How to fix ERROR 1064: You have an error in your SQL syntax in MySQL

The error message includes a snippet showing where MySQL parser failed. This is your first clue.

ERROR 1064 (42000): You have an error in your SQL syntax; 
check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version 
for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE' at line 3

In this example, "WHERE" is the first unexpected token. The actual error is likely just before WHERE (missing comma in the SELECT list, for example). Look 1-3 tokens before the quoted snippet.

Check what you see:
- "near 'FROM'": Problem in the SELECT clause (missing comma?)
- "near a reserved word": That word needs backticks if used as an identifier
- "near end of statement": Missing closing parenthesis or unnecessary trailing comma

Typos in keywords are the single most common cause of Error 1064.

-- WRONG (typo: SELEC instead of SELECT)
SELEC * FROM users;

-- CORRECT
SELECT * FROM users;

-- WRONG (typo: WERE instead of WHERE)
SELECT * FROM users WERE id = 1;

-- CORRECT
SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = 1;

Common misspellings to watch for:
- SELEC, SELCT → SELECT
- FORM → FROM
- WERE, WEHERE → WHERE
- INSRT, INSTERT → INSERT
- UPDAET, UPDAT → UPDATE
- DELTE → DELETE
- CREAT → CREATE

If your table or column names are SQL reserved words, MySQL requires backticks (not single or double quotes).

-- WRONG (using double quotes or no escaping)
SELECT "select" FROM "from";
SELECT select FROM from;

-- CORRECT (using backticks)
SELECT `select` FROM `from`;

-- Also correct in some contexts
SELECT `order`, `group`, `user` FROM `table`;

MySQL reserves hundreds of keywords (SELECT, INSERT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER, GROUP, JOIN, etc.). If you use them as identifiers, always use backticks.

To check if a word is reserved, search the MySQL documentation or use single backticks when in doubt—it will not hurt correct identifiers.

Unbalanced delimiters cause parsing to fail.

-- WRONG (missing closing parenthesis)
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users WHERE id IN (1, 2, 3;

-- CORRECT
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users WHERE id IN (1, 2, 3);

-- WRONG (missing comma after column)
SELECT id name email FROM users;

-- CORRECT
SELECT id, name, email FROM users;

-- WRONG (mismatched quotes)
SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = 'John;

-- CORRECT
SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = 'John';

For complex queries with nested subqueries, count opening and closing parentheses in pairs. Many SQL editors highlight matching delimiters—use this feature.

INSERT and UPDATE require complete syntax with no missing values.

-- WRONG (incomplete VALUES clause)
INSERT INTO users (id, name, email) VALUES (1, 'John');

-- CORRECT (all values provided)
INSERT INTO users (id, name, email) VALUES (1, 'John', '[email protected]');

-- WRONG (missing value after equals)
UPDATE users SET name = WHERE id = 1;

-- CORRECT
UPDATE users SET name = 'Jane' WHERE id = 1;

For multi-row inserts, ensure each row has the same column count and proper formatting.

Online tools and IDE features can catch syntax errors before execution.

# In MySQL Workbench:
# 1. Paste your query in the SQL editor
# 2. Use Ctrl+Shift+Enter to syntax check
# 3. Red underlines show errors
# 4. Hover for error details

Online validators:
- EverSQL (https://www.eversql.com/)
- SQL Fiddle (http://sqlfiddle.com/)
- Metabase SQL debugger (https://www.metabase.com/learn/sql/debugging-sql/)

Copy your query into these tools—they highlight syntax errors and suggest corrections before you run the query on your database.

Syntax rules differ between MySQL versions. Older syntax may not work in newer versions and vice versa.

-- Check your MySQL version:
SELECT VERSION();
SELECT @@version;

-- Example: TYPE keyword (deprecated, use ENGINE)
-- WRONG (MySQL 5.5+):
CREATE TABLE users (id INT) TYPE=InnoDB;

-- CORRECT (MySQL 5.5+):
CREATE TABLE users (id INT) ENGINE=InnoDB;

If your query worked in MySQL 5.7 but fails in 8.0, consult the "What's New" section of the MySQL 8.0 manual. Common deprecations are documented in release notes.

For migration projects, test queries on target MySQL version before deploying code.