How to Say "late" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “late” is “tarde” — use this adverb when referring to the general concept of time passing the expected hour, like 'it is late' or 'I arrived late'.
tarde
TAR-dehˈtaɾde
Examples
¡Es tarde! Tenemos que irnos.
It's late! We have to go.
El tren llegó tarde otra vez.
The train arrived late again.
Más vale tarde que nunca.
Better late than never.
Describing When, Not What
As an adverb, 'tarde' tells you when an action happens. It usually comes after the verb. For example, 'comemos tarde' (we eat late).
Using 'Estar' for 'To Be Late'
Mistake: “Mi amigo está tarde.”
Correction: Say 'Mi amigo llega tarde' (My friend is arriving late) or 'Mi amigo viene con retraso' (My friend is running late). 'Tarde' describes the action, not the person's state.
retrasado
re-trah-SAH-dohre.tɾaˈsaðo
Examples
El vuelo a Madrid está retrasado por mal tiempo.
The flight to Madrid is delayed due to bad weather.
Mi reloj está cinco minutos retrasado.
My watch is five minutes slow/behind.
La entrega de los materiales va muy retrasada.
The delivery of the materials is very delayed.
Use with Estar
When describing a temporary state of being behind schedule, use the verb 'estar': 'El tren está retrasado' (The train is delayed right now).
Agreement
Like most Spanish describing words, 'retrasado' must match the thing it describes: 'retrasado' (masc. sing.), 'retrasada' (fem. sing.), 'retrasados' (masc. plural), 'retrasadas' (fem. plural).
atrasado
ah-trah-SAH-dohatɾaˈsaðo
Examples
Llegué diez minutos atrasado a la clase.
I arrived ten minutes late to the class.
El tren viene muy atrasado hoy.
The train is running very late today.
Estoy un poco atrasado con el trabajo de la universidad.
I am a bit behind with my university work.
Matches the person or thing
Since this word is an adjective, its ending changes to match who or what you are talking about. Use 'atrasada' for a female person or feminine object, and add an 's' for plurals.
Use with 'estar'
When talking about being late for a specific event, use the verb 'estar' (to be) because being late is a temporary state, not a permanent personality trait.
Atrasado vs. Tarde
Mistake: “Soy atrasado.”
Correction: Estoy atrasado (I am late) or Llegué tarde (I arrived late). 'Soy' implies that you are a 'late person' by nature, which sounds very strange in Spanish.
tardío
Examples
Tuvimos un invierno tardío este año.
We had a late winter this year.
difunto
dee-FOON-tohdiˈfun.to
Examples
Mi difunto abuelo era un hombre muy sabio.
My late grandfather was a very wise man.
Hicieron una ceremonia en honor a la difunta escritora.
They held a ceremony in honor of the deceased writer.
Matching Gender and Number
Since this word acts as a descriptor, you must change the ending to match who you are talking about: 'el difunto' (the man), 'la difunta' (the woman), 'los difuntos' (the men/group).
Using 'Muerto' vs. 'Difunto'
Mistake: “Using 'muerto' in a formal speech about a loved one.”
Correction: Use 'difunto' to be more respectful. 'Muerto' is very direct and can sometimes sound blunt or cold.
fallecido
fa-yeh-SEE-thofaʝeˈsiðo
Examples
Hicieron una ceremonia en honor al actor fallecido.
They held a ceremony in honor of the deceased actor.
Sus abuelos ya están fallecidos.
Her grandparents are already deceased.
Using the '-o' and '-a' endings
Even though we are looking at 'fallecido,' remember to change the last letter to 'a' (fallecida) when describing a woman.
Fallecido vs. Muerto
Mistake: “Using 'fallecido' for a pet.”
Correction: Use 'muerto' for animals; 'fallecido' is a respectful term specifically for humans.
avanzado
ah-bahn-SAH-dohaβanˈsaðo
Examples
Mi hermano estudia en un nivel avanzado.
My brother studies at an advanced level.
Es una tecnología muy avanzada para su tiempo.
It is a very sophisticated technology for its time.
El abuelo ya tiene una edad avanzada.
Grandfather is already of an advanced age.
Matching with Nouns
This word needs to match the gender of what you are describing. Use 'avanzado' for masculine items and 'avanzada' for feminine ones, like 'una clase avanzada'.
Verb Connection
This word is the 'completed action' form (past participle) of the verb 'avanzar' (to move forward).
Using it for 'Early'
Mistake: “Using 'avanzado' to mean 'early in the morning'.”
Correction: Use 'temprano' for early; 'avanzado' actually implies it is late or far along, like 'muy avanzada la noche' (very late at night).
Confusing 'late' for time vs. 'late' for deceased
Related Translations
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