Translation guide
How to express 'stumble' in Japanese, covering physical tripping, speech disfluency, and metaphorical mistakes.
To trip or nearly fall while walking or running.
The most common verb for tripping over something or stumbling while walking. Often used with に to indicate the obstacle.
石につまずいた。
I stumbled over a stone.
彼は何もないところでつまずいた。
He stumbled over nothing.
To stagger or lose one's balance, often without falling. Emphasizes the unsteady movement.
酔ってよろけた。
I stumbled drunkenly.
Literally 'kick and stumble'. More specific than つまずく, often used when the foot hits something.
段差に蹴躓いた。
I stumbled on a step.
To hesitate, stutter, or make mistakes while speaking.
To be at a loss for words, to falter in speech. Often due to emotion or difficulty.
緊張して言葉に詰まった。
I stumbled over my words from nervousness.
To stutter or stammer. Can be a speech impediment or temporary.
彼は緊張するとどもる。
He stumbles over his words when nervous.
Literally 'tongue doesn't turn', meaning to be tongue-tied or unable to speak smoothly.
緊張で舌が回らなかった。
I stumbled over my words due to nerves.
To make an error, fail, or experience a difficulty in a process or life.
Metaphorically, to stumble in life or work, to hit a snag. Same verb as physical stumbling.
仕事でつまずいた。
I stumbled at work.
人生でつまずくこともある。
Sometimes you stumble in life.
To fail or make a mistake. More direct than つまずく, often used for clear failures.
プレゼンで失敗した。
I stumbled during the presentation.
To suffer a setback or frustration, often in pursuing a goal. Stronger than つまずく.
彼は夢に挫折した。
He stumbled in his dreams.
To find or encounter something unexpectedly.
To find by chance. The most straightforward way to express 'stumble upon'.
古い写真を偶然見つけた。
I stumbled upon an old photo.
To encounter unexpectedly or by chance. Often used for people or things.
街で旧友にふと出会った。
I stumbled upon an old friend in town.
To happen upon, often with a nuance of an unexpected encounter, sometimes unpleasant.
事件に偶然出くわした。
I stumbled upon an incident.
つまずく implies tripping over an obstacle, while よろける focuses on the unsteady motion, often without an external cause. つまずく is also used metaphorically for setbacks.
While つまずく can be used metaphorically for mistakes, it is not natural for speech disfluency. Use 言葉に詰まる or どもる instead.