Japanese

ちがう
Meaning: to differ, to be different, to be wrong
Part of Speech: Verb

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 違う 違わない
Polite 違います 違いません
Past 違った 違わなかった
Polite + Past 違いました 違いませんでした
Te-form 違って 違わなくて
Potential 違える 違えない
Passive 違われる 違われない
Causative 違わせる 違わせない
Causative + Passive 違わされる 違わされない
Imperative 違え 違うな

Handwriting

違
う

Example sentences

My opinion differs from his.
兄と意見が違う
My opinion differs from my older brother's.
幸福とは人それぞれ違う
Happiness is different for each person.
いや、違います
No, that's wrong.
彼女の様子がいつもと違う
Her condition is different from usual.
さすがプロの仕事は違う。
As expected, the work of a professional is different.
彼女の新しい髪型は、以前とは全く違うイメージだ。
Her new hairstyle has a completely different feel than before.
物事を違う角度から考えてみることも大切だ。
It is also important to try thinking about things from a different angle.
彼とは話の次元が違いすぎる。
The level of his conversation is just too different.
彼の呼び方は人によって違う。
The way people call him differs depending on the person.

Usage Notes

Used when something doesn't match, is incorrect, or differs from something else. Can mean 'that's wrong' or 'it's different'. Often used with と or から to show what it differs from.

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.