Japanese phrase
遅れてしまい、申し訳ありません。 oku re te shi ma i mō shi wake a ri ma se n
Meaning
I am sorry for being late.
When to use it
Expresses a polite apology for arriving late. It is more formal and remorseful than a casual apology, so it suits work settings and other situations where lateness needs to be acknowledged.
Example dialogue
会議に遅れてしまい、申し訳ありません。 kai gi ni oku re te shi ma i mō shi wake a ri ma se n
I am sorry for being late to the meeting.
いえ、まだ始まっていません。 i e ma da haji ma tte i ma se n
No, it has not started yet.