My fault vs That's my bad motherfucker

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

My fault

Top 1,000 (very common)

That's my bad motherfucker

Slang Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Most formal: My fault Most common: My fault

	My fault	That's my bad motherfucker
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //maɪ fɔːlt// 🇺🇸 //maɪ fɔlt//	🇬🇧 //ðæts maɪ bæd ˈmʌðəˌfʌkər// 🇺🇸 //ðæts maɪ bæd ˈmʌðərˌfʌkər//
Meaning	It's my mistake.	That's my mistake or fault.
Example	I forgot to send the email. It's really my fault.	When I forgot to send the email, I said, 'That's my bad motherfucker.'
Register	Neutral	Slang
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Collocations	take responsibility, admit my fault, own up to my fault	that's on me, make a mistake, own up to it
Antonyms	your fault, their fault, not my fault	-
Common mistakes	'My fault' is often confused with 'not my fault' when denying responsibility., Learners might say 'it's my fault' when it should be 'that's my fault'.	Using it in formal settings where it sounds inappropriate., Confusing the expression with 'my bad' which is less intense.
Usage notes	Used to accept responsibility for a mistake. Appropriate in both casual and formal settings. Avoid in overly casual situations, as it may seem insincere.	Used informally to take responsibility for a mistake. It may sound aggressive and is best avoided in formal conversations.

See it in real clips

Rachel's death was my fault.

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

My fault, my fault. Bogdan just kept me here late,

Rachel's death was my fault.

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

My fault, my fault. Bogdan just kept me here late,

My fault

That's it. That's my bad motherfucker.

That's my bad motherfucker

Frequently asked questions: My fault vs That's my bad motherfucker

What's the difference between My fault and That's my bad motherfucker?

My fault: It's my mistake. That's my bad motherfucker: That's my mistake or fault.

Which is more formal: My fault and That's my bad motherfucker?

My fault is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: My fault and That's my bad motherfucker?

My fault is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

My fault: I forgot to send the email. It's really my fault. That's my bad motherfucker: When I forgot to send the email, I said, 'That's my bad motherfucker.'

Can I use My fault and That's my bad motherfucker interchangeably?

Not always. My fault and That's my bad motherfucker are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.