How to Say Sorry I'm Late in Japanese: Okurete Sumimasen and More

The core phrase: okurete sumimasen

The verb okureru, 遅れる, means to be late or to fall behind. In the te-form, okurete, it gives the reason for the apology that follows, so okurete sumimasen is literally being late, sorry. This te-form plus apology pattern is the same one used in machasete sumimasen, sorry for making you wait, which is a natural alternative when someone has been standing around for you.

Use the past tense ending sumimasen deshita when the lateness is fully over and you are apologising afterwards, for example at the end of a meeting or the next day. On arrival, the plain present sumimasen is the usual choice. For a wider look at when to choose sumimasen or gomen nasai in general, see our guide to those two words; here we focus on lateness itself.

Formal versions for work and customers

At work, with clients, at an interview or with anyone clearly senior, raise the level. Mōshiwake arimasen, 申し訳ありません, is a stronger and more formal apology than sumimasen, and mōshiwake gozaimasen is higher still, often heard in customer service.

In formal speech people also say o-matase itashimashita, the humble form of o-matase shimashita, when they have kept a customer or a visitor waiting. If your lateness caused real trouble, you can add go-meiwaku o o-kake shimashita, I have caused you inconvenience. The general structure of workplace apologies is covered in our guide to apologising at work; the lines below are the lateness-specific ones.

Igo ki o tsukemasu or kongo ki o tsukemasu is a common way to close a work apology. It shows you are taking the lateness seriously without a long speech.

Casual versions for friends

With friends, family or a partner, sumimasen can sound oddly stiff. Gomen is the natural choice, and the plain past okureta, I was late, is enough on its own. Repeating gomen, as in gomen gomen, sounds relaxed and a little apologetic at the same time.

Men and women both use these forms, although gomen ne with the softening ne can sound gentle, and warui, my bad, is more common among male friends. Save warui and sorry-style slang for people who clearly use it with you.

Warning people ahead: okuresō desu

In Japan, the message before the start time often matters more than the apology afterwards. Arriving late without warning is what really annoys people; sending a quick line as soon as you know you will be late is seen as responsible. The key form is okuresō, from okureru plus the sō ending meaning looks like, so okuresō desu is I look likely to be late.

Always add an estimate if you can. A number of minutes, or a time of arrival, lets the other person decide whether to start without you. Use the counter fun or pun for minutes: go-fun, jup-pun, jūgo-fun, sanjup-pun.

Saki ni hajimete ite kudasai, or with friends saki ni hajimete te, is a considerate line that frees everyone from waiting. For a dinner reservation or a group meal, it is often the most useful thing you can say.

Giving a reason without making excuses

The usual order is apology, short reason, then what happens next. Give the reason with the te-form or with node, because, and keep it to one clause. Leading with the reason, or explaining in detail, can sound like you are defending yourself rather than apologising.

Train delays are the most accepted reason in Japan, and rail companies can issue a delay certificate, chien shōmeisho, at the station for commuters. Oversleeping, nebō, is also common, and admitting it honestly is often received better than a vague excuse.

Lateness etiquette at work

Many Japanese workplaces take start times seriously, and some treat arriving exactly on time as slightly late. Customs vary a lot by company and industry, but a few habits are widely expected: contact your workplace before the start time, apologise to your manager when you arrive, and greet the people around you quietly rather than slipping in unseen.

Whether to phone or message depends on the workplace. Some teams use chat for everything; others expect a phone call, especially if you are new. If you are unsure, a call is the safer choice, and the Call Work About a Train Delay mission in Unihongo lets you practise exactly that call.

When you enter a meeting that has already started, say shitsurei shimasu as you come in, sit down, and keep the apology short so you do not interrupt further. You can apologise properly once the meeting ends.

Replying when someone else is late

You will also be on the other side. When someone apologises to you, a quick reassurance is polite and puts them at ease. With friends, a joking osoi yo, you're late, is common, but say it with a smile.

Common learner mistakes

• Saying osoi desu, it is slow or late, to mean I am late. Osoi describes being slow or late in general; to say you are late for something, use okureru: okurete sumimasen.
• Using gomen nasai with a manager or client. It is not wrong, but it can sound childlike at work. Sumimasen or mōshiwake arimasen fits better.
• Starting with a long explanation. Apologise first, then give one short reason.
• Forgetting the time estimate when warning ahead. Jup-pun hodo okuremasu is far more useful than okuremasu alone.
• Mixing up okureru, to be late, and okuru, to send. Okurete, being late, and okutte, sending, sound close but mean different things.