Translation guide
The state or quality of being unable to do something properly, lacking the necessary skill or ability. In Japanese, this concept is often expressed through nouns describing inability, adjectives for being unskilled, or phrases indicating lack of capability. The choice depends on formality, context, and whether referring to oneself or others.
Expressing that someone is generally incompetent or lacks the ability to perform tasks well.
A direct and common noun meaning 'incompetence' or 'inability'. Can be used for people or systems. Often carries a strong negative connotation.
He is incompetent.
I'm troubled by my incompetent boss.
A more formal or legal term for 'incompetence' or 'incapacity'. Often used in official contexts.
His incompetence was proven.
Means 'powerlessness' or 'inability', often implying a lack of power or influence rather than just skill. Can be used for incompetence in a broader sense.
I felt my own incompetence/powerlessness.
A common phrase meaning 'to have no ability'. More descriptive and slightly softer than 無能.
He has no ability for the job. / He is incompetent at his job.
I don't have the ability for that.
Literally 'useless person'. A blunt, colloquial term for someone who is incompetent or good-for-nothing.
Can be insulting. Use with care.
That guy is really useless/incompetent.
Describing someone as unskilled or not good at something, often in a specific domain.
A na-adjective meaning 'unskillful' or 'poor at'. Commonly used for specific skills. Can be used self-deprecatingly.
I am bad at cooking.
a poorly drawn picture
A na-adjective meaning 'weak point' or 'not good at'. Softer than 下手, often implying a personal dislike or lack of confidence rather than objective incompetence.
Means 'clumsy' or 'awkward', often referring to manual dexterity or social skills. Can imply incompetence in handling things.
Referring to incompetence in a professional or official capacity, often with serious consequences.
Also used in professional contexts to describe incompetence. Can be combined with job titles.
an incompetent doctor
Means 'blunder' or 'failure', often implying incompetence leading to a mistake. Used in business or formal settings.
Means 'clumsiness' or 'poor handling', often used to apologize for one's own or one's organization's incompetence.
Emphasizing that the incompetence stems from not trying hard enough or being negligent.
無能 (munō) is a strong, direct noun meaning 'incompetence' and is often used for serious lack of ability. 下手 (heta) is an adjective for being unskilled at a specific activity, often used casually. 苦手 (nigate) is softer, implying a personal weakness or dislike, not necessarily objective incompetence. Use 無能 for harsh criticism, 下手 for self-deprecation or casual comment, and 苦手 to politely express you're not good at something.
English often uses 'incompetent' as an adjective (e.g., 'He is incompetent'). While 無能な (munō na) exists, it can sound stiff. More natural alternatives include 能力がない (nōryoku ga nai) or 下手 (heta) depending on context. For self-reference, 苦手 (nigate) is often more appropriate.
The phrase できない (dekinai) meaning 'cannot do' is a very common and natural way to express incompetence in a specific task. For example, 彼は仕事ができない (kare wa shigoto ga dekinai) means 'He can't do his job' implying incompetence. It's less direct than 無能 and widely used in daily conversation.
His incompetence is well known.
I was fired for incompetence.
She is incompetent at managing people.
I'm not good at math.
彼は不器用で、何をやっても失敗する。
He is clumsy and fails at everything he does.
彼の失態で会社は大きな損害を受けた。
The company suffered a huge loss due to his incompetence/blunder.
私の不手際でご迷惑をおかけしました。
I caused you trouble due to my incompetence/poor handling.
That new employee has no motivation, so he can't do his job (is incompetent).