Meaning and Usage
The verb 遅れる (おくれる) means "to be late" or "to delay." It is commonly used to describe being late for appointments, transportation delays, or missing deadlines. It implies not arriving or completing something at the expected or scheduled time.
Common Contexts
- Being late for school, work, or meetings.
- Trains, buses, or flights running behind schedule.
- Missing deadlines for submissions or events.
Collocations and Patterns
- 遅れる + に (time): to be late for a specific time or event (e.g., 約束の時間に遅れる).
- 電車が遅れる: the train is delayed.
- 提出期限に遅れる: to miss a submission deadline.
Register and Politeness
遅れる is a neutral verb and can be used in both casual and polite speech. For polite requests or warnings, it is often combined with expressions like 気をつけてください (please be careful).
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 遅れる with 遅い (おそい), which is an adjective meaning "slow" or "late" but not used as a verb. Remember 遅れる is the verb form meaning "to be late."