Running Late in Spain
Say you're late, apologise and rearrange plans the way people in Spain actually do.
In Spain friends 'quedan' for a coffee or a film, and ten minutes late is normal among friends, but work meetings and trains are punctual. The cards follow a delayed Cercanías on the way to meet a friend, a rushed evening before the cinema, and an overslept morning before a meeting.
- 1
Perdona, llego unos diez minutos tarde.
Sorry, I'm running about ten minutes late.
- 2
El Cercanías va con retraso.
The local train is running late.
- 3
Estoy en un atasco.
I'm stuck in a traffic jam.
- 4
Tranquilo, no hay prisa.
Don't worry, there's no rush.
- 5
¿Dónde estás ahora mismo?
Where are you right now?
- 6
Estoy a punto de llegar.
I'm just about to get there.
- 7
¿A qué hora habíamos quedado?
What time did we say we'd meet?
- 8
Quedamos a las siete y media, ¿no?
We said half past seven, didn't we?
- 9
¿Podemos retrasarlo media hora?
Can we push it back half an hour?
- 10
Llego en cinco minutos.
I'll be there in five minutes.
- 11
Llevo veinte minutos esperando.
I've been waiting for twenty minutes.
- 12
Perdona por la espera.
Sorry for keeping you waiting.
- 13
No volverá a pasar.
It won't happen again.
- 14
La reunión empieza a las nueve en punto.
The meeting starts at nine on the dot.
- 15
¡Siempre llegas tarde!
You're always late!
- 16
Lo siento, me he quedado dormido.
Sorry, I overslept.
- 17
Vamos a perder el tren.
We're going to miss the train.
- 18
¿Nos da tiempo a tomar un café?
Do we have time for a coffee?
- 19
¡Date prisa, que se hace tarde!
Hurry up, it's getting late!
- 20
Más vale tarde que nunca.
Better late than never.