エラー
erā[e̞ɾa̠ː]
The Japanese word for error is エラー (erā). Wiktionary also lists 誤り (ayamari) and 間違い (machigai).
Meaning: mistake (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| エラー | erā | [e̞ɾa̠ː] (narrow) |
| 誤り | ayamari | [a̠ja̠ma̠ɾʲi] (narrow) |
| 間違い | machigai | [ma̠t͡ɕiɡa̠i] (narrow) |
Depending on the context, Japanese uses different words for error. エラー is a direct loanword from English used to refer to various kinds of errors. 間違い is a general-purpose word for a mistake or an incorrect answer used in daily conversation. 誤り is used to describe errors stemming from a lack of knowledge or misunderstanding.
Which one should you use?
間違い is the most common and general-purpose term for a mistake in everyday conversation. In contrast, エラー is primarily used for technical or system errors, such as hardware malfunctions or computer software bugs. 誤り is a more formal, written-style word used in academic, legal or official contexts to denote a factual error or falsehood.
How do you pronounce it?
erā
Did you know?
- The verb 誤る (ayamaru), which forms the word 誤り, sounds almost identical to the verb 謝る (ayamaru), which means 'to apologize'.
- The word 間違い comes from 間 meaning 'space' or 'interval' and 違(ちが)う meaning 'to differ'. It literally describes a situation where things do not line up or fit together correctly.
- While 間違い is the go-to word for errors in daily life, using it to correct a boss or superior can come across as unexpectedly blunt or even confrontational in a professional setting.
Examples in context
- 彼はついに自分の誤りを悟った。At last, he realized his error.This sentence shows how to use 誤り regarding a person realizing an error.Tatoeba #202654 by arnab, translation #39888 by CK
- 予期せぬエラーが発生しました。An unexpected error has occurred.This sentence demonstrates the use of エラー for an unexpected system error.Tatoeba #2960838 by tommy_san, translation #5785989 by Balamax
- エラーメッセージを正しく理解することは成長の鍵だ。Understanding error messages correctly is the key to growth.This sentence uses エラー in the context of understanding error messages.Tatoeba #13146663 by Gardenia, translation #13743927 by Danberry
- このアプリにエラーが発生しました。An error occurred with this application.
- このアプリ、エラー出ちゃったよ。Oops, this app had an error.
- 調査レポートに誤りが含まれています。The survey report contains an error.
- 調査レポートにミスがあったんだ。There was a mistake in the survey report.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At an office, a man is troubleshooting a computer problem.
- 大翔 Hiroto画面にエラーが出ているよ。Gamen ni eraa ga dete iru yo.An error is appearing on the screen.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さん、何のエラーですか？Hiroto-san, nan no eraa desu ka?Hiroto, what kind of error is it?
- 大翔 Hiroto接続のエラーみたいだ。Setsuzoku no eraa mitai da.It looks like a connection error.
- 美咲 Misakiすぐに確認しますね。Sugu ni kakunin shimasu ne.I will check it immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “error” translations and entries エラー, 誤り, 間違い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
