# Gomenkudasai



## adexx

The only use of "gomenkudasai" I know is when we enter someone's house. Does it have any other usage?


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## wathavy

Personal vote is for that one, alone.


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## Wishfull

Hi, wathavy, 
How about saying good-bye by middle aged or old aged female?


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## adexx

Well, I found it in a piece of conversation over the phone, in which one person asks another person to take a message, and then it ends like this:
- ではよろしくお願いいたします。ごめんくださいませ。
- ごめんください。


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## Ocham

Yes, there are three main usages in ごめんください.
1) when I enter someone's house
2) just before I hang up
3) when I leave someone's house


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## wathavy

Ohmmm.

All are true. And at the same time, I have never even once heard right in front of me. Those are observed by TV drama and movies.
So as my daily use, it applies only one.

It is least used, is my opinion. Just my own, perhaps.

P.S.
Call me dick.. d.


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## Flaminius

There are a few other greeting expressions for entering someone's house, but ごめんください is used when no one is around to receive you.  It's an euphemistic "Is anyone here?"


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## adexx

Ocham said:


> Yes, there are three main usages in ごめんください.
> 1) when I enter someone's house
> 2) just before I hang up
> 3) when I leave someone's house


 
About the "just before hanging up" use, is it quite common? Because I only hear "doumo", "shitsureishimasu"...


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## Wishfull

Hi.
I think it seems natural adexx thinks so.
Ocham's No.2 and No.3 are less frequently used than No.1.
No.1 is the only one that everybody can use.
But somebody might use No.2 and No.3.
I think they are usually elderly females in very high society.
I myself don't hear that kind of expressions these days around me.
In that sense, wathavy is correct too.


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## Ocham

You rarely hear "Gomenkudasai" used in the second and the third case 
unless you have someone around who was born and raised in Tokyo, 
well disciplined and over 50.


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## Feppisher

Flaminius said:


> There are a few other greeting expressions for entering someone's house, but ??????? is used when no one is around to receive you.  It's an euphemistic "Is anyone here?"



I seem to remember 'ojama itashimasu' used in a similar way. Although my memory also suggests to me the occasions were entering a commercial establishment of some sort, rather than a residence.


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## arrikitukis

I thought that it was "ojamashimasu" (ojama itashimasu) too, instead of "gomenkudasai" when entering somebody's home. So, if there's nobody there is better to say "gomenkudasai"?

PD. I'm still a beginner ^^"


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## Wishfull

Hi.
"ojamashimasu(ojama itashimasu)" and "gomenkudasai" are different.
When you visit your friend's house, the first thing you will do is to ring a bell or speak "gomenkudasai" with a loud voice. You say "gomenkudasai" at the entrance door, or at the entrance. If the entrance door is locked, you will say "gomenkudasai" at outside the entrance door. If the entrance door is unlocked, you will enter the entrance (hall), and say "gomenkudasai" with the loud voice.

Then, your friend apears from inside. You and your friend say hello, each other.
After that greeting, your friend says "Why not coming in?" or "Please come in."
Then you and your friend go to the dining room, when you say "ojamashimasu."

*At entrance →　gomenkudasai*
*When entering the (dining) room →ojyamashimasu*

So usually you say "gomenkudasai" earlier than "ojyamashimasu."
But in case your friend's house is very tiny, or just one room, you will say "gomenkudasai" and "ojyamashimasu" simultaneously.

Do you understand my explanation?


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## Feppisher

I understood, thanks a lot. Very informative


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## arrikitukis

分かりました！！本当にありがとうございました。　＾＿＿＾
時々日本語は難しいですね ＾＾”


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## Feppisher

Boku mo soo omoimasu.


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