Sumimasen Situation Chooser
Choose a situation to see how sumimasen works and add a useful follow-up.
iPhone & iPad · Free
Track it in Japanese Phrasebook.
Japanese gives you more practical phrases for everyday travel situations.
Use sumimasen in context
すみません (sumimasen) can work as a polite apology or as excuse me when getting someone's attention.
Choose the situation first. Add a follow-up only when you need to make a request.
The results use phrases from the Japanese app's vetted phrase catalog.
Sumimasen questions
What does sumimasen mean?
すみません can mean sorry or excuse me, depending on the situation.
Can I use sumimasen to get someone's attention?
Yes. It is a common polite way to begin a request or get attention.
How do I pronounce sumimasen?
The romaji reading is sumimasen.