Translation guide
The English verb 'happen' covers several distinct meanings: an event occurring, something happening by chance, or happening to someone. Japanese uses different verbs and constructions depending on the nuance.
To say that an event, incident, or situation occurs or takes place.
The most common and neutral word for events occurring, especially unplanned or natural events like accidents, incidents, or phenomena.
An accident happened.
What happened?
Used for scheduled events, meetings, or things that 'take place'. Often used with が.
There's a meeting tomorrow. (A meeting will happen tomorrow.)
There was an earthquake. (An earthquake happened.)
Formal, often used in news or reports for outbreaks, incidents, or problems occurring.
An incident occurred.
To express that someone does something by chance or coincidentally.
Adverb meaning 'by chance' or 'coincidentally'. Used before the verb.
I happened to meet him at the station.
Adverb meaning 'accidentally' or 'by coincidence'. Slightly more formal than たまたま.
We happened to be staying at the same hotel.
Used with plain past form of verb to mean 'there are times when...' or 'sometimes happens'. Not a direct translation of 'happen to', but can convey occasional occurrence.
I sometimes happen to oversleep on the train.
To say that something (usually negative) happens to a person.
Use に for the person and が for the event. Natural for both positive and negative events.
What happened to him?
Something good happened to me.
More emphatic, often used for serious or unfortunate events. 身 means 'one's person'.
To ask about a current situation or event in progress.
Casual, common way to ask 'What's wrong?' or 'What happened?' when something seems amiss.
What's wrong? You look pale.
Direct translation of 'What is happening?'. Used when asking about an ongoing situation.
What's happening?
Formal, often used when something serious or alarming is happening.
What's going on? (formal)
To introduce a fact that is coincidental or relevant to the conversation.
Means 'actually' or 'as a matter of fact'. Used to reveal information, often coincidental.
As it happens, I'm planning to go there too.
Literally 'It's a coincidence, but...'. Used to introduce a coincidental fact.
As it happens, I know his younger brother.
For planned events like meetings or parties, ある is more natural than 起こる. 起こる implies something unplanned or sudden.
There's a party next week.
起こる is the everyday word for 'happen'. 発生する is more formal and often used in news for incidents, outbreaks, or natural disasters. In casual speech, stick to 起こる.
No one knows what happened to him.