ich bin spät dran
In German, the phrase "I am late" is expressed as ich bin spät dran.
This phrase is used when someone is behind schedule or not on time for an appointment. A common alternative is ich komme zu spät, which is also frequently used to express being late for an event or appointment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I am late on it", where dran is a colloquial contraction of daran (at it or on it).
Which one should you use?
While ich bin spät dran is the common way to say you are running behind schedule, saying ich bin spät is grammatically awkward and sounds like a literal translation from English. Germans typically use spät dran sein or ich komme zu spät.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ich bin spät to mean you are late. In German, spät usually refers to the time of day, such as in Es ist spät (It is late), rather than a person's punctuality. Instead, use ich bin spät dran or ich komme zu spät.
Did you know?
- The word spät shares an ancient root with the English word 'spare' as in 'to spare time'.
- When Germans say ich komme zu spät, they are using a construction that implies a movement toward a destination, whereas ich bin spät dran describes a state of being behind schedule.
- The colloquial dran in spät dran sein is a shortened version of daran, a process called contraction that is very common in spoken German but rare in formal writing.
Examples in context
- Entschuldigung, dass ich zu spät komme. Es gab einen Stau auf der Autobahn.Sorry that I'm late. There was a traffic jam on the highway.
- Tut mir leid, ich bin spät dran.I am sorry, I am late.
- Ich kann nicht kommen, ich bin spät dran.I cannot come, I am late.
Example conversation
Julian is waiting for Sarah at a cafe.
- SarahEntschuldigung, Julian, ich bin spät dran.Sorry, Julian, I am late.
- JulianKein Problem, Sarah, ich habe auch gerade erst angefangen.No problem, Sarah, I just started too.
- SarahDer Bus hatte leider Verspätung.Unfortunately, the bus was delayed.
- JulianDas macht nichts, setz dich einfach.That doesn't matter, just sit down.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bin, dran, ich, spät, CC BY-SA 4.0.
