違います
chigaimasu
The Japanese phrase for "I am not" is 違います (chigaimasu).
違います is used to deny a statement, correct a misconception or to say that something is incorrect. Rather than being used to describe a state of being, it functions to signal that what has been said or assumed is not the case.
How do you pronounce it?
chigaimasu
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use watashi wa arimasen to mean "I am not," but 違います is the natural way to express that "that is incorrect" or "you are mistaken."
Did you know?
- In Japanese, you can often omit 違います entirely by simply tilting your head slightly from side to side or making a small 'X' sign with your index fingers.
- While 違います (chigaimasu) means 'I am not' in certain contexts, its literal dictionary meaning is actually 'to differ' or 'to be different'.
- In a business setting, a Japanese person might say 違います while simultaneously nodding their head, which can confuse English speakers who associate nodding with agreement.
Examples in context
- 犯人は私ではありません。違います。Hannin wa watashi de wa arimasen. Chigaimasu.I am not the culprit. It is not me.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are discussing a mistake on a document.
- 蓮 Renここは間違いですか？Koko wa machigai desu ka?Is this part a mistake?
- 美咲 Misakiいいえ, 違います。Iie, chigaimasu.No, it is not.
- 蓮 Ren本当ですか？Hontou desu ka?Are you sure?
- 美咲 Misakiはい, 違いますよ。Hai, chigaimasu yo.Yes, it is not a mistake.
