What to say when leaving the table before everybody else?


For example, while having lunch with your coworkers and you have to attend
some matter soon, what would be a natural way to leave the table? I think that
in this case saying お先に失礼します would be wrong.




I won't say お先に失礼します is completely out of place, but you should at least
mention why you're leaving, so as to assure that you're not offended or
anything:

> すみません、片付けたい仕事がありますので、先に失礼します。

Abruptly announcing お先に失礼します is probably too closely tied to the idiomatic
usage (when leaving work).

先に戻ります or 先に行きます can also work as a substitution for 先に失礼します.

> すみません、やってしまいたいことがあるので、先に戻ります。

If you're unsure about which verb to use, just [cut it
short](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/391/about-cutting-the-
sentences-short) with a trailing ellipsis (see Axioplase's and Dave's answer):

> すみません、ちょっと用事があるので...

If your colleagues already know you have something to attend to, or your KY
radar is all clear, you can get as brief as:

> じゃ、お先です。

Some people may think it's too informal for work, but you'll be ok as long as
other people around you are using it.

ごちそうさまでした works best when you're eating your
[bentos](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bento) together. See Dave's answer for a
complete explanation.




I won't say お先に失礼します is completely out of place, but you should at least
mention why you're leaving, so as to assure that you're not offended or
anything:

> すみません、片付けたい仕事がありますので、先に失礼します。

Abruptly announcing お先に失礼します is probably too closely tied to the idiomatic
usage (when leaving work).

先に戻ります or 先に行きます can also work as a substitution for 先に失礼します.

> すみません、やってしまいたいことがあるので、先に戻ります。

If you're unsure about which verb to use, just [cut it
short](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/391/about-cutting-the-
sentences-short) with a trailing ellipsis (see Axioplase's and Dave's answer):

> すみません、ちょっと用事があるので...

If your colleagues already know you have something to attend to, or your KY
radar is all clear, you can get as brief as:

> じゃ、お先です。

Some people may think it's too informal for work, but you'll be ok as long as
other people around you are using it.

ごちそうさまでした works best when you're eating your
[bentos](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bento) together. See Dave's answer for a
complete explanation.

