The polite negative of 済む, “to be settled.” The sense that an obligation is not settled underlies its social uses.
The polite negative of 済む, “to be settled.” The sense that an obligation is not settled underlies its social uses.
What does すみません mean?
It can be an apology, a polite call for attention, or a thank-you that acknowledges the other person's effort.
Can I use it before asking a question?
Yes. Say すみません to get someone's attention before a question.
Why can it mean thank you?
It acknowledges that the other person has taken trouble on your behalf.
How is it different from ごめんなさい?
すみません also works for attention and grateful thanks; ごめんなさい is an apology.
What is the casual spoken form?
すいません is common in speech, but すみません is the standard written form.