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JAPANESE VERB

まちがえる

間違える

to make a mistake

  • #109 most used
  • Ichidan verb (ru-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI make a mistake
NegativeI don’t make a mistake

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI made a mistake
NegativeI didn’t make a mistake

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formmaking a mistake, and…
Doing now (て います)I am making a mistake
Please (て ください)please make a mistake

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can make a mistake
NegativeI can’t make a mistake

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to make a mistake
NegativeI don’t want to make a mistake

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s make a mistake

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I make a mistake
  2. If, when (たら) if I make a mistake

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) make a mistake (do it)
  2. Plain command make a mistake!
  3. Please don’t please don’t make a mistake

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am made a mistake
CausativeI make someone make a mistake

How to use まちがえる

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    よく でんわ ばんごう を まちがえます。

    I often get phone numbers wrong.

  2. Past

    ごめん、 じかん を まちがえた。

    Sorry, I got the time wrong.

  3. Te-form

    みち を まちがえて、 おくれました。

    I took the wrong road and was late.

  4. Potential

    ここ だけ は まちがえられない。

    This is the one place I can't afford a mistake.

  5. Want to

    なまえ の かんじ は まちがえたくない。

    I don't want to get the kanji of her name wrong.

  6. Volitional

    まちがえよう と、 き に しないで ね。

    Even if you make mistakes, don't worry about it.

  7. Conditional

    まちがえたら、 また やりなおせば いい。

    If you get it wrong, you can just do it again.

  8. Commands and requests

    こんど は まちがえないで ください ね。

    Please don't get it wrong next time.

  9. Passive and causative

    なまえ を まちがえられて、 すこし かなしかった です。

    They got my name wrong and I was a little sad.

Good to know

  • まちがえる is to get something wrong; まちがう is for a thing that is wrong: この じゅうしょ は まちがって います.

Where you hear まちがえる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • よく かんじ を まちがえます。 I often get kanji wrong.
  • すみません、 まちがえました。 Sorry, I made a mistake.
  • だいじょうぶ。 みんな まちがえます よ。 It's fine. Everyone makes mistakes.
16
The Quiet Student

Beginner Level 2 · まちがえます · まちがえました · まちがえて

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: ichidan verb (ru-verb).