Catching the train
Collocations, Stage 2chunk 15 of 24Getting around
Train timing: a late train, making it, when it leaves, missing it, and the last train gone.
- densha ga okureruthe train is delayed
- densha ni maniaumake the train in time
- densha ga deruthe train leaves
- densha ni okurerube late for the train (and so miss it)
- shuuden ga nakunaruthe last train is gone (no way home)
Mix-ups densha ga okureru (the train runs late) and densha ni okureru (you're late for it, so you miss it) differ only in ga or ni. 'Miss' is never misu suru: say nogashita, or make the train the subject, shuuden nakunatta (the last train's gone).
densha ga okureru
polite densha ga okuremasuthe train is delayed
電車が遅れる でんしゃがおくれる 電車が遅れます
verbokureru 遅れるbe late; fall behind timetypical 4% of densha
trap Not densha ga chikoku suru (chikoku is people being late for school or work), and not densha ga osoi for reporting a delay: osoi works as a grumble while you wait (basu osoi ne = the bus is late), but a train running behind schedule, the one you message about, is okureteru. densha osoi can also just mean a slow train.
Heard as okureteru (it's running late) or okurete (because it was late), as in gomen, densha okurete... Casual speech drops ga, so densha okureta means the train was late. Swap ga for ni and you are the one who was late: densha ni okureta (I missed the train).
gomen, densha okureteru.
Sorry, the train's delayed.
ごめん、電車遅れてる。
sumimasen, densha ga okuretemasu.
Sorry, the train is running late.
すみません、電車が遅れてます。
When the line has stopped altogether: densha tomatteru. A clock running slow is also tokei ga okureteru (fast is susunderu).
Same verb: basu (bus), hikouki (plane)Learn alongside: densha ni maniau, densha ga deru, densha ni okureru, shuuden ga nakunaruMain list: okureru (Stage 3), osoi (Stage 3)
densha ni maniau
polite densha ni maniaimasumake the train in time
電車に間に合う でんしゃにまにあう 電車に間に合います
verbmaniau 間に合うbe in time (for something); be enoughtypical 2% of densha
trap Not densha o tsukamaeru or densha o toru: making a train in time is ni maniau ('be in time for'). 'I missed the train' is not misu shita (misu is a mistake): say maniawanakatta or nogashita.
Mostly heard as a check or a result: maniau? (will we make it?), maniatta (made it), maniawanai (we won't make it). The noun drops once the train is clear. Once it has gone, say densha ni okureta, or more casually nogashita or noriokureta (I missed it). For the last train people usually say shuuden nakunatta (the last train's gone) or shuuden nogashita.
isoganai to, densha ni maniawanai yo.
If we don't hurry, we won't make the train.
急がないと、電車に間に合わないよ。
isoganai to, densha ni maniaimasen yo.
If we don't hurry, we won't make the train.
急がないと、電車に間に合いませんよ。
maniattemasu also means 'we're fine, no thanks', a common way to turn away a door-to-door or phone salesperson.
Same verb: shuuden (last train), shimekiri (deadline), jugyou (class), kaigi (meeting)Learn alongside: densha ga okureru, densha ga deru, densha ni okureru, shuuden ga nakunaruMain list: okureru (Stage 3)
densha ga deru
polite densha ga demasuthe train leaves
電車が出る でんしゃがでる 電車が出ます
verbderu 出るgo out; leave (a place)
trap For 'what time does it leave?', not densha ga hanareru or densha ga saru: those describe it pulling away (densha ga hoomu o hanareru). The departure itself is deru, the same verb as leaving the house. shuppatsu suru also works, and hassha is the announcement word.
Mostly a timetable question: tsugi no densha nanji ni deru? As it pulls away, densha itchatta or densha dechatta (the train's just gone). Casual speech drops ga.
tsugi no densha, nanji ni deru?
What time does the next train leave?
次の電車、何時に出る？
tsugi no densha wa nanji ni demasu ka?
What time does the next train leave?
次の電車は何時に出ますか？
The first train of the day is shihatsu: shihatsu made nomu (drink until the first train).
Same verb: basu (bus), hikouki (plane), fune (boat, ferry)Learn alongside: densha ga okureru, densha ni maniau, densha ni okureru, shuuden ga nakunaruMain list: deru (Stage 1)
densha ni okureru
polite densha ni okuremasube late for the train (and so miss it)
電車に遅れる でんしゃにおくれる 電車に遅れます
verbokureru 遅れるbe late; fall behind timetypical 4% of densha
trap Not densha o misu suru (misu is a mistake). And the particle flips it: densha ni okureru is you being late for it, densha ga okureru is the train running late.
Mostly said beforehand while rushing: densha ni okurechau! (I'll miss my train!), densha ni okurenai you ni (so we don't miss it). Keep the ni: with no particle, densha okureta is heard as the train running late, which is the usual excuse. Once it has gone, natives usually say noriokureta or nogashita: nebou shite densha noriokureta (I overslept and missed my train).
sorosoro denai to, densha ni okurechau yo.
We'd better head out soon or we'll miss the train.
そろそろ出ないと、電車に遅れちゃうよ。
sorosoro denai to, densha ni okuremasu yo.
We'd better head out soon or we'll miss the train.
そろそろ出ないと、電車に遅れますよ。
With a class or meeting the same frame just means late (jugyou ni okureta); a train doesn't wait, so late means missed.
Same verb: basu (bus), hikouki (plane), jugyou (class), kaigi (meeting)Learn alongside: densha ga okureru, densha ni maniau, densha ga deru, shuuden ga nakunaruMain list: okureru (Stage 3)
shuuden ga nakunaru
polite shuuden ga nakunarimasuthe last train is gone (no way home)
終電がなくなる しゅうでんがなくなる 終電がなくなります
verbnakunaru なくなるrun out; be gone (nai 'none' + naru 'become')
trap Not shuuden o misu suru (misu is a mistake): Japanese says the last train 'is gone', with the train as the subject. shuuden nogashita and shuuden ni maniawanakatta also work.
Said as a warning or an excuse near midnight: shuuden nakunatchau (I'll miss the last train), shuuden nakunatta (the trains have stopped for the night). Casual speech drops ga. shuuden nogashita (I missed the last train) is just as common and makes it your miss.
shuuden nakunatchau kara, mou kaeru ne.
I'll miss the last train, so I'm heading home.
終電なくなっちゃうから、もう帰るね。
shuuden ga nakunaru node, mou kaerimasu ne.
The last train will be gone soon, so I'll head home now.
終電がなくなるので、もう帰りますね。
shuuden nanji? (when's your last train?) is the usual question as a night out winds down.
Same verb: densha (trains), basu (buses)Learn alongside: densha ga okureru, densha ni maniau, densha ga deru, densha ni okureruMain list: -ku naru / -ni naru (Stage 4), -chau (Stage 1)