申し訳ない・申し訳無い・申しわけない|もうしわけないmoushiwakenai
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Which spelling to use
申し訳ない申し訳ない is the most common form and the recommended choice for beginners; use it as your default spelling of this expression.
申し訳無い申し訳無い is a less common kanji-and-kana variant of 申し訳ない. Recognize it, but choose 申し訳ない for your own use.
申しわけない申しわけない is a less common kanji-and-kana variant, using わけ rather than 訳. Beginners should choose 申し訳ない instead.
Definitions
- expression, i-adjectiveI'm sorry; (it's) inexcusable; I feel regretful; I feel guilty
- expression, i-adjectivethank you very much (for help, etc.)
Conjugation
| Plain form | 申し訳ない（もうしわけない） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 申し訳ないです（もうしわけないです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 申し訳なくない（もうしわけなくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 申し訳なくありません（もうしわけなくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 申し訳なかった（もうしわけなかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 申し訳なくなかった（もうしわけなくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 申し訳なくて（もうしわけなくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 申し訳なく（もうしわけなく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 申し訳なければ（もうしわけなければ） |
| kattara | 申し訳なかったら（もうしわけなかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymすまないNeutralColloquial 'sorry' for everyday apologies, as in 「すまない、遅れた」; used mostly by men to peers or juniors. 「申し訳ない」 is more formal and deferential.
- RelatedありがたいNeutralExpresses gratitude for something welcome or helpful. 「申し訳ない」 centers on feeling guilty, though it can carry a note of thanks too.
- Related遺憾いかんFormalFormal term for regret, as in 「遺憾に思う」; it can also convey apology for one's own actions, and is typical of official statements.
- Related感謝するNeutralTo thank or feel grateful — the direct opposite of the apology expressed by 「申し訳ない」.
Use 「申し訳ない」 (or 「申し訳ありません」) for a sincere apology or when you feel indebted, including thanking someone for their help. For a casual apology to peers or juniors, say 「すまない」; in official statements, use 「遺憾」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
