Significado
To be late or behind schedule for an event or appointment.
Contexto cultural
In Spain, the high-speed train (AVE) has a 'commitment to punctuality'. If the train has a delay of more than 15 minutes, they refund 50% of the ticket. If it's more than 30, they refund 100%. In Mexico, the term 'ahorita' can sometimes imply an indefinite 'retraso'. If someone says 'ahorita llego', they might actually have a significant delay. In Argentina, the word 'demora' is often preferred over 'retraso' in formal announcements at airports like Ezeiza. In many regions, 'estar atrasado' is used more frequently than 'tener retraso' for work-related tasks and personal schedules.
Use 'llevar' for duration
If you want to sound like a native in Spain, use 'Llevo 10 minutos de retraso' when you are waiting for someone.
Avoid 'Yo tengo retraso'
This is the most common embarrassing mistake. It sounds like you are claiming to have a cognitive disability.
Significado
To be late or behind schedule for an event or appointment.
Use 'llevar' for duration
If you want to sound like a native in Spain, use 'Llevo 10 minutos de retraso' when you are waiting for someone.
Avoid 'Yo tengo retraso'
This is the most common embarrassing mistake. It sounds like you are claiming to have a cognitive disability.
Formal announcements
Listen for 'sufrir un retraso' or 'experimentar una demora' in airports for high-level listening practice.
Teste-se
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'tener retraso'.
El vuelo de las ocho ______ de dos horas.
We use the verb 'tener' to describe a scheduled delay.
Which sentence is correct to say you are late for a coffee with a friend?
Meeting a friend for coffee:
'Llego tarde' is the correct way to express personal lateness. 'Tengo retraso' is for schedules and can be offensive if applied to a person.
Complete the dialogue at the train station.
Pasajero: ¿A qué hora llega el tren? Empleado: Lo siento, el tren ______.
In a formal transport context, 'tiene retraso' is the most natural response.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: A project deadline was missed by a week.
For deadlines and projects, 'tener un retraso de [tiempo]' is the standard professional phrasing.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Tener Retraso vs. Llegar Tarde
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosEl vuelo de las ocho ______ de dos horas.
We use the verb 'tener' to describe a scheduled delay.
Meeting a friend for coffee:
'Llego tarde' is the correct way to express personal lateness. 'Tengo retraso' is for schedules and can be offensive if applied to a person.
Pasajero: ¿A qué hora llega el tren? Empleado: Lo siento, el tren ______.
In a formal transport context, 'tiene retraso' is the most natural response.
Situation: A project deadline was missed by a week.
For deadlines and projects, 'tener un retraso de [tiempo]' is the standard professional phrasing.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasTechnically you can if you mean they are behind a schedule, but it is risky. It's better to say 'ir con retraso' or 'llegar tarde' to avoid being offensive.
'Retraso' is more common in Spain and for general use. 'Demora' is more formal and very common in Latin America, especially in airports.
You say: 'El tren tiene diez minutos de retraso' or 'El tren tiene un retraso de diez minutos'.
It is neutral. It's appropriate for both a conversation with a friend and a business meeting.
No, for clocks use 'El reloj atrasa'.
You can use 'tener retraso' or 'estar atrasado'. Both are correct for projects.
Yes, in the context of time. It can also mean 'backwardness' in a socio-economic sense (retraso económico).
Both work. 'Tiene retraso' is more general; 'Tiene un retraso de...' is used when specifying the time.
The opposite is 'ir con adelanto' or 'llegar antes de tiempo'.
In Spain, 'llevar' is used to express the time that has accumulated since the scheduled start.
Frases relacionadas
llegar tarde
similarTo arrive late
atrasarse
synonymTo get behind / To be late
demora
synonymDelay
puntualidad
contrastPunctuality
