お邪魔します
Japanese
Japanese phrasebook
 | This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on usefulness, simplicity and commonness. |
| Kanji in this term | |
|---|---|
| 邪 | 魔 |
| じゃ Grade: S | ま Grade: S |
| on’yomi | |
Alternative forms
- 御邪魔します
Etymology
お (o-, honorific prefix) + 邪魔 (jama, “nuisance, bother”) + します (shimasu, formal of する suru, “to do”)
Phrase
お邪魔します (hiragana おじゃまします, rōmaji ojama shimasu)
- 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 お邪魔しました (ojama shimashita), “I've been a bother” → “thank you for your time.”