diff --git a/notes.org b/notes.org
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1fba55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notes.org
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#+title: Notes
+
+* show errors with ariadne
+:PROPERTIES:
+:EFFORT:   10min
+:END:
+** errors should have a generic show() function
+:PROPERTIES:
+:EFFORT:   10min
+:END:
+:LOGBOOK:
+CLOCK: [2025-05-03 sam. 18:40]--[2025-05-03 sam. 18:46] =>  0:06
+:END:
+** OSDBError::display() should take a filename and display it alongside the error
diff --git a/src/error_display.rs b/src/error_display.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5a302ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/error_display.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+use crate::{
+    command::CommandParseError, meta_commands::MetaCommandParseError,
+    statements::StatementParseError,
+};
+
+pub trait OSDBError {
+    fn display(&self);
+}
+
+impl OSDBError for MetaCommandParseError {
+    fn display(&self) {
+        println!("{self}")
+    }
+}
+
+impl OSDBError for StatementParseError {
+    fn display(&self) {
+        println!("{self}")
+    }
+}
+
+impl OSDBError for CommandParseError {
+    fn display(&self) {
+        println!("{self}")
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 63ea784..5117e84 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 pub mod branding;
 pub mod cli;
 pub mod command;
+pub mod error_display;
 pub mod meta_commands;
 pub mod statements;
 pub mod tokens;
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9a221f9..7f05008 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use osdb::branding::startup_msg;
 use osdb::cli::read_input;
 use osdb::command::Command;
+use osdb::error_display::OSDBError as _;
 
 fn main() {
     startup_msg();
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ fn main() {
                     break;
                 }
             }
-            Err(err) => eprintln!("{err}"),
+            Err(err) => err.display(),
         }
     }
 }