Translation guide
Describes speech, movement, or resolve that is unsteady, hesitant, or losing strength. Japanese expresses this through specific verbs, adverbs, and mimetic words depending on what is faltering.
To speak in a hesitant, broken, or unsteady way, often due to nervousness, emotion, or uncertainty.
Verb meaning to stammer or stutter. Commonly used when someone's speech falters due to nervousness or difficulty finding words.
緊張して言葉がどもった。
I was so nervous my words faltered.
Verb meaning to get stuck or stumble over words. Describes the moment speech falters or is interrupted.
スピーチの途中で何度もつっかえた。
I faltered several times during the speech.
I-adjective describing speech or language that is faltering, halting, or clumsy, often due to lack of fluency.
彼の日本語はまだたどたどしい。
His Japanese is still faltering.
Verb meaning to hesitate or falter in speech, often mumbling or trailing off. Slightly literary.
彼は答えに詰まって口ごもった。
He faltered, unable to answer.
To walk or move in an unsteady, stumbling way, as if about to fall.
Verb meaning to stagger, stumble, or falter while walking. Often used when someone loses balance momentarily.
彼は重い荷物を持ってよろめいた。
He faltered under the heavy load.
Verb meaning to feel dizzy or unsteady on one's feet, causing faltering steps.
Verb meaning to trip or stumble. Describes a faltering step caused by catching one's foot.
To lose strength, determination, or momentum; to waver or become hesitant.
Verb meaning to waver, shake, or falter. Used for resolve, confidence, trust, or foundations.
彼の決意は揺るがなかった。
His resolve never faltered.
Verb meaning to flinch, recoil, or falter in the face of something intimidating.
Verb meaning to flinch, shrink back, or falter from fear or pressure.
Verb meaning to lose heart, be discouraged, or have one's spirit falter.
To lose strength or momentum in a non-personal context, such as an economy, market, or system.
Suru-verb meaning to stagnate, be sluggish, or falter. Common for economic or business contexts.
経済の成長が停滞している。
Economic growth is faltering.
Suru-verb meaning to stall or lose speed. Often used for faltering momentum in sales, campaigns, or engines.
売上が失速し始めた。
Sales have started to falter.
Suru-verb meaning to slump, be sluggish, or remain low. Describes a faltering state over time.
株価が低迷している。
Stock prices are faltering.
どもる is a general verb for stammering or stuttering, often due to nervousness or a speech impediment. つっかえる focuses on getting stuck on specific words, like a momentary block. たどたどしい is an adjective describing the overall impression of speech that is halting and not smooth, often used for non-native speakers or children.
彼は緊張してどもった。
He stammered from nervousness.
知らない単語でつっかえた。
I faltered on an unfamiliar word.
彼女の英語はまだたどたどしい。
Her English is still faltering.
There is no single Japanese adjective that covers all uses of 'faltering'. Translating directly as ふらふらした or ためらいがちな often sounds unnatural. Choose the specific verb or adjective that matches the context (speech, movement, resolve, etc.).
和平交渉が難航している。
The peace talks are faltering.
難航する means to face difficulties and make little progress, a natural fit for faltering negotiations.
熱でふらついて、まっすぐ歩けなかった。
I was faltering from the fever and couldn't walk straight.
段差につまずいて転びそうになった。
I faltered on the step and almost fell.
彼は難しい質問にたじろいだ。
He faltered at the difficult question.
She didn't falter in the face of threats.
失敗続きで心がくじけそうだ。
My spirit is faltering after so many failures.