Japanese Word of the Day
遅れる
o-ku-RE-ru • verb (intransitive) — 15th of May, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to be late; to be delayed
Examples
- 電車が10分遅れました。
(The train was 10 minutes late.) - ごめん、今ちょっと遅れる。
(Sorry, I'll be a little late now.) - 会議に遅れないように早く出てください。
(Please leave early so you won't be late for the meeting.)
Synonyms
- 遅刻する
- 遅延する
遅れる is an intransitive verb used when someone or something arrives late or is delayed (電車が遅れる, 私が遅れた). Use に to mark the event/time/place you are late for (会議に遅れる) or が to mark the subject that is delayed (電車が遅れる). Common phrases: 遅れてすみません (Sorry I'm late). For a more formal or noun-based expression, 遅刻する is often used for being late to appointments or work; 遅延する is more formal or used for services (e.g., flights, trains).
This entry was generated by an AI language model. Spotted a problem? Report it and we'll review it. Read about how we use AI or
Recent Words
| Date | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-02 | 天気 | weather |
| 2026-09-01 | 上司 | boss; supervisor; a person who is above you in the... |
| 2026-08-31 | 上手 | skilled; good at doing something |
| 2026-08-30 | 駅 | train station; a place where trains stop and passe... |
| 2026-08-29 | 丁寧 | polite; courteous; careful and considerate in mann... |
Receive these via email
Sign in to your free account to receive daily words via email.
Get a new word in your inbox every day!