미안합니다, 늦었어요.

The phrase '미안합니다' (mi-an-ham-ni-da) is a formal way to say 'I am sorry' or 'My apologies'. It is composed of '미안' (mi-an), meaning 'sorry' or 'regret', and the formal deferential ending '-합니다' (-ham-ni-da), which indicates a polite and humble statement. The word '미안' (mi-an) itself is derived from Chinese characters '未安' (wèi ān), which literally mean 'not peaceful' or 'uneasy'. This reflects the feeling of unease or discomfort one feels when they have caused inconvenience or made a mistake. '늦었어요' (neu-jeo-sseo-yo) means 'I am late' or 'It is late'. It is the past tense form of the verb '늦다' (neut-da), which means 'to be late'. The '-었어요' (-eo-sseo-yo) ending is a common polite past tense conjugation in Korean. The root verb '늦다' (neut-da) has ancient Korean origins, related to concepts of slowness or delay. Combined, '미안합니다, 늦었어요.' directly translates to 'I am sorry, I am late.' The phrase is used in situations where one has failed to arrive at a scheduled time, expressing both regret for the tardiness and acknowledging the fact of being late. It is a standard and polite expression used to address the social faux pas of being unpunctual, common in Korean social interactions where punctuality is often valued.