What does it mean word for word?
The phrase perdón por la tardanza literally translates to "pardon for the lateness".
Which one should you use?
While perdón por la tardanza is a common way to say "sorry for the delay", you can also use the verbal form perdón por tardar to mean "sorry for taking so long".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In casual or spoken Spanish, perdón por la tardanza is frequently used. For more professional or formal settings, such as business emails, disculpe la demora is often preferred as it means "I apologize for the delay" or "excuse the delay". Other formal options include Lamentamos la demora en nuestra respuesta (We apologize for the delay in our response) and Le presentamos nuestras sinceras disculpas por el retraso (We offer our sincere apologies for the delay). For an informal tone, you might use Perdón por hacerte esperar (Sorry for making you wait) or Disculpa el retraso (Apologies for the delay).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Argentina or Uruguay, it is common to hear Perdón por la demora instead of "Lo siento por la demora" in informal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾdon poɾ la taɾdanθa/
Did you know?
- The formal phrase disculpe la demora uses a verb that originally meant 'to untie', conceptually treating the social friction caused by a delay as a knot that needs loosening.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, arriving slightly after the agreed time is socially acceptable, meaning perdón por la tardanza is often said with less urgency than 'sorry for the delay' in English.
- The word perdón is actually a distant relative of the word 'gift' or 'donation'. It stems from the Latin verb dōnō, which means 'to give', suggesting a pardon is something given to another.
Examples in context
- Perdón por la tardanza.Sorry for the delay.This example shows how to use perdón por la tardanza.Tatoeba #1344325 by wallebot, translation #2419348 by erikspen
- Disculpe la demora en mi respuesta. Estuve ocupado con un proyecto urgente que requirió mi atención completa.Apologizing for a delayed email response
- Lamentamos la demora en la entrega de su paquete. Nos vimos afectados por circunstancias imprevistas en el proceso logístico.Apologizing for a late delivery
- Le presentamos nuestras sinceras disculpas por el retraso en la reunión acordada. Surgieron situaciones imprevistas que nos impidieron cumplir con el horario establecido.Apologizing for a postponed meeting
- Perdón por la tardanza con el reporte.Sorry for the delay with the report.
Example conversation
Alejandro arrives late to a coffee date with María.
- AlejandroMaría, perdón por la tardanza.María, sorry for the delay.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, Alejandro, yo también acabo de llegar.Don't worry, Alejandro, I just arrived too.
- Alejandro¿Estás muy enojada conmigo?Are you very angry with me?
- MaríaPara nada, pide un café y todo estará bien.Not at all, order a coffee and everything will be fine.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, perdón, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
