Questions & Answers about Sorry, ik ben laat.
Is the English word sorry commonly used in Dutch?
Yes! Sorry is heavily used in everyday Dutch for small apologies, exactly like in English. For more formal situations you might hear pardon, but sorry is perfectly natural and extremely common here.
Why doesn't the adjective laat have an extra -e at the end here?
In Dutch, adjectives usually only get an extra -e when they are placed directly in front of a noun (like de late trein, the late train). Because laat comes after the verb here and stands on its own, it keeps its basic dictionary form.
Are there other common ways to use the word laat in Dutch?
Yes, besides meaning being delayed, it is the standard word used to ask about the time. The everyday Dutch way to ask 'What time is it?' is Hoe laat is het? (literally: How late is it?).
Is ben the only way to say 'am'?
Yes, ben is the specific 'I' form of the highly irregular verb zijn (to be). Whenever you want to say 'I am', you will always use ik ben.