Meaning and Usage
"謝る" (あやまる) means "to apologize" or "to admit one's fault and ask for forgiveness." It is a common verb used in everyday situations when someone wants to express regret for a mistake or wrongdoing.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "謝る" in social and professional settings where politeness and acknowledging mistakes are important. It is typically used when the speaker takes responsibility for an error or inconvenience caused.
Collocations and Patterns
- 謝る＋人 (e.g., 先生に謝る): to apologize to someone
- 謝る＋理由 (e.g., 遅刻したので謝る): to apologize because of a reason
- 謝る＋べき: should apologize
Register and Politeness
"謝る" is neutral and can be used in both casual and polite contexts. For more formal apologies, expressions like "お詫び申し上げます" or "申し訳ありません" are used.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "謝る" with "誤る" (also read あやまる), which means "to make a mistake." Remember, "謝る" is about apologizing, while "誤る" refers to the act of erring itself.