遅(おそ)い

おそい
i-adjective
slow, late
descriptive
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present遅(おそ)い遅(おそ)くない
Past遅(おそ)かった遅(おそ)くなかった
て form遅(おそ)くて遅(おそ)くなくて
Adverbial遅(おそ)く—
Conditional ば遅(おそ)ければ遅(おそ)くなければ
Conditional たら遅(おそ)かったら遅(おそ)くなかったら
1. slow
Describing something that moves or progresses at a low speed. The opposite of 速(はや)い (hayai, fast).
このバスは遅(おそ)いですね。
This bus is slow, isn't it?
歩(ある)くのが遅(おそ)いです。
I walk slowly.
このパソコンは遅(おそ)いので、新(あたら)しいのが欲(ほ)しいです。
This computer is slow, so I want a new one.
もう少(すこ)し遅(おそ)く話(はな)してください。
Please speak a little more slowly.
食(た)べるのが遅(おそ)いので、いつも最後(さいご)まで食(た)べています。
I eat slowly, so I'm always the last one eating.
2. late
Describing something that happens after the expected or scheduled time. Also used for late hours of the day/night.
遅(おそ)くなってすみません。
Sorry for being late.
夜(よる)遅(おそ)くまで勉強(べんきょう)しました。
I studied until late at night.
返事(へんじ)が遅(おそ)くなってすみません。
Sorry for the late reply.
遅(おそ)い時間(じかん)に電話(でんわ)してすみません。
Sorry for calling at a late hour.
今日(きょう)は帰(かえ)りが遅(おそ)くなります。
I'll be home late today.

遅(おそ)い is an i-adjective with two main meanings: slow (speed) and late (time).

Usage

遅(おそ)い covers both "slow" (of speed) and "late" (of time), with context disambiguating: 電車(でんしゃ)が遅(おそ)い can mean either "the train is slow" or "the train is late." It modifies a noun directly (遅(おそ)い時間(じかん), "a late hour") and forms the adverb 遅(おそ)く ("slowly; late"), as in 遅(おそ)くなる ("to become late").

Forms

  • Negative: 遅(おそ)くない
  • Past: 遅(おそ)かった
  • Adverb: 遅(おそ)く (slowly; late)

Common expressions

  • 遅(おそ)くなる: to become late, to be delayed
  • 遅(おそ)くても: at the latest
  • 夜(よる)遅(おそ)く: late at night
  • 遅(おそ)くまで: until late

Similar words

Note: For speed, the opposite is 速(はや)い. For time (late/early), the opposite is 早(はや)い. Both are read はやい but use different kanji.

Related Words

Antonym: 速(はや)い／早(はや)い (fast, early)
Antonym: 早(はや)めに (early)
Related: 遅(おく)らせる (to delay, to postpone)
Related: 緩慢(かんまん) (slow, sluggish, gradual)
Compare: 緩徐(かんじょ) (slow)
Compare: 遅(おそ)め (somewhat late)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:28 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
00500/00533_osoi