Sections
ごめんGomen: what it means in anime
ごめん · gomen
I'm sorry; my apologies; excuse me
Gomen means "sorry". It is the casual apology for friends and family; ごめんなさい is a little softer and more complete, and すみません is the polite one.
Updated October 24, 2026
Where you hear it
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あー… ごめん パスSorry, I'll pass on that. {ED}
HorimiyaEpisode 1 · 20 lines in episodes 1–3 -
ごめんな！ 強く生きてくれ！Sorry! Live strong!
Re:ZeroEpisode 1 · 10 lines in episodes 1–3 -
ごめん 次は捕るSorry. I'll get the next one.
Haikyu!!Episode 1 · 9 lines in episodes 1–3 More examples (4)
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ごめん えっ？Sorry, eh?
NANAEpisode 2 · 8 lines in episodes 1–3 -
私の個性 ごめんね 勝手にIt's my Quirk. Sorry for using it without asking first.
My Hero AcademiaEpisode 3 · 7 lines in episodes 1–3 -
ごめん まだ これしか弾けないSorry, this is the only thing I can play yet.
K-On!Episode 2 · 7 lines in episodes 1–3 -
ごめん 大きいのしかなかった
NoragamiEpisode 3 · 5 lines in episodes 1–3
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Lines from the Japanese subtitles of episodes 1–3 of each show. A translation is shown only when it clearly matches the line; counts are subtitle lines containing the word.
Usage and nuance
ごめん is what characters say when they bump into a friend, arrive late or let someone down. Add ね or よ and it becomes gentler: ごめんね, "sorry, okay?"
It also works as "excuse me" when you need to refuse or interrupt: ごめん、無理 is "sorry, I can't". With a boss or a stranger you would switch to すみません or 申し訳ありません.
Rough male characters often use 悪い (warui) instead, literally "my bad". When a proud character finally says ごめん, the scene is usually treating it as a big moment.
Hear ごめん in Horimiya20 lines in episodes 1–3 · tappable subtitles · free, no account