Run late means to be behind schedule. It almost always comes as be running late: I'm running late means you'll arrive later than planned. People say it to warn others that they'll be late. For a meeting or a lesson, ran late means it went on longer than planned: The meeting ran late.
Want to remember run late?
Write a sentence — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
be running late (for + event); be running + time + late; the meeting/doctor is running late
- Can you tell the others I'm running a bit late? I'm stuck in traffic.
- The doctor is running about half an hour late, so please take a seat.
- Our meeting ran late, and I missed the last train home.
What changed
First versionSorry, I run late. I'll be there in ten minutes.
RevisionSorry, I'm running late. I'll be there in ten minutes.
I run late sounds like a habit, something that happens regularly. For what's happening right now, English uses the continuous form: I'm running late. So I run became I'm running.
I'm late means you've already missed the agreed time: Sorry I'm late! People say it as they walk in. I'm running late means you're still on your way and can see you won't make it: I'm running late, start without me.
Your turn
Please start the meeting without me because I'm ___ a bit late.
Show the answer
running — The speaker hasn't arrived yet and is warning that they'll be late, so I'm running late. Native speakers don't say I'm being late: for their own lateness, they say I'm late or I'm running late.
Write a short message to a friend or colleague saying you'll be late. Give the reason and say how many minutes late you'll be.
Hi Tom, I'm running twenty minutes late because my train was cancelled, so please order without me.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.