嘘をつきました
uso o tsukimashita
The English phrase "I lied" is translated into Japanese as 嘘をつきました (uso o tsukimashita).
This phrase is used to admit that you have told something that is not true.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 嘘 (uso, lie) and つきました (tsukimashita, the polite past tense of the verb 'to attach' or 'to tell'). Literally, it means "I told a lie".
Which one should you use?
The form 嘘をつきました is the standard polite way to admit a lie, while the plain past form 嘘をついた is used in casual conversation. Additionally, ウソを言った is an informal way of admitting you lied.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
嘘をつきました is a polite and straightforward way to admit that you lied, suitable for formal settings or when speaking to someone you are not close with. 嘘をついた is common among friends, family or people your own age. ウソを言った is also an informal option.
How do you pronounce it?
uso o tsukimashita
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word 嘘 (uso) can also be used as an exclamation to mean 'No way!' or 'You're kidding!' when someone tells you something unbelievable. In this context, it is not a confession of one's own lie, but a reaction to someone else's information.
- Japanese culture distinguishes between 'white lies' and malicious lies using the term 社交辞令 (shakou jirei). These are 'social courtesies' that are technically untruths but are expected for harmony and are not viewed as 嘘.
- When writing the word for 'lie', you may see it written in Katakana as ウソ instead of using Kanji. This is often done in manga or casual texts to give the word more visual impact or to emphasize the falseness of a statement.
Examples in context
- ごめんなさい。嘘をつきました。I'm sorry that I lied.This sentence is useful for apologizing after admitting you used the form 嘘をつきました.Tatoeba #7865981 by Ninja, translation #7865960 by CK
- 私は年齢の事で彼女に嘘をつきました。I lied to my girlfriend about my age.This sentence is useful for describing a specific situation where you used the form 嘘をつきました regarding your age.Tatoeba #3080552 by fouafouadougou, translation #1109904 by Scott
- 先生、申し訳ありません。実は、嘘をつきました。I'm sorry, Teacher. Actually, I lied.
- ごめん、実は嘘（うそ）をついたんだSorry, actually, I lied.
- すまん、ウソを言ったんだSorry, I told a lie.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren admits to Yui that he hid a small secret.
- 蓮 Ren実は、少しだけ嘘をつきました。Jitsu wa, sukoshi dake uso o tsukimashita.Actually, I lied a little bit.
- 結衣 Yuiえっ、どうしてですか？E, doushite desu ka?What? Why did you do that?
- 蓮 Renサプライズをしたかったんです。Sapuraizu o shitakatta ndesu.I wanted to surprise you.
- 結衣 Yuiそうだったんですね、びっくりしました。Sou datta ndesu ne, bikkuri shimashita.I see, you really surprised me.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
