I just learned that "shitsurei" actually means rude (adjective). Does this mean "shitsurei shimasu" actually means something along the lines of "I am rude"? I noticed the phrase is often used when someone is entering another persons room (anime's anyway) but have heard it as an "excuse me" thing as well. I just thought the possibility of it meaning this was interesting. :]

As you said shitsurei is "rude" and shimasu is suru in the polite present tense. Suru = to do so really your saying... 失礼します I'm being rude or more literallty "rudeness I am doing" so more or less its taken as "Excuse me (for my rude behavior)" or "I'm sorry" etc.

失礼します! is a very useful expression in Japanese. 失礼 (shitsurei) is written with two kanji - *失* (shitsu) means _"lose"_ and *礼* (rei) means _"manners."_ When you combine them, you get the expression "rudeness" or literally "lose-manners." Adding *~suru*, or any other form of *~suru* (such as *~shimasu*, *~shimashita*) makes it a verb expressing _"to do/to commit rudeness."_ When entering your boss' office, you say *Shitsurei shimasu*... When walking in front of someone, or bumping into someone accidentally - intruding their space, you say *Shitsurei shimasu*... Such use is equivalent to the polite way of saying _"Excuse me"_ in English. Just as you say *Shitsurei shimasu* when entering someone's office, you also would say *Shitsurei shimasu* when leaving someone's, especially you superior's, office or home... You would also say *Shitsurei shimasu* when saying "goodbye" on the phone, when talking to someone superior than you. In such situations, the expression means _"Excuse me for intruding."_ The past form of *Shitsurei shimasu* which is *Shitsurei shimashita* is also used as an "Excuse me" as well as an apology for something done wrong, or something that may have caused offense in the past. -Sayaka :lol:

Thank you for this post and the counter post. It's good to know I was on the right track for shitsurei, and I had a feeling that's how the counters worked. Thanks a lot :D