違う
ちがう
to be different; to differ; wrong
Chigau (違う) is a godan verb meaning "to be different". Its polite form is 違います (chigaimasu), its te form is 違って (chigatte), its past form is 違った (chigatta), and its negative form is 違わない (chigawanai).
Godan verbJLPT N5
Chigau (違う) conjugation quick reference
違う means "to be different". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Chigau example sentences
これは違います。
This is different. / This is wrong.
答えが違いました。
The answer was wrong.
それは違くないですか？
Isn’t that wrong?
How to use Chigau: grammar notes
•違う often uses the particle と to show what two things are different from each other—like in AはBと違う (A is different from B).
•You can also use 違う by itself as a quick way to say "That's wrong!"—just say 違う！ like "Nope!" or "That's not right!"
•Don’t use を with 違う—it's not like "to differ something"; instead, think of it more like "A differs with B (と)."
•JLPT N5 level
Common phrases with Chigau
違います（ちがいます）
That’s not correct / That’s wrong
〜と違う（〜とちがう）
To be different from 〜
Example: 意見が彼と違う
My opinion is different from his
Chigau (違う) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 違う | chigau |
| Masu Form | 違います | chigaimasu |
| Te Form | 違って | chigatte |
| Past Form | 違った | chigatta |
| Negative Form | 違わない | chigawanai |
| Past Negative | 違わなかった | chigawanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 違います | chigaimasu |
| Polite Past | 違いました | chigaimashita |
| Polite Negative | 違いません | chigaimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 違いませんでした | chigaimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 違える | chigaeru |
| Passive Form | 違われる | chigawareru |
| Causative Form | 違わせる | chigawaseru |
| Causative Passive | 違わされる | chigawasareru |
| Volitional Form | 違おう | chigaou |
| Imperative Form | 違え | chigae |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 違えば | chigaeba |
| Conditional (たら) | 違ったら | chigattara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 違っている | chigatteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 違いたい | chigaitai |
| Prohibition | 違うな | chigauna |