Search from various English teachers...
Matt
"By accident/by mistake" in Japanese
What's the best way to say "by accident" in Japanese?
Eg.
I sat in his chair by accident.
I sat in his chair by mistake.
or
She accidentally called me Phil.
Something like:
偶然で彼の椅子に座ってしまった。
彼の椅子に誤って座った。
What do you think?
May 11, 2015 4:16 PM
Answers · 2
Hi Matt
Your translation is very good! I think you can say both meanings for "by accident" as you said.
So,
偶然に彼の椅子に座った。or
誤って彼の椅子に座った。
We need to find the meaning by seeing the flow of conversation.
As to "by mistake",
There is no implication of "coincidence". So we can say simply,
誤って彼の椅子に座った。
I hope my answer helps you.
May 11, 2015
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Matt
Language Skills
English, Japanese, Spanish
Learning Language
Japanese, Spanish
Articles You May Also Like

How to Ask for a Raise or Promotion in English
9 likes · 8 Comments

The Key to Learning a Language Faster
30 likes · 8 Comments

Why "General English" is Failing Your Career (An Engineer’s Perspective)
30 likes · 12 Comments
More articles
