The Many Ways to Say You’re Running Late in Spanish

In any language, it’s important to know how to say you’re going to be late. Whether you’re tardy for a business meeting, a date, or your child’s school play, you’ll need to clearly communicate your delay to avoid problems. Spanish has several versatile phrases to express lateness in different contexts. Read on to learn the key ways to say you’re running behind schedule in this melodic Romance language.

The Most Common Phrase – Llegar Tarde

The most frequently used Spanish phrase for being late or running behind is “llegar tarde.” This literally translates as “to arrive late.” The verb llegar means to come, to get somewhere, or to arrive. When paired with the adverb tarde (late), it’s a handy all-purpose way to say you’ll be late.

For example:

• Lo siento, voy a llegar tarde a la reunión. (I’m sorry, I’m going to be late for the meeting.)

• ¡ Date prisa o vamos a llegar tarde a la fiesta! (Hurry up or we’ll be late for the party!)

Llegar tarde works for any situation where punctuality is expected – formal engagements, appointments, transportation, etc. Its simplicity and flexibility make it the #1 way to talk about lateness in Spanish.

Other Common Phrases

While llegar tarde covers most cases Spanish has other good options to specifically express types of lateness

• Retrasarse – to be delayed, to fall behind schedule. Example: El vuelo se ha retrasado. (The flight has been delayed.)

• Tardarse – to take a long time, to be slow. Example: Me tardé mucho en el supermercado. (I took a long time at the supermarket.)

• Ir tarde – to be going late, to be in the state of being late. Example: Voy tarde para mi cita. (I’m going late for my appointment.)

• Quedarse dormido – to oversleep. Example: ¡Me quedé dormida y llegué tarde a clase! (I overslept and arrived late to class!)

Formal vs. Informal Language

In Spanish, formal and informal language are distinguished by pronoun use. Formal contexts require usted instead of tú for “you.” Below are examples of how to say you’re running late in formal vs. informal Spanish:

Formal:

• Lamento informarle que llegaré tarde a nuestra reunión. (I regret to inform you that I will arrive late to our meeting.)

Informal:

• ¡Espérame! ¡Voy a llegar tarde a tu fiesta! (Wait for me! I’m going to be late to your party!)

Lateness Due to Transport

Public transportation woes are a common source of delays. Here are some transit-related ways to explain you’re behind schedule in Spanish:

• El tren se retrasó. (The train was delayed.)

• Hubo mucho tráfico y por eso llegué tarde. (There was a lot of traffic so I arrived late.)

• No encontraba taxi/Uber. (I couldn’t find a taxi/Uber.)

Running Late for Work/School

Arriving late for work or school can get you in trouble. Here are some Spanish phrases to inform your boss or teacher you’re tardy:

• Discúlpeme por llegar tarde, tuve un contratiempo. (Excuse me for arriving late, I had a setback.)

• El despertador no sonó y me quedé dormido. (The alarm didn’t go off and I overslept.)

• Perdón por el retraso. Prometo que no volverá a suceder. (Sorry for the delay. I promise it won’t happen again.)

Lateness Due to Weather

Inclement weather often causes delays. Use these Spanish phrases to cite Mother Nature as your tardiness culprit:

• Las carreteras están cerradas por la nieve. No puedo llegar a tiempo. (The roads are closed due to snow. I can’t arrive on time.)

• Hay inundaciones por las fuertes lluvias. Voy a llegar tarde. (There are floodwaters from heavy rains. I’m going to be late.)

• El huracán provocó un embotellamiento. Me tardaré más en llegar. (The hurricane caused a traffic jam. It will take me longer to get there.)

Running Behind for a Date

Few things are worse than a late date! Politely explain yourself with these Spanish expressions:

• Amor, el tráfico está terrible. Llegaré unos 15 minutos tarde. (Love, traffic is terrible. I’ll be about 15 minutes late.)

• ¡Lo siento! Me entretuve arreglándome. Ya salgo para allá. (Sorry! I got caught up getting ready. I’m leaving now.)

• Estoy retrasada porque el restaurante no tenía nuestra reserva. (I’m delayed because the restaurant didn’t have our reservation.)

Lateness Due to Health Issues

Illness or injury can throw off your schedule. Here’s how to explain lateness due to health in Spanish:

• No me siento bien hoy. Creo que llegaré tarde al trabajo. (I’m not feeling well today. I think I’ll arrive late to work.)

• Tuve una emergencia familiar. Estaré un poco retrasado. (I had a family emergency. I’ll be a bit delayed.)

• Me lastimé el tobillo y no puedo conducir. Voy a tardar más en llegar. (I hurt my ankle and can’t drive. It will take me longer to arrive.)

Asking for Patience

Don’t forget to ask for understanding if you’re running late. Some good Spanish expressions are:

• Le ruego me disculpe por el retraso. (I beg your pardon for the delay.)

• Mil perdones por la demora. (A thousand apologies for the holdup.)

• Le pido paciencia con mi tardanza. (I ask for your patience with my lateness.)

The next time you’re delayed, use these tips to smoothly explain in Spanish why you’ll be late. But do try to be punctual – it’s polite in any language!