Portuguese · Real conversations
How to say “I'm running ten minutes late.” in Portuguese
Tell someone that you expect to arrive ten minutes after the agreed time.
Vou me atrasar dez minutos.
I'm running ten minutes late.
The example describes the amount of delay, rather than how long you have been traveling.
Use it in three situations
A delayed arrival
Vou me atrasar dez minutos.
I'm running ten minutes late.
An appointment update
Vou chegar cinco minutos atrasado/atrasada.
I'm running five minutes late.
A message to a friend
Vou chegar dez minutos atrasado/atrasada ao nosso encontro.
I'm running ten minutes late for our meeting.
What to watch for
A literal translation of 'running' can wrongly imply that you are moving on foot.
Read the whole expression before replacing a detail. The natural wording may use a different order or construction from the English sentence.
Your turn
Imagine changing plans. Say this in Portuguese: I'm running five minutes late.
Reveal a sample reply
Vou chegar cinco minutos atrasado/atrasada.
I'm running five minutes late.
Build a useful exchange
Explain a change and offer a clear next step.
This expression in other languages
A note on speaking Portuguese
These guides use Brazilian Portuguese. Você is a common everyday address; senhor or senhora may fit a more formal interaction. Eu gostaria and poderia can soften requests without making them complicated.
Keep the accents and nasal spellings, such as não and conexão. Portuguese in Portugal may use different everyday vocabulary or pronouns. The examples aim for broadly understandable Brazilian wording.
