Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 6: 16/16

～てすみませんI'm sorry for

Structure

Verb［て］+ すみません

Details

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    Polite

About てすみません

てすみません is a grammar construction that expresses the speaker's regret about (A). It is often translated directly to 'I'm sorry for (A)'. As discussed in one of our previous lessons on て, we examined the 'since', or 'due to' meaning that it can have. Let's look at a few examples.

Phrases that use this particular (A) て (B) nuance of the て-form primarily express something that is beyond the control of the speaker in the (B) statement. Coming from the verb 済(す)む (to finish), すみません (the negated form) means 'to be unfinished'. In this way, てすみません literally means that the speaker feels that something is 'unfinished due to (A)'. This is very similar to phrases like 'having unfinished business' in English.

Although the translation is 'I'm sorry', perhaps it would be easier to remember this grammar structure as highlighting someone's regret/unfinished feelings about (A), and simply showing that to the person that is being apologized to.

Examples

--:--

    あなたのケーキを食(た)べてすみません。

    I'm sorry for eating your cake.

    遅(おそ)くなってすみません。

    I am sorry that I am late.

    約束(やくそく)を破(やぶ)ってすみません。

    I'm sorry for breaking my promise.

    怒(おこ)ってすみません。怒(おこ)りたくなかった。

    I'm sorry for getting angry. I didn't want to be angry.

    喋(しゃべ)りすぎてすみません。

    I'm sorry for talking too much.

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      てすみません – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (14 in total)

      • Jake

        Jake

        I’m sorry for

        Structure

        • Verb[て] + すみません

        View on Bunpro

      • jprspereira

        jprspereira

        Missing full stop in the first 2 example sentences:

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        Thanks!

      • Anthropos888

        Anthropos888

        What about the negative form? Is it always ~なくてすみません or can I use ~ないですみません as well?

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        Both are natural, but なくて is used more often this way.

      • Anthropos888

        Anthropos888

        Thanks! Now it’s clear. In which cases would ないで be preferred over なくて? And is there any grammar where only ないで can be used but not なくて?

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        First of all.
        ないで can be used only with verbs. なくて, on the other hand, can be used with nouns, adjectives and verbs.
        But if なくて is used with a verb (not in fixed expression) it has to express reason or cause. (ないで doesn’t have this requirement, also when なくて is used with nouns and adjectives it simply means “not, and/ is not…, but”)

        So this explains why there is no だけではないで but only だけではなくて and why it is perfectly fine to use ではいられない with Nouns, but ないではいられない works only with verbs.

        In other words, if you simply want to say: “not and” for verbs your default choice is ないで and for adjectives and nouns なくて。If you want to state a reason/cause then なくて is choice (though it is weaker than ないから・ないので！).

        Next, ないで is the only one that is used with auxiliaries like ください、ほしい、おく。

        それをしないでください、
        Plesae, do not do that.

        それを言わないでほしい。
        I do not want you to say that.

        パスタはあるから買わないで...

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        @Anthropos888

      • Anthropos888

        Anthropos888

        Perfect! Thanks for the great explanation.

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        No problem, I hope it helps

      • xBl4ck

        xBl4ck

        I’m a little confused as for why this is taught as a seperate grammar point (not by bunpro, but in general). Isnt it just “I did/didn’t and I’m sorry”? Is there any difference to the て form used to join sentences?

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        Hey

        Usually, it is like that because it is taught before て form, since apologizing is one of the first phrases students want to know.

      • Paulkun

        Paulkun

      • deltacat3

        deltacat3

        結婚式なのにこの格好で行ってすみません。
        I’m sorry for going dressed this way, since it is a wedding.

        What is the なのに expressing here?

        Also is this the same で as the one that marks means/instruments?

      • Daru

        Daru

        It’s basically saying ‘in spite of…’ in this case, ‘in spite of this being a wedding’ in a literal sense.

        Yes! It’s basically expressing ‘sorry I came with this look’.

        Putting the...

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