Japanese Word of the Day
遅れる
o-KE-re-ru • verb (intransitive) — 15th of Jun, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to be late; to be delayed (intransitive)
Examples
- 電車が遅れたから、遅刻しそうだ。
(The train was delayed, so I might be late.) - 約束に遅れないでください。
(Please don't be late for the appointment.) - 彼はいつも授業に遅れる。
(He is always late to class.)
Synonyms
Click a synonym to see how it compares to 遅れる.
遅れる is used when someone or something does not arrive or start on time. Use に with events/appointments (e.g., 会議に遅れる) and が for subjects that are delayed (e.g., 電車が遅れる). 遅刻する focuses on being late (often for people), while 遅延する is more formal/technical (e.g., transport delays). Polite form: 遅れます.
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