Formal to Acquaintance
Cultural · Communication
このたびはご迷惑をおかけしました。本当に申し訳ございませんでした。 — I'm deeply sorry for the trouble I caused you this time. I sincerely apologize. (Cultural · Communication, Formal to Acquaintance, JLPT N3)
You
このたびはご迷惑をおかけしました。本当に申し訳ございませんでした。
このたびはごめいわくをおかけしました。ほんとうにもうしわけございませんでした。
I'm deeply sorry for the trouble I caused you this time. I sincerely apologize.
Romaji: Kono tabi wa gomeiwaku wo okake shimashita. Hontou ni moushiwake gozaimasen deshita. / Reply Romaji: Iie, ki ni shinaide kudasai.
Reply
いいえ、気にしないでください。
いいえ、きにしないでください。
Not at all, please don't worry about it.
Gesture & etiquette
Bow at 30-45 degrees depending on the severity of the inconvenience caused. Maintain the bow until the other person responds — straightening up too quickly signals that the apology was not deeply felt.
This two-sentence apology formula is complete and appropriate for formal situations. 「ご迷惑をおかけする」acknowledges that the burden fell on the other person (not just that you made a mistake), which is the more empathetic phrasing in Japanese apology culture.