うろたえる
うろたえる
ichidan verb
to be flustered; to panic; to lose one's composure
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | うろたえる | うろたえない |
| Present polite | うろたえます | うろたえません |
| Past | うろたえた | うろたえなかった |
| Past polite | うろたえました | うろたえませんでした |
| て form | うろたえて | うろたえなくて |
| ている present | うろたえている | うろたえていない |
| ている polite | うろたえています | うろたえていません |
| ている past | うろたえていた | うろたえていなかった |
| ている past polite | うろたえていました | うろたえていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | うろたえれば | うろたえなければ |
| Conditional たら | うろたえたら | うろたえなかったら |
| Volitional | うろたえよう | — |
| Volitional polite | うろたえましょう | — |
| Potential | うろたえられる | うろたえられない |
| Passive | うろたえられる | うろたえられない |
| Causative | うろたえさせる | うろたえさせない |
| Imperative | うろたえろ | うろたえるな |
1.
to be flustered; to panic; to lose one's composure
Describes a state of confusion and agitation when confronted with an unexpected situation. The person loses their ability to think or act calmly.
うろたえてはいけない。
You must not panic.
突然の質問にうろたえてしまった。
I was flustered by the sudden question.
地震が起きて、みんなうろたえて外に飛び出した。
When the earthquake struck, everyone panicked and rushed outside.
Describes losing composure in the face of something unexpected. Stronger than simply being surprised — it implies an inability to think clearly or act rationally. Often written in hiragana rather than kanji.
USAGE:
Most commonly appears in the past tense (うろたえた) or te-form (うろたえて), describing a reaction to a sudden event. Also used in the negative imperative (うろたえるな) to tell someone to stay calm.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- うろたえた様子: a flustered appearance
- うろたえた声: a panicked voice
- うろたえず対応する: to respond without panicking
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 慌てる: to be in a hurry, to panic — more common in everyday speech and broader in meaning (includes simply rushing)
- たじろぐ: to flinch, to falter — focuses on hesitation or drawing back rather than confusion
- 動揺する: to be shaken, disturbed — can be used for emotional disturbance that is more internal and less visible