Translation guide
The English word "slip" covers many different actions and situations. This guide breaks them down into practical meanings and shows how to express each naturally in Japanese.
To accidentally lose balance and slide or fall, often on a slippery surface.
General verb for slipping or sliding. Can be used for slipping on ice, wet floors, etc.
床が濡れていて滑った。
The floor was wet and I slipped.
冬は道が凍って滑りやすい。
In winter, the roads freeze and it's easy to slip.
Means to fall down, often as a result of slipping. Use when the focus is on the fall itself.
滑って転んでしまった。
I slipped and fell.
When something moves out of place or escapes from your hand because it's slippery or not held firmly.
Also used for objects slipping out of hands or position.
手が滑ってコップを落とした。
My hand slipped and I dropped the cup.
Used when something comes out or slips out, like a plug from a socket or a thread from a needle.
To go somewhere quickly and quietly, often without being noticed.
To slip away or sneak out quietly.
会議中にこっそり抜け出した。
I slipped out during the meeting.
To slip into a place secretly.
夜中に家に忍び込んだ。
He slipped into the house at night.
A small error caused by inattention.
A careless mistake or slip-up. Very common in daily conversation.
うっかりミスで書類を間違えた。
I made a slip and got the documents wrong.
A slip of the tongue.
それはただの言い間違いです。
That was just a slip of the tongue.
A slip of the pen, a writing mistake.
手紙に書き間違いがあった。
There was a slip of the pen in the letter.
A gradual decrease in performance, quality, or condition.
A drop or decline. Often used with する to mean 'to slip' in quality or standards.
最近、仕事の質が低下している。
Recently, the quality of work has been slipping.
To fall, drop. Can be used for slipping grades or performance.
To put on or remove an item of clothing easily and quickly.
To slip on clothes quickly.
ジャケットをさっと着て出かけた。
I slipped on a jacket and went out.
To take off. Use with an adverb like さっと for 'slip off'.
靴をさっと脱いだ。
I slipped off my shoes.
To pass something to someone quietly or secretly.
To slip something to someone, often secretly.
彼は私にメモをそっと渡した。
He slipped me a note.
A woman's undergarment worn under a dress or skirt.
Loanword from English, commonly used for a half-slip or full slip.
スカートの下にスリップを着る。
I wear a slip under my skirt.
Petticoat, sometimes used interchangeably with slip.
English 'slip' as a mistake is not directly translated as 滑る. Use うっかりミス or specific compounds like 言い間違い.
すみません、うっかりミスでした。
Sorry, it was a slip.
滑る focuses on the sliding action, while 転ぶ focuses on the resulting fall. Often used together: 滑って転ぶ (slip and fall).
The thread slipped out of the needle.
My grades slipped.
昔はペチコートをよく着ていた。
In the past, women often wore petticoats.