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5. Sorry & Good Night

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こんばんは
Good evening
こんばんは
Good evening
お元気ですか
How are you?
ええ、元気です
Yeah, I'm well
私も元気です
I'm well too
ちょっと、すみません
Oh, just a moment, excuse me
大丈夫ですか
Are you okay?
はい、大丈夫です
Yes, I'm okay
ごめんなさい
I'm sorry
いいえ、大丈夫です
No, it's fine
ありがとうございます、先生
Thank you, teacher
ごめん、ちょっと
Sorry, one moment
失礼します
Excuse me
ちょっと、すみません
Oh, just a moment, excuse me
大丈夫ですか
Are you okay?
はい、大丈夫です
Yes, I'm okay
ごめんなさい
I'm sorry
いいえ、大丈夫です
No, it's fine
先生もおやすみなさい
Good night to you too, teacher
おやすみ
Night
じゃあね
See you

Cultural Notes

ごめんなさい vs ごめん — picking the right sorry

ごめんなさい is the safe, polite sorry you use with teachers, coworkers, or anyone you're not close to. ごめん is the short version you use with friends and family. If you bump into a stranger, go with ごめんなさい — or even すみません, which works as both "excuse me" and "sorry."

失礼します — the polite exit

失礼します literally means something like "I'm going to be rude" — but it's actually very polite. You say it when entering or leaving a room, hanging up the phone, or excusing yourself from a conversation. It's the professional way to step in or step out.

おやすみ before bed, not when leaving

おやすみ and おやすみなさい are specifically for bedtime or the end of the evening — not just any time you leave someone. If you're heading out in the afternoon, さようなら or じゃあね is the right goodbye. Save おやすみ for when someone is actually going to sleep.