How do you say "I'm late." in Japanese?

"I'm late." in Japanese is "おくれました。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

⏰😅

How to Say ‘I'm late.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "おくれました。" mean in English?

"おくれました。" means "I'm late." in English. Usage tip: This comes from [おくれる], "to be late," and [ました] makes it polite and puts it in the past: literally "was late." Japanese often uses this past form for a situation that has already happened when you arrive, like [おそくなりました] too.

おくれました。

o kure mashi ta

[o kureh mah-shee tah]

💬 Usage Tip: This comes from [おくれる], "to be late," and [ました] makes it polite and puts it in the past: literally "was late." Japanese often uses this past form for a situation that has already happened when you arrive, like [おそくなりました] too.

Phrase Breakdown

お

[o]

honorific/polite prefix sound here as part of the word

This is the first sound of おくれました. By itself here, it is just one part of the full expression.

Example

おくれました、といいます。

I say, “I was late.”

くれ

kure

[kureh]

be late (word stem part)

This is the stem part of おくれました, from the verb meaning to be late.

Example

おくれました、とあやまります。

I apologize by saying, “I was late.”

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite verb ending part

This is part of the polite past ending in おくれました. It helps make the expression polite.

Example

おくれました、とていねいにいいます。

I politely say, “I was late.”

た

[tah]

past tense ending part

This final part helps show past tense in おくれました.

Example

おくれました、とせつめいします。

I explain by saying, “I was late.”

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Custom Scenarios

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Teaching in Osaka and I wanted to connect with my students beyond the classroom. The everyday conversation scenarios made my Japanese feel natural, not textbook-y.”

Mia S., 25, English Teacher

“Moved to Tokyo and the polite vs. casual speech levels were killing me. This app breaks it all down with real scenarios. My coworkers noticed the difference in weeks.”

Kevin Z., 31, Game Developer

“I tried five different apps before this one. The roleplay conversations are what finally made things click. I actually remember what I learn now.”

Sofia R., 31, Marketing Manager