🏃 5 Words That Make You Sound Native — Running Late & Rushing | EnglishDrops

🏃 Running Late & Rushing — 5 words natives use when the clock is winning. Everyone's late sometimes — but do you know how to say it like a native? These five chunks are exactly what English speakers reach for when they're watching the clock. Master English, one drop at a time. 💧

The 5 Words

1. run late (collocation) — to be behind schedule; later than planned. "Sorry I'm running late — the subway was a nightmare." ⚠️ Never "run to late" — you're running late FOR something, or just running late. 💡 The everyday way to announce lateness — say it the moment you know, not after.

2. lost track of time (idiom) — time passed without you noticing. "I was editing photos and completely lost track of time." ⚠️ Not "lost THE track of time" — no "the", and it's lose track OF time. 💡 The perfect excuse-softener: explains lateness without blaming anyone.

3. gotta run (slang / expression) — I have to leave right now. "It's almost six — I've gotta run!" ⚠️ You're not literally running — it means leaving fast; more rushed than "gotta go". 💡 Casual — great with friends and coworkers; skip it in formal emails.

4. cut it close (idiom) — to leave almost no spare time; risk being late. "We cut it close — boarding closed two minutes after we got there." ⚠️ Never "cut it closely" — the phrase always stays "close". 💡 Often with "a bit too": "You're cutting it a bit close, don't you think?"

5. pop out (phrasal verb) — to leave briefly for a quick errand and come right back. "I'm just popping out for a coffee — back in five." ⚠️ Not "pop outside" (that's stepping outdoors) — and it's pop out FOR a coffee. 💡 Very native-sounding; the "pop" softens the exit so it sounds quick and harmless.

✨ Magic Sentence

Running late and cutting it close — I lost track of time, so I've gotta run, but I'll pop out for coffee on the way.

All five chunks, one morning rush. Read it out loud three times!

🗣️ Real-Life Dialogue (fill in the blanks!)

A: Where are you? We're meeting at seven! B: I know — I'm ______. I totally ______ at the gym. A: You always ______, Maya! B: I've ______ now — I'll ______ of the office in five!

Word bank: pop out · gotta run · lost track of time · cut it close · running late

✅ Answers

A: Where are you? We're meeting at seven! B: I know — I'm running late. I totally lost track of time at the gym. A: You always cut it close, Maya! B: I've gotta run now — I'll pop out of the office in five!

🌍 Translations

English	中文	日本語	Français	Español
run late	要迟到了	遅刻しそう	être en retard	llegar tarde
lost track of time	忘了时间	時間を忘れる	perdre la notion du temps	perder la noción del tiempo
gotta run	我得赶紧走了	急がないと	je dois y aller	me tengo que ir
cut it close	时间卡得很紧	ギリギリになる	le faire au dernier moment	dejarlo al límite
pop out	出去一下	ちょっと出てくる	sortir un instant	salir un momento

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