Formal to Superior
Workplace · Email
お返事が遅くなり、大変失礼いたしました。 — I sincerely apologize for the late reply. (Workplace · Email, Formal to Superior, JLPT N2)
You
お返事が遅くなり、大変失礼いたしました。
おへんじがおそくなり、たいへんしつれいいたしました。
I sincerely apologize for the late reply.
Romaji: Ohenji ga osoku nari, taihen shitsurei itashimashita. / Reply Romaji: Iie, ki ni nasarazu. Soshite, gojoukyou wa ikaga deshou ka.
Reply
いいえ、気になさらず。それで、ご状況はいかがでしょうか。
いいえ、きになさらず。それで、ごじょうきょうはいかがでしょうか。
Not at all, please don't worry. So, how is things progressing?
Gesture & etiquette
This is an email phrase. If the delay was significant, consider adding a brief reason: 「社内確認に時間を要したため」(due to time needed for internal confirmation). Transparency about the cause, without over-explaining, is appreciated.
In Japan, prompt email replies are highly valued — delays beyond 24 hours require an apology. This phrase should appear in the very first line of your email, before any other content. For very informal internal emails, 「遅くなってごめんなさい」suffices, but use the full form for superiors and clients.