voy tarde
/boi taɾde/from spelling rules
To say "I am running late" in Spanish, use voy tarde.
This phrase is used to indicate that you will arrive after a scheduled or expected time. You may also use the alternative llevo retraso to express that you are running behind schedule.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, voy tarde translates to "I go late".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may hear the shortened version Llego tarde used to mean "I am running late".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the verb ir (to go) in the first person singular present tense. To tell someone else that they are running late, use the second person form vas tarde.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, arriving slightly 'tarde' to a social event is actually a social grace. Arriving exactly on time can sometimes be seen as being too eager or an imposition on the host.
- If you use the phrase llevo retraso, you are essentially saying you are 'carrying' a delay with you, treating the lateness as a physical burden or cargo.
- The Spanish word tarde shares a linguistic pattern with the Chinese word 晚 and the Mongolian word орой, as they all function as both the word for 'late' and the word for the 'evening' part of the day.
Examples in context
- Perdón por la demora, estoy llegando tarde a la reunión.Sorry for the delay, I am running late for the meeting.
- Oye, lo siento, estoy llegando tarde. Espérame unos minutos más, por favor.Hey, I'm sorry, I am running late. Please wait a few more minutes for me.
- Llego tarde a la cita, espero que puedas esperarme un poco más.I am running late for the appointment, I hope you can wait for me a bit longer.
- Perdona, voy tarde.Sorry, I am running late.
- No te preocupes, yo también voy tarde.Don't worry, I am running late too.
Example conversation
Javier calls Lucía to explain why he hasn't arrived at the cafe yet.
- JavierHola Lucía, lo siento, voy tarde.Hello Lucía, I'm sorry, I am running late.
- LucíaNo pasa nada, Javier. ¿Cuánto tiempo tardarás?It's okay, Javier. How long will you take?
- JavierLlegaré en diez minutos.I will arrive in ten minutes.
- LucíaPerfecto, te espero aquí.Perfect, I'll wait for you here.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tarde, voy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
