diff --git a/ndn-cpp/c/errors.c b/ndn-cpp/c/errors.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cb69f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ndn-cpp/c/errors.c
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/**
+ * @author: Jeff Thompson
+ * See COPYING for copyright and distribution information.
+ */
+
+#include "errors.h"
+
+char *ndn_getErrorString(int error)
+{
+  switch (error) {
+  case NDN_ERROR_success:
+    return      "success"; 
+  case NDN_ERROR_element_of_value_is_not_a_decimal_digit:
+    return      "element of value is not a decimal digit";
+  case NDN_ERROR_read_past_the_end_of_the_input:
+    return      "read past the end of the input";
+  case NDN_ERROR_the_first_header_octet_may_not_be_zero:
+    return      "the first header octet may not be zero";
+  case NDN_ERROR_header_type_is_not_a_DTAG:
+    return      "header type is not a DTAG";
+  case NDN_ERROR_did_not_get_the_expected_DTAG:
+    return      "did not get the expected DTAG";
+  case NDN_ERROR_did_not_get_the_expected_element_close:
+    return      "did not get the expected element close";
+  case NDN_ERROR_item_is_not_UDATA:
+    return      "item is not UDATA";
+  case NDN_ERROR_header_type_is_out_of_range:
+    return      "header type is out of range";
+  case NDN_ERROR_encodeTypeAndValue_miscalculated_N_encoding_bytes:
+    return      "encodeTypeAndValue miscalculated N encoding bytes";
+  case NDN_ERROR_read_a_component_past_the_maximum_number_of_components_allowed_in_the_name:
+    return      "read a component past the maximum number of components allowed in the name";
+  case NDN_ERROR_findElementEnd_unexpected_close_tag:
+    return      "findElementEnd unexpected close tag";
+  case NDN_ERROR_cannot_store_more_header_bytes_than_the_size_of_headerBuffer:
+    return      "cannot store more header bytes than the size of headerBuffer";
+  case NDN_ERROR_findElementEnd_cannot_read_header_type_and_value:
+    return      "findElementEnd cannot read header type and value";
+  case NDN_ERROR_findElementEnd_unrecognized_header_type:
+    return      "findElementEnd unrecognized header type";
+  case NDN_ERROR_findElementEnd_unrecognized_state:
+    return      "findElementEnd unrecognized state";
+  case NDN_ERROR_DynamicUCharArray_realloc_function_pointer_not_supplied:
+    return      "DynamicUCharArray realloc function pointer not supplied";
+  case NDN_ERROR_DynamicUCharArray_realloc_failed:
+    return      "DynamicUCharArray realloc failed";
+  default:
+    return "unrecognized ndn_Error code";  
+  }
+}