遅れる vs 遅くなる
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 遅れる
Listen to 遅くなる
| 遅れる | 遅くなる |
|---|---|
o-KE-re-ru verb (intransitive) | おそくなる (osokunaru) verb (intransitive) |
| to be late; to be delayed (intransitive) | to become late; to get later |
How they differ
遅れる describes being late or being delayed relative to a schedule (often an outcome), while 遅くなる emphasizes a change in timing — that something or someone will be later than before — and is used more for the time itself or the state becoming late rather than an external delay.
When to use each
When to use 遅れる: Prefer 遅れる when you want to say someone or something is delayed or will not arrive on time.
When to use 遅くなる: Prefer 遅くなる when you want to say that the time or someone's schedule will become later (e.g., 'I'll get home late').
Side-by-side examples
- 電車が事故で遅れる。
(The train is delayed due to an accident.) - 今日は帰りが遅くなりそうだ。
(It looks like I'll be getting home late today.)
Register & nuance: 遅くなる is neutral and commonly used in everyday spoken Japanese.