電車に乗り遅れた
densha ni noriokureta
In Japanese, "I missed the train" is said as 電車に乗り遅れた (densha ni noriokureta).
This phrase is used when someone arrives at the station too late to board their intended train.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 'densha' (train), the particle 'ni' (indicating the object of the action) and the verb 'noriokureru' (to miss/be late for a ride).
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form 電車に乗り遅れた is in the plain/casual form. Use 電車に乗り遅れました to be polite to strangers or superiors. The dictionary form 電車に乗り遅れる is used to express the habit of missing the train or to state the fact in a non-past tense context. In a conversation where the context of the train is already established, you can omit densha ni and simply say noriokureta.
How do you pronounce it?
densha ni noriokureta
When do people say it?
Gomen nasai (ごめんなさい) means 'I'm sorry.'
Did you know?
- In Japan, missing a train for work often requires a 遅延証明書 or 'delay certificate' from the station staff to prove the lateness was not your fault.
- While 乗り遅れた means you missed the train, if you board the wrong train by mistake, you use the phrase 乗り間違えた, which uses the verb for 'making a mistake'.
- The word densha literally means 'electric train'. In Japan, this is so common that the term for a non-electric train, ressha, is rarely used in daily conversation.
Examples in context
- 電車に乗り遅れた。Densha ni noriokureta.I missed the train.
- 急いだけど、電車に乗り遅れた。Isoida kedo, densha ni noriokureta.I rushed, but I missed the train.
- あ、電車に乗り遅れた！A, densha ni noriokureta!Ah, I missed the train!
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking on the phone because Ren is late.
- 蓮 Renごめん、電車に乗り遅れた。Gomen, densha ni noriokureta.Sorry, I missed the train.
- 美咲 Misaki大丈夫？次はいつ来るの？Daijoubu? Tsugi wa itsu kuru no?Are you okay? When is the next one coming?
- 蓮 Renあと十分くらい待たないと。Ato juuppun kurai matanai to.I have to wait about ten more minutes.
- 美咲 Misakiわかった。ゆっくり来てね。Wakatta. Yukkuri kite ne.I understand. Take your time.
