Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'もう遅いです' to inform someone that the window of opportunity has closed or the time is past a deadline.
- Means: It is already late (time or opportunity).
- Used in: Missing trains, missed deadlines, or late-night social situations.
- Don't confuse: '遅い' (slow) vs '遅い' (late); context determines the meaning.
आपके स्तर पर व्याख्या:
मतलब
Stating that the current time is late.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
Punctuality is a core value, so 'already late' carries more weight than in some Western cultures. In international business, this phrase can be perceived as blunt if not softened with 'zannen desu ga' (unfortunately).
Softening the blow
Add 'zannen desu ga' before 'mou osoi desu' to sound more polite.
Softening the blow
Add 'zannen desu ga' before 'mou osoi desu' to sound more polite.
खुद को परखो
Which is the correct polite form?
Choose the correct phrase for 'It is already late'.
Adjectives end in 'i' before 'desu'.
🎉 स्कोर: /1
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अभ्यास बैंक
2 अभ्यासChoose the correct phrase for 'It is already late'.
Adjectives end in 'i' before 'desu'.
🎉 स्कोर: /2
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
1 सवालNo, use 'osoi' to describe speed, but avoid calling people 'late' directly.
संबंधित मुहावरे
遅刻する
similarTo be late for an appointment
間に合わない
similarWon't make it in time
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
Missing a deadline
Boss: レポートはまだですか？
Employee: すみません、もう遅いです。
Ending a party
Friend: もう1杯どう？
You: もう遅いですから、帰ります。
याद करें
स्मृति सहायक
Imagine a clock ('Moo' sounds like a cow, but think 'Moon' for night) saying 'Too late!'
दृश्य संबंध
A person standing at a train station watching the last train pull away while the moon is high in the sky.
Rhyme
The moon is high, the time has flown, 'Mou osoi' is the phrase you've known.
Story
Kenji wanted to buy a ticket. He arrived at 10 PM. The clerk said, 'もう遅いです'. Kenji realized he missed the last bus and had to walk home.
In Other Languages
English 'It's too late', Spanish 'Es demasiado tarde', French 'C'est trop tard'.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Say 'もう遅いです' every time you see a clock past 9 PM for one week.
Review in 1, 3, 7, and 14 days.
उच्चारण
Long 'o' sound.
Three distinct syllables.
औपचारिकता का स्तर
もう遅いです。 (General time observation)
もう遅いですね。 (General time observation)
もう遅いよ。 (General time observation)
遅っ！ (General time observation)
Derived from the classical Japanese 'ososhi', meaning slow or late. The 'mou' prefix was added to emphasize the completion of the state.
रोचक तथ्य
The kanji '遅' contains the 'walk' radical, showing that 'late' is related to how one moves.
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
Punctuality is a core value, so 'already late' carries more weight than in some Western cultures.
“電車が遅れると、もう遅いですと謝ります。”
In international business, this phrase can be perceived as blunt if not softened with 'zannen desu ga' (unfortunately).
“残念ですが、もう遅いです。”
बातचीत की शुरुआत
What time do you usually go to bed?
सामान्य गलतियाँ
もう遅くです
もう遅いです
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Es demasiado tarde
Spanish uses 'demasiado' (too much) while Japanese uses 'もう' (already).
C'est trop tard
French is more direct with 'trop' compared to the Japanese 'already' nuance.
Es ist zu spät
German uses 'zu' for 'too', whereas Japanese relies on context.
もう遅いです
N/A
لقد فات الأوان
Arabic focuses on the passing of time rather than the state of being late.
Spotted in the Real World
“もう遅いよ。”
Realizing the time has passed to save the town.
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
Learners confuse 'late' and 'slow'.
Context is key; if talking about a clock, it's 'late'. If talking about a runner, it's 'slow'.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (1)
No, use 'osoi' to describe speed, but avoid calling people 'late' directly.
usage contexts
