すまん

Japanese

Etymology

済(す)ま (suma, “to finish; to be settled”, irrealis form) + ん (n, “not”).

Interjection

すまん • (suman) 

1. I'm sorry
   • 1998 March 13, Abiko, Miwa, “みかん・絵日記特別編　言の葉の泉　後編 [Mikan Picture Diary Special: A Fountain of Words: Last Chapter]”, in みかん・絵日記 [Mikan Picture Diary], volume 5 (fiction), Tokyo: Hakusensha, page 16:

     オレ…悪(わる)いこと言(い)ったなー世(せ)界(かい)で１(いっ)匹(ぴき)とか言(い)ったの　オレだよな　すまーん！

     Ore… warui koto itta nā sekai de ippiki toka itta no Ore da yo na sumān!

     I… I did say that terrible thing about ‘the only one in the world.’ I’m so sorry!

Usage notes

• This is a less polite form of the formal すみません (sumimasen). Using it with unfamiliar people can be deemed arrogant or impolite.