Wrong words
Idioms, Stage 2chunk 1 of 21Talking & listening
Shutting down what someone said, and walking back what you said yourself.
- baka iwanaidedon't be silly, don't talk nonsenseliterally “don't say stupid (things)”
- kotoba no ayajust a figure of speech, not meant literallyliterally “the pattern (weave) of words”
- kokoro ni mo nai koto o iusay things you don't meanliterally “say things that aren't even in your heart”
- engi demo naidon't say such ominous things, perish the thoughtliterally “anything but a good omen”
Mix-ups baka iwanaide (don't talk nonsense) vs engi demo nai (don't jinx it); kotoba no aya (just a figure of speech) vs kokoro ni mo nai koto o iu (said in anger, not meant).
baka iwanaide
polite baka na koto iwanaide kudasai
“don't say stupid (things)”
don't be silly, don't talk nonsense
In English: don't be silly
Brushes off a ridiculous idea, or reassures someone who is putting themselves down: baka iwanaide, sonna wake nai desho (don't be silly, of course not). The rougher, mostly male form is baka iu na. In polite speech it becomes baka na koto iwanaide kudasai, which is still quite direct.
Rougher, mostly male: baka iu na; baka ie (nonsense!, a flat rebuttal).
baka iwanaide, sonna wake nai desho.
Don't be silly, of course not.
バカ言わないで、そんなわけないでしょ。
baka na koto iwanaide kudasai yo, sonna wake nai desu yo.
Don't be silly, that's not true at all.
バカなこと言わないでくださいよ、そんなわけないですよ。
Written バカ言わないで · ばかいわないでHeard 287× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside engi demo naiMain list iu (Stage 2), -naide (Stage 2), wake nai (Stage 3), desho? (Stage 3)
kotoba no aya
polite kotoba no aya desu
“the pattern (weave) of words”
just a figure of speech, not meant literally
In English: a figure of speech
The standard backpedal when someone takes your words too literally or too hard: ima no wa kotoba no aya da yo (that was just a way of putting it). Aya is the pattern woven into cloth.
gomen, ima no wa kotoba no aya da yo.
Sorry, that was just a figure of speech.
ごめん、今のは言葉のあやだよ。
sumimasen, ima no wa kotoba no aya desu.
Sorry, I didn't mean that literally.
すみません、今のは言葉のあやです。
Written 言葉のあや · ことばのあやHeard 23× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kokoro ni mo nai koto o iuMain list gomen (Stage 1), ima (Stage 1)
kokoro ni mo nai koto o iu
polite kokoro ni mo nai koto o iimasu
“say things that aren't even in your heart”
say things you don't mean
Mostly in apologies after a fight: kokoro ni mo nai koto itchatta (I said things I didn't mean). The phrase kokoro ni mo nai also goes with flattery you don't mean: kokoro ni mo nai oseji.
tsui katto natte, kokoro ni mo nai koto itchatta.
I lost my temper and said things I didn't mean.
ついカッとなって、心にもないこと言っちゃった。
tsui katto natte, kokoro ni mo nai koto o itte shimaimashita.
I lost my temper and said something I didn't mean.
ついカッとなって、心にもないことを言ってしまいました。
Written 心にもないことを言う · こころにもないことをいうHeard 12× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kotoba no ayaMain list iu (Stage 2), koto (Stage 3), -chau (Stage 1)
engi demo nai
“anything but a good omen”
don't say such ominous things, perish the thought
In English: bite your tongue
The quick rebuke when someone mentions death, illness, an accident or failure, even as a joke: engi demo nai koto iwanaide (don't say things like that). Engi is luck or omen, as in engi ga ii / engi ga warui.
chotto, engi demo nai koto iwanaide yo.
Hey, bite your tongue! Don't say things like that.
ちょっと、縁起でもないこと言わないでよ。
engi demo nai koto iwanaide kudasai yo.
Please don't say such ominous things.
縁起でもないこと言わないでくださいよ。
Written 縁起でもない · えんぎでもないHeard 10× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside baka iwanaideMain list -naide (Stage 2), chotto (Stage 1), koto (Stage 3)