Japanese phrase
遅刻して申し訳ありません。 chi koku shi te mō shi wake a ri ma se n
Meaning
Please accept my apologies for being late.
When to use it
Offers a polite apology for arriving late. It sounds more formal and serious than a casual apology, so it suits professional or important situations.
Example dialogue
会議はもう始まっています。 kai gi wa mō haji ma tte i ma su
The meeting has already started.
遅刻して申し訳ありません。 chi koku shi te mō shi wake a ri ma se n
Please accept my apologies for being late.