Own little slip-ups
Conversation phrases, Stage 2chunk 36 of 71Telling what happened
Lets you own up to small everyday mistakes when you tell what happened.
- machigaechattaoops, I got it wrong; I made a mistake
- nebou shitaI overslept
- tsui ... shichattaI couldn't help it; I ended up doing it without meaning to
- wasuremono shitaI left something behind; I forgot something
Mix-ups The -chatta endings blur together, and tsui ... shichatta needs a verb in the gap.
machigaechatta
polite machigaemashita
oops, I got it wrong; I made a mistake
Admit a slip like a wrong number, train or answer; the -chatta adds an 'oops'.
machigaeru is 'get something wrong'; machigatteru is 'it's wrong'.
a, densha machigaechatta. tsugi de oriyou.
Oh, I got on the wrong train. Let's get off at the next stop.
あ、電車間違えちゃった。次で降りよう。
a, densha o machigaete shimaimashita. tsugi de orimasu.
Oh, I took the wrong train. I'll get off at the next stop.
あ、電車を間違えてしまいました。次で降ります。
Written 間違えちゃった · まちがえちゃった · 間違えましたWho you say itHeard 360× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
nebou shita
polite nebou shimashita
I overslept
The standard excuse for being late in the morning.
gomen, nebou shita! juppun okureru.
Sorry, I overslept! I'll be ten minutes late.
ごめん、寝坊した！十分遅れる。
sumimasen, nebou shimashita. juppun hodo okuremasu.
Sorry, I overslept. I'll be about ten minutes late.
すみません、寝坊しました。十分ほど遅れます。
Written 寝坊した · ねぼうした · 寝坊しましたWho you say itHeard 11× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
tsui ... shichatta
polite tsui ... shite shimaimashita
I couldn't help it; I ended up doing it without meaning to
Put tsui before a verb in -chatta to admit something you did on impulse: 'tsui tabechatta'.
Tsui adds 'without meaning to'; -chatta alone already sounds a little regretful. Often said with a sheepish laugh.
gomen, keeki tsui zenbu tabechatta.
Sorry, I couldn't help eating all the cake.
ごめん、ケーキつい全部食べちゃった。
seeru de tsui kaisugite shimaimashita.
I ended up buying too much at the sale.
セールでつい買いすぎてしまいました。
Written つい〜しちゃった · つい〜してしまいましたWho you say itHeard 10× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
wasuremono shita
polite wasuremono o shimashita
I left something behind; I forgot something
When you realize you left something at home, on a train or in a shop.
On trains you'll hear owasuremono in announcements reminding you not to leave things behind.
a, wasuremono shita! chotto modoru ne.
Oh, I forgot something! I'll run back.
あ、忘れ物した！ちょっと戻るね。
a, wasuremono o shimashita. chotto modorimasu.
Oh, I left something behind. I'll just go back.
あ、忘れ物をしました。ちょっと戻ります。
Written 忘れ物した · わすれものした · 忘れ物をしましたWho you say itHeard 17× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles