JLPT N3・N4 Vocabulary – The difference between “間違う” and “間違える”

Table of Contents

1. The difference between “間違まちがう” and “間違まちがえる”
2. Aを間違まちがう
3. AとBを間違まちがえる
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comments

Q: Is there a difference between “間違まちがう” and “間違まちがえる”?

A: Yes. Their meanings overlap, but there is a slight difference.
Both are used to mean “not correct.”
However, “間違まちがう” focuses on being different from the correct state.
On the other hand, “間違まちがえる” focuses on choosing something different from the correct one, or mixing things up.

Aを間違まちがう (JLPT N3)

“間違まちがう” is used when something is different from the correct state, correct answer, correct direction, etc.
The speaker’s focus is on the “incorrect state” or “wrong result.”

[Examples]
間違まちがった道みちを歩あるいていました。
I was walking on the wrong road.
⇒ There is a correct road that the person should have taken, but they are walking on the wrong road.

答こたえを間違まちがいました。
I got the answer wrong.
⇒ This means that although there is a correct answer, the person wrote a different answer.

その考かんがえ方かたは間ま違ちがっていると思おもいます。
I think that way of thinking is wrong.
⇒ This means that the way of thinking is different from the correct way of thinking.

間ま違ちがった選択せんたくをすると、後あとで困こまることがあります。
If you make the wrong choice, you may have trouble later.
⇒ This means that the choice itself is not correct or not good.

AとBを間違まちがえる (JLPT N3)

“間違まちがえる” is used when there is a correct option, but the person chooses a different one, or mixes up A and B.
The speaker’s focus is on the act of choosing incorrectly or mixing things up.

[Examples]　
くつの右みぎと左ひだりを間違まちがえているよ。
You’re mixing up the right and left shoes.
⇒ The person has mixed up the right and left shoes.

電車でんしゃを間違まちがえました。
I got on the wrong train.
⇒ There was a train the person should have taken, but they got on a different train.

名前なまえを間違まちがえられたので、正ただしい名前なまえを伝つたえました。
My name was written incorrectly, so I gave the correct name.
⇒ This means that although there is a correct name, it was treated as a different name.

スピーチで言葉ことばを間違まちがえて、恥はずかしかったです。
I was embarrassed because I used the wrong word in my speech.
⇒ There was a word the person should have used, but they used a different word.

Let’s Compare

“間違まちがう” and “間違まちがえる” can sometimes be used in similar ways.
However, the nuance changes slightly depending on what the speaker is focusing on.
“間違まちがう” focuses on being different from the correct state.
In other words, it is used when you want to say that something is “incorrect as a result” or “not in the correct state.”
On the other hand, “間違まちがえる” focuses on choosing something different even though there is a correct option.
In other words, it is used when you want to say that someone “chose B instead of A” or “mixed up A and B.”
Let’s think about this using a test situation as an example.

[Examples]　
答こたえを間違まちがいました。
I got the answer wrong.
⇒ This focuses on the result: the answer was not correct.

答こたえを間違まちがえました。
I chose the wrong answer.
⇒ This focuses on the fact that the person chose an incorrect answer from several possible answers.
Both expressions sound natural, but “間違まちがう” focuses more on the result, while “間違まちがえる” focuses more on the act of choosing.

Next, let’s look at an example with medicine. Medicine has a correct way to use it and a correct amount to take.
Therefore, when you want to say that someone uses it in a way that is different from the correct way, “間違まちがう” sounds natural.
When you want to say that someone used a different amount instead of the correct amount, “間違まちがえる” sounds natural.

[Examples]　
この薬くすりは、使つかい方かたを間違まちがうと危険きけんです。
This medicine can be dangerous if used incorrectly.
⇒ This means that it can be dangerous if you use it in a way that is different from the correct way. Here, the focus is on the state of “the way of using it being incorrect.”

薬くすりの量りょうを間違まちがえました。
I took the wrong amount of medicine.
⇒ This means that although there was a correct amount to take, the person took a different amount. The focus is on mixing up the “correct amount” and a “different amount.”

Finally, let’s look at an example with “date.”
This is a word that can easily be used with both “間違まちがう” and “間違まちがえる.”
Both can express the meaning that “it was not the correct day,” but the point of focus is slightly different.
Let’s look at examples involving a schedule or meeting date.

[Examples]　
日ひにちを間違まちがって、昨日きのう来きてしまいました。
I got the date wrong and came yesterday.

⇒ This focuses on the result: the person came on a day that was not the scheduled day.

集合しゅうごう日びを1日にち間違まちがえました。
I mistook the meeting date by one day.

⇒ This means that although there was an actual meeting date, the person thought it was a different day.
The person mixed up the “correct day” and a “different day.”

[In the case of life, ways of thinking, ways of living, etc.]

When you want to say that something is “not right” from a moral or value-based perspective, such as with “life,” “way of thinking,” “way of living,” or “choice,” “間違まちがう” is often used.

[Examples]　
その考かんがえ方かたは間違まちがっていると思おもいます。
I think that way of thinking is wrong.

⇒ This means that the way of thinking itself is not correct.

間違まちがった生いき方かたをしないようにと、両親りょうしんに言いわれました。
My parents told me not to live the wrong way.

⇒ This means that they told the person not to live in a way that is not right as a person.

In this case, you can also say “考かんがえ方かたを間違まちがえる” or “生いき方かたを間違まちがえる.”
However, these expressions have the nuance of “making the wrong choice somewhere” or “choosing the wrong direction.”

若わかいころに生いき方かたを間違まちがえたと思おもっています。
I think I chose the wrong way to live when I was young.

⇒ This means that the person chose the wrong direction in life.

In other words, “間ま違ちがった生いき方かた” means that the way of living itself is not right.
“生いき方かたを間違まちがえる” means to choose the wrong direction in life.

Summary

[間違まちがう]

• Used when something is different from the correct state, correct answer, or correct direction.
• The speaker’s focus is on the incorrect state or result.

[間違まちがえる]

• Used when there is a correct option, but the person chooses a different one, or mixes up A and B.
• The speaker’s focus is on the act of choosing incorrectly or mixing things up.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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