How to Say "I Failed" in Japanese

失敗した

shippai shita

In Japanese, "I failed" is expressed as 失敗した (shippai shita).

The phrase 失敗した is used for a wide range of failures, from failing a specific task or experiment to failing an exam or a business venture.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In the Kansai region (such as Osaka or Kyoto), the dialectal version of 失敗しました is あかんかったわ.

shippai shita

In business contexts, instead of using 失敗した, people often use the euphemism 不徳の致すところ, which translates to 'it is the result of my lack of virtue'.
The word 失敗 comes from 失, meaning 'lose' or 'miss', and 敗, meaning 'defeat'. It shares its second character with the word for 'defeat' in a sports match or war.
When someone fails in a way that causes a social embarrassment, they might use the word しくじった instead of 失敗した. This is a more visceral, colloquial term for 'messing up'.

私は結局失敗した。
I failed after all.
Tatoeba #157333 by bunbuku, translation #257200 by CM
万一失敗したら両親はどう言うだろう。
In the unlikely event that I failed, what would my parents say?
Tatoeba #81151 by bunbuku, translation #2705657 by WestofEden
話しかけられながらやってたら失敗した。
I failed because I was doing it while someone was talking to me.
Tatoeba #11005045 by KK_kaku_, translation #13108026 by tommo
2 more sentences on Tatoeba

Kenta is talking to Misaki about a project at work.

健太 Kenta

プロジェクトに失敗した。
Project ni shippai shita.
I failed the project.
美咲 Misaki

大丈夫？次はきっと上手くいくよ。
Daijōbu? Tsugi wa kitto umaku iku yo.
Are you okay? I'm sure it will go well next time.
健太 Kenta

ありがとう、美咲。
Arigatō, Misaki.
Thank you, Misaki.
美咲 Misaki

健太なら、次は成功できるよ。
Kenta nara, tsugi wa seikō dekiru yo.
You can succeed next time, Kenta.

Sources

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