Skip to content

"delay" in seven languages

Meaningdelay

Spanish

retraso

/reˈtɾaso/

masc.other source · retrasar, built on tras 'behind' ← Latin TRANS 'across'

Llegar con retraso: to arrive late.

French

retard

/ʁətaʁ/

masc.learned

Être en retard: to be late.

Italian

ritardo

/riˈtardo/

masc.learned

Essere in ritardo: to be late.

Portuguese

atraso

/aˈtɾazu/

masc.other source · atrasar, built on trás 'behind' (Latin TRANS 'across')

Romanian

întârziere

/ɨntɨrˈzjere/

fem.other source · întârzia, built on târziu 'late' (Latin TARDĪVUM, the root of RETARDĀRE)

Catalan

retard

/rəˈtar/

masc.learned

English

delay

/dɪˈleɪ/

other source · Old French delai (from delaier 'to put off')

English → ItaliandelayritardoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: tardy (TARDUS 'slow').What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

RETARDĀRE‘to slow down, hold back’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

French retard and Italian ritardo are one word, from TARDUS 'slow'; Spanish built its own on tras 'behind'. Being late is 'being in delay': en retard, in ritardo, con retraso.

English relatives: tardy (TARDUS 'slow')

Learn it

Practice the Travel deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esEl tren lleva una hora de retraso.
  • frLe train a une heure de retard.
  • itIl treno ha un'ora di ritardo.
  • ptO trem está com uma hora de atraso.
  • roTrenul are o oră întârziere.
  • caEl tren porta una hora de retard.
  • enThe train has a one-hour delay.

More in Travel

All Travel words