Learn Hardcore Swedish: Förlåt, jag kommer några minuter sent.

sen = adjective “late.” It describes a person or thing: Jag är sen (I’m late).
sent = adverb “late(ly).” It describes how you come/arrive: Jag kommer sent (I arrive late).

In your sentence, sent modifies the verb kommer, so the adverb is correct. Note: in casual speech many Swedes say Jag kommer sen, but in careful writing sent is the norm. Also compare: Det är sent (“It is late”), where neuter makes it look the same as the adverb.

Is the present tense “kommer” really future here? Could I say “ska” or “kommer att”?

Yes—Swedish often uses the present for near-future plans: Jag kommer snart = “I’ll come soon.” Alternatives:

Jag blir några minuter sen. Very idiomatic for “I’ll be a few minutes late.”
Jag kommer att bli några minuter sen. Also correct; a bit more formal/explicit.
Avoid Jag ska komma några minuter sent; it can sound like you intend to be late. If you use ska, better is Jag ska vara/kommer att vara sen, but even then most natives prefer blir in this context.

What’s the difference between “jag kommer sent”, “jag blir sen”, and “jag är sen”?

Jag kommer sent emphasizes the act of arriving late (the arrival itself).
Jag blir sen is the go-to way to warn someone you will be late (state you will end up late).
Jag är sen is used when you already are late (e.g., upon arrival: “I’m late.”).

Why is there no preposition before “några minuter”? Could I say “om några minuter” or “i några minuter”?

Here, några minuter is a measure phrase modifying “late,” like English “a few minutes late,” so no preposition is needed.

Different prepositions change the meaning:

om några minuter = “in a few minutes” (time until something happens): Jag kommer om några minuter.
i några minuter = “for a few minutes” (duration): Jag väntar i några minuter.

What exactly does “några” mean, and how is it different from “någon/något”, “ett par”, or “flera”?

några = “some/a few” and is used only with plural nouns: några minuter.
någon minut = “a minute or so” (singular).
ett par minuter = “a couple of minutes” (usually about two).
flera minuter = “several minutes” (more than just a few).
You can add få for “only a few”: några få minuter (quite rare in speech).

What are the forms of “minut”?

Singular: en minut
Definite singular: minuten
Plural: minuter
Definite plural: minuterna So: några minuter = “a few minutes.”

Should it be “för sent” instead of just “sent”?

Both are used with komma:

komma sent = arrive late.
komma för sent = the common collocation for being late to something.

When you specify how many minutes, many speakers prefer the version with för: Jag kom fem minuter för sent. Your sentence without för is still natural and understood: Jag kommer några minuter sent.

Can I use “Ursäkta” instead of “Förlåt”? What about “Tyvärr” or “Ledsen”?

Förlåt = “sorry” for an inconvenience or mistake; perfect here.
Ursäkta = “excuse me/pardon” (to get attention or politely interrupt). It also works to preface an apology: Ursäkta, jag blir några minuter sen. Slightly more formal/detached.
Tyvärr = “unfortunately,” adds regret without explicitly apologizing: Tyvärr blir jag några minuter sen.
Jag är ledsen att… = more heartfelt/serious apology: Jag är ledsen att jag blir sen.

Is the comma after “Förlåt” necessary? Could I write “Förlåt att jag kommer…”?

The comma after the interjection Förlåt is standard and helpful: Förlåt, …
You can also integrate it with a clause: Förlåt att jag kommer några minuter sent.
Many people also say Förlåt för att jag… (very common in speech), though some style guides prefer the shorter Förlåt att…

Why isn’t “jag” capitalized?

In Swedish, personal pronouns (including jag “I”) are not capitalized unless they start a sentence or are part of a title. Only proper nouns get capitals. You may occasionally see capitalized Ni in formal letters, but it’s not required.

How do you pronounce the whole sentence?

Approximate IPA and tips:

Förlåt [fœˈloːt] — ö is like a rounded “e” (think French “eu”); stress on the second syllable.
jag [jɑː] (often just “ja” in casual speech).
kommer [ˈkɔmːɛr] — short, open o; double m is a long consonant.
några [ˈnoːɡra] — å is a long “o” sound; hard g.
minuter [mɪˈnʉːtɛr] — u is the Swedish “ü” sound [ʉː].
sent [seːnt] — long e.

Said naturally: [fœˈloːt | jɑ(ː) ˈkɔmːɛr ˈnoːɡra mɪˈnʉːtɛr seːnt].

What happens to word order if I put something (like “tyvärr”) first?

Swedish is a V2 language: the finite verb goes in second position. If you start the clause with an adverb, invert subject and verb:

Tyvärr kommer jag några minuter sent. (not “Tyvärr jag kommer…”) With your original order (subject first), no inversion is needed: Jag kommer…

How do I say the negation “I won’t be late”?

Place inte after the finite verb:

Jag kommer inte sent. = I won’t be late. With an auxiliary: Jag kommer inte att bli sen. More natural everyday Swedish: Jag blir inte sen.