J'ai fait une erreur
The English phrase 'I made a mistake' is translated into French as J'ai fait une erreur.
This phrase is a statement used to admit that one has done something incorrectly.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'I have made an error' using the auxiliary verb avoir (to have) and the past participle of faire (to make/do).
Which one should you use?
J'ai fait une erreur focuses on the error as an object one created. In contrast, the common reflexive alternative Je me suis trompé focuses on the act of being mistaken.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use faute and erreur interchangeably, but une faute often implies a moral error, a breach of rules or a spelling mistake, whereas une erreur is more neutral and general.
Did you know?
- If you want to sound more like you were personally deceived by your own judgment, you would switch to the reflexive form Je me suis trompé, which translates more closely to 'I deceived myself'.
- The word erreur shares its root with the English word 'errant', as both come from the Latin errōrem, which originally meant 'wandering' or 'straying'.
- In French sports like tennis, a 'double fault' is called une double faute, using the word for a moral or rule-based breach rather than erreur.
Examples in context
- J'ai fait une erreur.I made a mistake.Tatoeba #2826214 by Rovo, translation #433678 by CK
- Désolé, j'ai fait une erreur.Sorry, I made a mistake.Tatoeba #8954212 by Aiji, translation #2312025 by CK
- Désolé. J'ai fait une erreur.Sorry. I made a mistake.Tatoeba #10568827 by lbdx, translation #10557482 by AlanF_US
- Excusez-moi, j'ai commis une erreur dans mon rapport.Excuse me, I made a mistake in my report.
- Je reconnais que j'ai fait une erreur en ne respectant pas les règles.I acknowledge that I made a mistake by not following the rules.
- Pardon, j'ai fait une faute en calculant les chiffres.Sorry, I made a mistake while calculating the numbers.
- Je m'excuse d'avoir commis une erreur dans mes précédents propos.I apologize for making a mistake in my previous statement.
- Désolé, j'ai merdé en ne te rappelant pas hier soir.Sorry, I messed up by not calling you back last night.
- Oops, j'ai fait une bourde en racontant cette histoire.Oops, I made a blunder by telling that story.
- Désolé, je me suis trompé(e) dans la date de l'événement.Sorry, I was mistaken about the event's date.
- Je suis désolé(e), j'ai fait une erreur en ne prenant pas tes remarques en considération.I'm sorry, I made a mistake by not taking your remarks into consideration.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is showing a report to Hugo at work.
- EmmaRegarde Hugo, j'ai fait une erreur ici.Look Hugo, I made a mistake here.
- HugoCe n'est pas grave, Emma.It is not a problem, Emma.
- EmmaJe vais corriger le chiffre tout de suite.I will correct the number right now.
- HugoD'accord, merci beaucoup.Okay, thank you very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries erreur, fait, j'ai, une, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
