Question
Trains in Tokyo are famously punctual, but they aren’t immune to delays — and even a small one can throw off a morning meeting or a lunch with a friend. You hurry in, ten minutes behind, and everyone is already at the table. How do I say “Sorry I’m late” in Japanese?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
遅（おく）れてすみません。
Okurete sumimasen.
Sorry I’m late.
Running late happens to everyone in Japan, and the right phrase smooths things over before anyone has to mention it. You can use Okurete sumimasen the moment you arrive — walking into the meeting room, sliding into your seat at the restaurant, joining a video call a few minutes after the start time. Okurete comes from okureru, meaning “to be late,” and sumimasen is the everyday “sorry” you already know. Together they cover almost any social situation where a few minutes have slipped.
One small thing that makes a real difference: pair it with a slight bow of the head as you say it. The bow, even more than the words, signals that you took the delay seriously.
