How do you say "I won’t be late." in Japanese?

"I won’t be late." in Japanese is "遅れません。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

🙅‍♂️⏰➡️🐢

How to Say ‘I won’t be late.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "遅れません。" mean in English?

"遅れません。" means "I won’t be late." in English. Usage tip: [遅れません] is polite negative. In a caregiver interview, it can sound even more professional to add a reason/commitment: [時間に余裕を持って行動しますので、遅れません。] (“I act with extra time, so I won’t be late.”). Bonus: [遅れないようにします] means “I’ll make sure not to be late.”

遅れません。

okure mase n

[oh-KOO-reh mah-seh n]

💬 Usage Tip: [遅れません] is polite negative. In a caregiver interview, it can sound even more professional to add a reason/commitment: [時間に余裕を持って行動しますので、遅れません。] (“I act with extra time, so I won’t be late.”). Bonus: [遅れないようにします] means “I’ll make sure not to be late.”

🇯🇵 In Japan: Saying [遅れません] fits well when discussing availability and reliability (a big hiring point in care work). If you’re talking about commuting, you can add [電車の遅延に備えて早めに出ます] (“I leave early in case trains are delayed”), which signals the kind of risk-awareness employers like.

Phrase Breakdown

遅れ

okure

[oh-KOO-reh]

be late (verb stem of 遅れる)

The stem form used before polite endings. In this card it combines with ません to make a polite negative promise: “(I) won’t be late.”

Example

勤務初日は遅れません。

I won’t be late on my first day of work.

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative auxiliary (part of ません)

This is part of the polite negative ending ません, used to say “do not / will not” in polite speech (appropriate for job interviews).

Example

必ず時間に間に合うので遅れません。

I will definitely make it on time, so I won’t be late.

ん

[n]

final ん of ません (polite negative)

This ん completes ません, the standard polite negative ending meaning “do not / will not.”

Example

交通機関が止まっても連絡しますので遅れません。

Even if public transportation stops, I will contact you, so I won’t be late.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Custom Scenarios

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Teaching in Osaka and I wanted to connect with my students beyond the classroom. The everyday conversation scenarios made my Japanese feel natural, not textbook-y.”

Mia S., 25, English Teacher

“Moved to Tokyo and the polite vs. casual speech levels were killing me. This app breaks it all down with real scenarios. My coworkers noticed the difference in weeks.”

Kevin Z., 31, Game Developer

“I tried five different apps before this one. The roleplay conversations are what finally made things click. I actually remember what I learn now.”

Sofia R., 31, Marketing Manager