desu yo. arigatō.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, accepting an apology often includes a small reassurance so the other person does not feel bad. 大丈夫です is safe and neutral. With close friends, 全然大丈夫 (zenzen daijōbu, totally fine) is common, but in formal settings avoid 全然 because it can sound casual. A slight nod and a soft tone also help convey sincerity.
One thing to watch for
Responding to an apology with ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) out of habit, as if you were also apologizing.
Try this instead: As the receiver, use 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) or 気にしないでください (ki ni shinaide kudasai). For example: A: 遅れてごめん。 B: 大丈夫だよ、気にしないで。 (A: 'Sorry I'm late.' B: 'It's okay, don't worry.')
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your coworker says 遅れてすみません (okurete sumimasen). What is a polite reply?
Show a sample answer
大丈夫です。気にしないでください。
This accepts the apology and reassures them politely. 大丈夫です alone also works, and 気にしないでください adds warmth.
2A close friend says ごめん、忘れた (gomen, wasureta). How can you reply casually?
Show a sample answer
全然大丈夫だよ。気にしないで。
Casual forms だよ and 気にしないで fit a friend. 大丈夫だよ alone is also fine; 全然大丈夫 is natural in casual speech.
3You want to thank someone for apologizing sincerely. What phrase can you use?
Show a sample answer
謝ってくれてありがとう。
This directly appreciates the apology. For polite contexts, say 謝ってくれてありがとうございます.
As the receiver, forgive with 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) and 気にしないでください (ki ni shinaide kudasai); thank the apology with 謝ってくれてありがとう (ayamatte kurete arigatō), then move on.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Japanese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr