〜て すみません (~te sumimasen) — Sorry for doing that
An apology that names exactly what you are sorry for.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
「すみません」works on its own, but to show what you are sorry for, put a て form in front of it: 遅れて すみません (sorry for being late). How to attach: the て form of the verb + すみません (休みます → 休んで すみません). In the negative, ない drops and なくて takes its place: 分からない → 分からなくて すみません. For something already finished, 「すみませんでした」sounds better. **✅ This page is polite too:** you can say it to a 店長, a 課長, a 先輩 or a customer, and you will need it every day at work. With a friend you would say 「遅れて ごめん」, but 遅れて すみません is never wrong. **⚠️ One thing:** in Japan, do not lead with your excuse — say 「遅れて すみません」first, and give the reason after.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
遅れて すみません。
okurete sumimasen.
Sorry I am late.
昨日 休んで すみませんでした。
kinou yasunde sumimasen deshita.
I am sorry I took yesterday off.
分からなくて すみません。
wakaranakute sumimasen.
Sorry, I did not understand.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
Question: 1/3How do you tell your 店長 "Sorry I am late"?
💡 Hint: ごめん is casual speech.
「遅れて すみません」is safe with anyone. ごめん is for friends only.
Which says "Sorry, I did not understand"?
💡 Hint: ない drops and なくて takes its place.
分からない → 分からなくて + すみません.
You arrive late at the shop. In which order do you speak to your 店長?
💡 Hint: Do not lead with the excuse.
Apology first — 「遅れて すみません」— then the reason. Leading with the reason sounds like an excuse. And to a 店長 it is すみません, not ごめん. 「〜て すみません」is safe with anyone.
Your score: /3