Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "遅れます" vs "連れて行く"
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
連れて行く
つれていく (tsurete iku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 遅れます and 連れて行く 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, 連れて行く (つれていく (tsurete iku)) translates to "to take (a person/animal)" (Level: N4) and is used for Specifically for taking people or animals somewhere. For objects, use 持って行く. 人や動物を伴って移動する。. 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 "連れて行く"
子供を公園に連れて行きました。
I took my child to the park.
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.".