Explanation of 申し訳ございません


In email communications, I have seen use of 申し訳ございません when saying sorry. How
this phrase has been constructed and how it is different from すみません。




It literally means "There is no excuse", or "I have no excuse". Let's break it
down:

  * 申{もう}す is the humbling version of 言{い}う
  * 言{い}い訳{わけ} means "excuse, explanation"
  * so 申{もう}し訳{わけ} is kind of a humbling version of 言{い}い訳{わけ}
  * ございます (or 御{ご}座{ざ}います in kanis but that's very rare; ござる in plain form) is polite version of ある, so ございません is a more polite way to mean "there is not"

As a result, 申{もう}し訳{わけ}ございません literally means "I have no excuse", and
therefore is a very polite way to say "I'm sorry".

On the other hand, すみません is written 済{す}みません in kanjis. 済{す}む can mean "to
feel at ease", so 済{す}みません might be translated as "I feel bad [for what I
did]", which basically means "I'm sorry".

To sum it up:

> 申{もう}し訳{わけ}ございません
>
> _I have no excuses_
>
> すみません
>
> _I feel sorry_

Now as you may know, 申{もう}し訳{わけ}ございません is much more often used in formal
contexts than すみません, which is not rude _per se_ but would be considered not
respectful enough in a working context, especially in emails.




It literally means "There is no excuse", or "I have no excuse". Let's break it
down:

  * 申{もう}す is the humbling version of 言{い}う
  * 言{い}い訳{わけ} means "excuse, explanation"
  * so 申{もう}し訳{わけ} is kind of a humbling version of 言{い}い訳{わけ}
  * ございます (or 御{ご}座{ざ}います in kanis but that's very rare; ござる in plain form) is polite version of ある, so ございません is a more polite way to mean "there is not"

As a result, 申{もう}し訳{わけ}ございません literally means "I have no excuse", and
therefore is a very polite way to say "I'm sorry".

On the other hand, すみません is written 済{す}みません in kanjis. 済{す}む can mean "to
feel at ease", so 済{す}みません might be translated as "I feel bad [for what I
did]", which basically means "I'm sorry".

To sum it up:

> 申{もう}し訳{わけ}ございません
>
> _I have no excuses_
>
> すみません
>
> _I feel sorry_

Now as you may know, 申{もう}し訳{わけ}ございません is much more often used in formal
contexts than すみません, which is not rude _per se_ but would be considered not
respectful enough in a working context, especially in emails.

