How to Say Excuse Me in Japanese: Get Attention, Pass By, or Interrupt Politely
Learn sumimasen, chotto sumimasen, and sumimasen ga to get attention, pass through a crowd, or interrupt politely in Japanese. Includes register notes and a practical dialogue.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, the same word often covers both apology and attention-getting, but the situation changes which phrase is natural. For getting past someone in a crowd, the standard choice is すみません (sumimasen). For a quick, casual pass-by, ちょっとすみません (chotto sumimasen) works. To interrupt a staff member or ask a question, すみませんが (sumimasen ga) adds a polite lead-in. This lesson teaches you to use these phrases accurately, without treating them as direct translations of every English 'excuse me'.
By the end, you can…
- use すみません to get attention or pass by someone in a crowd.
- use すみませんが to interrupt politely and ask a question.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
すみません
Excuse me / Sorry
su-mi-ma-sen
The default all-purpose attention-getter. Use it to call a staff member, get past someone, or apologize lightly. In crowded trains and shops, it is the normal way to say 'excuse me' when passing.
ちょっとすみません
Excuse me (a quick, casual attention-getter)
cho-tto su-mi-ma-sen
Adds ちょっと (chotto, 'a little') to soften the call. Useful when you need to squeeze past someone or ask a quick question. It is slightly more casual than すみません alone but still polite.
すみませんが
Excuse me, but...
su-mi-ma-sen ga
Use this before a request or question. The particle が (ga) means 'but', so it signals that a request is coming. Example: すみませんが、ちょっと聞いてもいいですか (Sumimasen ga, chotto kiite mo ii desu ka) — 'Excuse me, but may I ask you something?'
通してください
Please let me through
tō-shite ku-da-sai
From 通す (tōsu, 'to let pass'). Use when you need people to make a path. It is direct but polite with ください. Often preceded by すみません: すみません、通してください (Sumimasen, tōshite kudasai).
この席は空いていますか
Is this seat taken?
ko-no se-ki wa ai-te i-ma-su ka
Literally 'Is this seat empty?' Use after getting attention with すみません. 空いています (aite imasu) means 'is vacant'. This is the natural way to ask about a seat on a train or in a café.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is すみません (sumimasen) plus a request or question. To get past someone, say すみません、通してください (Sumimasen, tōshite kudasai). To ask about a seat, say すみません、この席は空いていますか (Sumimasen, kono seki wa aite imasu ka). To interrupt a staff member, say すみませんが、ちょっと聞いてもいいですか (Sumimasen ga, chotto kiite mo ii desu ka). Notice that すみませんが is used when you are about to ask a favor; すみません alone is enough for a quick pass-by. The verb 通す (tōsu) means 'to let pass', and 空く (aku) means 'to become empty'. These are concrete actions, not vague apologies.
When to use it
Use すみません when you need someone's attention: calling a waiter, asking a stranger a question, or squeezing through a crowd. In a crowded train, すみません alone is enough to pass. If you need people to actually move, add 通してください (tōshite kudasai). For interrupting a staff member who is busy, すみませんが is more polite because it acknowledges the interruption. Avoid using すみません as a heavy apology; for real remorse, Japanese often uses ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) or 申し訳ありません (mōshiwake arimasen). In business settings, 恐れ入りますが (osore irimasu ga) is a more formal alternative to すみませんが.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、通してください。
Excuse me, please let me through.su-mi-ma-sen, tō-shite ku-da-saiあ、すみません。どうぞ。
Oh, excuse me. Go ahead.a, su-mi-ma-sen. dō-zoすみません、この席は空いていますか。
Excuse me, is this seat free?su-mi-ma-sen, ko-no se-ki wa ai-te i-ma-su kaはい、空いていますよ。
Yes, it’s free.Hai, aite imasu yo.A little context goes a long way
In Japan, すみません is extremely common and can feel like a light apology even when you are just getting attention. Context and tone decide whether it means 'excuse me' or 'sorry'. In crowded public spaces, a quick すみません with a small bow is standard. For more formal situations, such as speaking to a superior or a customer, 恐れ入りますが (osore irimasu ga) is safer than すみませんが. Do not assume that すみません always translates to 'sorry'; it often functions as a polite opener.
One thing to watch for
Using ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) to get past someone in a crowd.
Try this instead: ごめんなさい is a genuine apology for a mistake, not a way to get attention. To pass by, say すみません (sumimasen) or すみません、通してください (Sumimasen, tōshite kudasai). For example, in a train: すみません、降ります (Sumimasen, orimasu) — 'Excuse me, I'm getting off.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are on a crowded train and need to get off. What do you say to the people in front of you?
Show a sample answer
すみません、降ります。 (Sumimasen, orimasu.)
This uses すみません to get attention and 降ります (orimasu, 'I get off') to state your action. 通してください (tōshite kudasai) is also valid if you need them to make a path, but 降ります is more specific to getting off a train.
2You want to ask a staff member a question but they are busy. What polite phrase do you use to interrupt?
Show a sample answer
すみませんが、ちょっと聞いてもいいですか。 (Sumimasen ga, chotto kiite mo ii desu ka.)
すみませんが signals that a request is coming, and ちょっと聞いてもいいですか means 'may I ask you something?' 恐れ入りますが (osore irimasu ga) is a more formal alternative in business settings.
3You see an empty seat in a café and want to ask if it is taken. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
すみません、この席は空いていますか。 (Sumimasen, kono seki wa aite imasu ka.)
This combines すみません for attention with この席は空いていますか (kono seki wa aite imasu ka), meaning 'is this seat vacant?' You could also point and say すみません、ここいいですか (Sumimasen, koko ii desu ka) — 'Excuse me, is here okay?' in casual settings.
Use すみません as your default 'excuse me' for attention and passing by. Add 通してください to ask people to let you through, and use すみませんが before a polite request. Save ごめんなさい for real apologies.
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