Japanese word

間違う

Pronunciation

Romajimachigau

Meaning

  • verbmake a mistake

Example

私はよく間違います。watashi wa yo ku ma chiga i ma su

I often make mistakes.

Illustration for 間違う (make a mistake)

More examples

急いでいたので、駅への道を間違いました。iso i de i ta no de eki e no michi o ma chiga i ma shi ta

Because I was in a hurry, I took the wrong road to the station.

Core concept

Describes falling out of alignment with what is correct, either by making an error or by being wrong.

Common phrases

  • 名前を間違うna mae o ma chiga u

    get a name wrong

  • 答えを間違うkota e o ma chiga u

    get the answer wrong

  • 道を間違うmichi o ma chiga u

    take the wrong road

Similar words

間違えるmachigaeru: To mistake one thing, person, or choice for another.
勘違いするkanchigaisuru: To understand something incorrectly by confusing it with something else.

Definition in Japanese

判断や行動を誤り、正しくない状態になる。han dan ya kō dō o ayama ri tada shi ku na i jō tai ni na ru

Word origin

間違う (machigau) combines 間 (ma, "interval") and 違う (chigau, "differ"), expressing a deviation from what fits or is correct.

Usage tips

  • 間違う (machigau) often describes being wrong or making an error, while 間違える (machigaeru) more often describes mistaking one thing for another.

Other meanings

  • be wrongverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word