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Synonym Comparison

The Nuance Difference: "遅れます" vs "退院する"

Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.

Japanese Term A

遅れます

おくれます (okuremasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B

退院する

たいいんする (taiin suru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus

Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

In Japanese, both 遅れます and 退院する are often translated to English but have distinct usages. 遅れます (おくれます (okuremasu)) represents "to be late, to be delayed" (Level: N5) and typically represents Verb, polite form. Used when arriving after the scheduled time or when something is behind schedule. Often used with に. The dictionary form is 遅れる. On the other hand, 退院する (たいいんする (taiin suru)) translates to "to leave the hospital, to be discharged from the hospital" (Level: N4) and is used for Indicates the action of leaving a hospital after recovering from an illness or treatment. Opposite of 入院する.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "遅れます"
電車が遅れて、会社に遅れました。
The train was delayed, so I was late for work.
Bilingual Sentence for "退院する"
病気が治ったので、明日、病院を退院します。
Since I've recovered, I will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow.

Nuance Mastery Quiz

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "電車が遅れて、会社に遅れました。" (Meaning: "The train was delayed, so I was late for work.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "遅れます" fits here because it represents "to be late, to be delayed" in the context: "The train was delayed, so I was late for work.".

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