Responding to Apologies in Japanese: Casual and Polite Ways to Say No Problem
Learn to accept an apology naturally in Japanese with 大丈夫です, 気にしないで, and 全然大丈夫, and choose the right register for friends, coworkers, and strangers.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When someone says ごめん or すみません to you, you are the receiver of the apology, and Japanese has its own set of replies for that role. The safest all-purpose answer is 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu), which works with strangers, coworkers, and staff. With close friends, 気にしないで (ki ni shinaide) or 全然大丈夫 (zenzen daijōbu) sound warmer and more casual. This lesson teaches you to accept an apology gracefully, distinguish casual from polite replies, and avoid the common mistake of answering an apology with an apology of your own.
By the end, you can…
- accept an apology in Japanese using 大丈夫です in polite situations.
- respond casually to a friend's apology with 気にしないで or 全然大丈夫.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
大丈夫です。
It's okay. / No problem.
da-i-jo-o-bu de-su
The safest polite reply. Use it with strangers, staff, coworkers, and anyone you would address with です・ます. It accepts the apology without making light of the situation.
気にしないで。
Don't worry about it.
ki ni shi-na-i-de
Casual and warm. Use with friends, family, and close coworkers. The polite version is 気にしないでください (ki ni shinaide kudasai).
全然大丈夫です。
It's totally fine. / No problem at all.
zen-zen da-i-jo-o-bu de-su
Emphatic and friendly, still polite because of です. Good when the other person seems genuinely worried and you want to reassure them clearly.
いえいえ、大丈夫ですよ。
No, no, it's really fine.
i-e i-e, da-i-jo-o-bu de-su yo
The repeated いえいえ softens the reply and sounds modest. The final よ adds warmth. Suitable for polite conversation with neighbors or colleagues.
とんでもないです。
Not at all. / No problem whatsoever.
ton-de-mo na-i de-su
A more formal, somewhat humble reply. Fits when someone apologizes for a real inconvenience, such as a coworker or a service staff member. Avoid using it for tiny everyday things, where it can sound exaggerated.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu), literally 'it is fine.' You can attach it to a short lead-in to sound warmer: いえいえ、大丈夫です (ie ie, daijōbu desu) or 全然大丈夫です (zenzen daijōbu desu). For casual speech, drop です and use 大丈夫 (daijōbu) or 全然大丈夫 (zenzen daijōbu). Another common pattern is 気にしないで (ki ni shinaide), which literally means 'don't mind it.' Add ください to make it polite: 気にしないでください (ki ni shinaide kudasai). These patterns all accept the apology; they do not apologize back.
When to use it
Use 大丈夫です with anyone you do not know well, including shop staff, train station employees, and coworkers you address politely. If a staff member apologizes for a delay, 大丈夫です is enough. With a close friend who says ごめん、遅れた (gomen, okureta), reply 全然大丈夫 or 気にしないで. Reserve とんでもないです for a more serious apology, such as ご迷惑をおかけしました (gomeiwaku o kakemashita). If you are unsure of the register, 大丈夫です is rarely wrong in polite conversation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
あ、ごめん。待った？
Oh, sorry. Were you waiting?a, go-men. ma-tta?ううん、全然大丈夫だよ。
No, it's totally fine.u-un, zen-zen da-i-jo-o-bu da yoごめんね、電車が遅れてて。
Sorry, the train was delayed.go-men ne, den-sha ga o-ku-re-te-te気にしないで。まだ時間あるから。
Don't worry about it. We still have time.ki ni shi-na-i-de. ma-da ji-kan a-ru ka-raA little context goes a long way
Japanese apologies often function as social lubrication rather than admissions of fault, so a light, quick reply is usually better than a long reassurance. 大丈夫です accepts the apology without assigning blame. In service situations, staff may apologize repeatedly; a calm 大丈夫です or とんでもないです is enough. Avoid replying with すみません, which can sound like you are apologizing back and may confuse the exchange.
One thing to watch for
Replying to ごめん with すみません, thinking it means 'no problem.'
Try this instead: すみません is an apology or a call for attention, not an acceptance. If a friend says ごめん、遅れた, answer 全然大丈夫 or 気にしないで. In polite settings, use 大丈夫です or いえいえ、大丈夫ですよ instead.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A coworker says すみません、書類を間違えました (Sumimasen, shorui o machigaemashita). What is a safe polite reply?
Show a sample answer
大丈夫です。
大丈夫です is polite, short, and accepts the apology without blame. いえいえ、大丈夫ですよ is also fine and slightly warmer.
2Your close friend says ごめん、遅れた. What casual reply fits?
Show a sample answer
全然大丈夫だよ。
Dropping です and adding だよ makes the reply casual and friendly. 気にしないで is also correct in this situation.
3Someone apologizes for a serious inconvenience with ご迷惑をおかけしました. Which reply is more formal?
Show a sample answer
とんでもないです。
とんでもないです is a humble, formal way to say 'not at all.' 大丈夫です is also acceptable, but とんでもないです matches the serious tone better.
For most situations, 大丈夫です is the safe reply to an apology. With friends, use 全然大丈夫 or 気にしないで. Do not answer an apology with すみません.
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