Translation guide
How to say 'be arrested' in Japanese, covering common verbs, passive forms, and related expressions.
He was arrested on suspicion of theft.
The culprit will be arrested soon.
A more casual, everyday word meaning 'to be caught' or 'to be arrested'. Often used in conversation.
I got caught shoplifting.
He ran away so he wouldn't get arrested by the police.
A more formal or legal term, often used in news reports. Implies being apprehended and charged.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of fraud.
To be formally detained or taken into custody, often in legal contexts.
To be arrested in a very informal or slangy way.
逮捕される is the standard, neutral term for 'be arrested' and is used in news and formal contexts. 捕まる is more casual and can also mean 'to be caught' in non-legal situations (e.g., caught by a teacher). Use 逮捕される for official arrests, and 捕まる for everyday conversation or when the focus is on being caught.
He got caught for speeding but wasn't arrested.
In Japanese, 'be arrested' is usually expressed with the passive form (逮捕される) rather than an active verb with 'police' as the subject. Saying '警察が彼を逮捕した' (The police arrested him) is grammatically correct but less common when the focus is on the person being arrested.
The suspect was taken into custody.