お邪魔します

Japanese

Japanese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Kanji in this term
邪	魔
じゃ Grade: S	ま Grade: S
goon

Alternative spelling
御邪魔します

Etymology

Compound of 御(お) (o-, honorific prefix) + 邪(じゃ)魔(ま) (jama, “nuisance, bother”) + します (shimasu, formal of する (suru), “to do”).

Phrase

お邪(じゃ)魔(ま)します • (o-jama shimasu) 

1. hello, sorry for any trouble

Usage notes

Said upon arrival when visiting someone's place. Literally means “I'm being a bother,” “I'm bothering you,” in recognition of the likelihood that the visit puts some burden on the visitee, such as taking up their time.

At the end of the visit, upon departing, the visitor may say お邪(じゃ)魔(ま)しました (o-jama shimashita), “I've been a bother” → “thank you for your time.”