“damasu” and “gomakasu”：Which Do You Feel Much Worse?

Both 騙す（だます） and 誤魔化す（ごまかす） involve being dishonest with someone, and both get translated as “to deceive” or “to trick” in English. But they describe different kinds of dishonesty — and using the wrong one can either understate or overstate the seriousness of what happened. This guide will help you use each word naturally and accurately.

Yuka

Rei, what is the difference between 騙す and 誤魔化す? Are they both “to lie”?

Rei

Not quite. 騙す is intentional deception — you deliberately trick or con someone, often with harmful intent. 誤魔化す is more about covering something up, dodging a question, or giving a half-truth to avoid trouble. It is less serious in most cases.

At a Glance

Damasu (騙す) — Deliberate Deception

騙す is intentional deception with a clear target. The deceiver acts deliberately to make someone believe something false — often with a self-serving or harmful motive such as financial gain, manipulation, or causing harm. It is a serious word. In real life it appears in fraud, scams, manipulation in relationships, and crimes.

Example 1:
Japanese: 彼は私を騙してお金を奪った。
Romaji: Kare wa watashi wo damashite okane wo ubatta.
English: He deceived me and stole my money.

Example 2:
Japanese: 詐欺師に騙された。
Romaji: Sagishi ni damasareta.
English: I was tricked by a con artist.

Example 3:
Japanese: 子供を騙すようなことはしないでください。
Romaji: Kodomo wo damasu you na koto wa shinaide kudasai.
English: Please don’t do things that would deceive a child.

Yuka

Is 騙す always a negative word?

Rei

Almost always yes. However, in very playful or light-hearted contexts you might hear it used jokingly between close friends — “騙された！” when someone falls for a joke or a prank. But be careful: in most real situations, 騙す carries a serious and negative charge.

Gomakasu (誤魔化す) — Covering Up and Dodging

誤魔化す describes a softer, more evasive form of dishonesty. Rather than outright lying, you fudge the truth, give vague answers, pretend something didn’t happen, or smooth things over with excuses. It can be used for relatively minor situations — like a child hiding bad grades, dodging a difficult question, or making something look better than it is.

Example 1:
Japanese: 失敗を誤魔化そうとしないで、正直に言いなさい。
Romaji: Shippai wo gomakasou to shinaide, shoujiki ni iinasai.
English: Don’t try to cover up your mistake — be honest.

Example 2:
Japanese: 彼はうまく質問を誤魔化した。
Romaji: Kare wa umaku shitsumon wo gomakashita.
English: He skillfully dodged the question.

Example 3:
Japanese: 笑顔で誤魔化すのはやめてほしい。
Romaji: Egao de gomakasu no wa yamete hoshii.
English: I wish you would stop hiding things behind a smile.

Yuka

So 誤魔化す is more like brushing something under the rug?

Rei

That is a perfect description! 誤魔化す is about dodging, glossing over, or giving a vague half-answer to avoid confrontation. It is not as serious as 騙す — the intent is usually self-protection rather than harming someone else.

Common Mistakes

Side-by-Side Comparison

Decision Flowchart

Is the dishonesty deliberate and designed to harm or steal from someone?
  YES --> Use 騙す (damasu)
    Example: お金を騙し取る / 騙された

Is the person avoiding trouble, glossing over something, or giving vague excuses?
  YES --> Use 誤魔化す (gomakasu)
    Example: 失敗を誤魔化す / 質問を誤魔化す

Is it simply telling a lie (stating something untrue)?
  --> Use 嘘をつく (uso wo tsuku)
    Example: 嘘をついてはいけない

Quick Quiz

Yuka

Let’s test it! Which word — 騙す or 誤魔化す — fits each situation?

Rei

Think about how serious the dishonesty is in each case!

Q1. 彼女は親に___て成績を隠した。(She covered up her grades from her parents.) [minor cover-up]
A: 誤魔化し — hiding/glossing over, not malicious fraud.

Q2. 詐欺師が老人を___て大金を奪った。(A scammer defrauded an elderly person out of a large sum.) [fraud]
A: 騙し — serious, deliberate, harmful deception.

Q3. 彼はうまく質問を___た。(He skillfully dodged the question.)
A: 誤魔化し — evasion, not outright deceit.

Q4. 友達に___れたと気づいて、ショックだった。(I was shocked when I realized I had been deceived by my friend.) [serious betrayal]
A: 騙さ — deliberate deception causing emotional harm.

Q5. ミスを___ないで、正直に報告してください。(Don’t cover up the mistake — please report it honestly.)
A: 誤魔化さ — covering up an error, not criminal deception.

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