Asking about a delayed bus | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. すみません、このバスは遅れていますか。

   Excuse me, is the bus delayed?

   すみません

   excuse me

   この

   this

   バス

   bus

   遅れていますか

   is delayed?

   More detail

   すみません is a polite expression used here to get someone's attention, naturally translated as “excuse me.” In other contexts it can apologize, where “sorry” is appropriate. The related plain expression すまない is less polite; it is better treated as a related form, not as the base form of this fixed expression. この means “this” before a noun. It is a demonstrative determiner, so it appears with a following noun or noun phrase, as in このバス (“this bus”). Related forms include その (“that near you or already mentioned”) and あの (“that over there”); the choice depends on the discourse or physical situation. バス is the noun “bus,” a loanword written in katakana. Japanese nouns normally do not change form for singular and plural, so バス can refer to one bus or more than one when context supports that reading. Here, the fixed translation identifies the intended referent as the bus. 遅れていますか asks whether something is delayed. The lexical verb is 遅れる (“to be late; to be delayed”). In the observed form, 遅れ is the verb stem, followed by ている; this pattern presents the delay as a current state or situation. The final か marks a question. Example: 電車が遅れています。 means “The train is delayed.” In このバスは, は marks “this bus” as the topic. Japanese retains the statement-like order: このバスは遅れています means “This bus is delayed,” and adding か makes it a question: このバスは遅れていますか (“Is this bus delayed?”). Together, すみません politely gains the listener’s attention, このバス identifies the bus being discussed, and 遅れていますか asks about its current delay. The whole utterance means: “Excuse me, is the bus delayed?”

2. 近くでひどい渋滞があります。

   There's heavy traffic nearby.

   近くで

   nearby

   ひどい

   heavy; severe

   渋滞

   traffic jam

   あります

   there is; exists

   More detail

   近くで means “nearby” here. 近く is related to 近い (“near”) and can refer to the vicinity or function adverbially as “nearby.” Here, で frames the nearby area as the setting where the traffic situation is present or occurring. Do not generalize this as the basic existence pattern 場所で X があります: with ある, the usual location pattern is 場所に Xがあります, while で commonly marks the place where an action or event occurs. ひどい describes 渋滞 here as heavy or severe. With other nouns, it can mean “terrible” or “severe.” It is an adjective, and Japanese adjectives do not change for number or gender agreement. 渋滞 is a noun meaning “traffic jam” or “traffic congestion.” It can also combine with する, as in the example 道路が渋滞する (“The road becomes congested”), but in this sentence it is the thing described by ひどい and presented as present nearby. あります is the polite nonpast form of ある, used here to state the presence or existence of something inanimate. います is the corresponding polite nonpast form used for people and animals. In the reusable pattern Xがあります, あります can mean “there is X” or “X exists.” Together, 近くで locates the traffic situation nearby, ひどい渋滞 identifies it as heavy congestion, and あります states that it is present. The whole utterance means, “There’s heavy traffic nearby.”

3. いつ到着するか、分かりますか。

   Do you know when it will arrive?

   いつ

   when

   到着する

   arrive

   分かりますか

   do you know?

   More detail

   いつ means “when” and asks about a time. It can introduce an embedded question: いつ + clause + か = “when …”. For example, いつ到着するか分かりますか。 means “Do you know when it will arrive?” 到着する means “arrive.” This is the dictionary-form verb, built from 到着 (“arrival”) and する (“do”), and it is used here inside the embedded question. The form itself does not mark past or future; the context and intended meaning make the arrival a future event. A useful contrast is 到着した (“arrived” / “has arrived”), which is the past form. 分かりますか asks politely whether someone knows or understands. Its base form is 分かる; 分かります is its polite non-past form, and final か turns it into a question. Here, 分かる means “know” in the sense of having the information, not simply “understand” an explanation. For example, 道が分かりますか。 means “Do you know the way?” Together, いつ到着するか is an embedded question meaning “when it will arrive.” Adding 分かりますか asks whether the listener knows that information: “Do you know when it will arrive?” The subject of 到着する is omitted in Japanese; the fixed meaning and surrounding context identify the intended arriving thing without stating it again. This polite question is suitable for ordinary conversation.

4. バスはまだ向かっている途中です。

   It's still on the way.

   バス

   bus

   まだ

   still; yet

   向かっている

   is heading toward

   途中

   middle of a process; midway

   More detail

   バス means “bus” here. It is a noun. With は, the sentence sets the bus as the topic: バスは means “as for the bus” or simply “the bus” in this context. まだ means “still” here, showing that the situation continues at the relevant time. It commonly appears before the predicate: まだ向かっている = “is still heading there.” Its meaning is determined by the surrounding predicate; it can also mean “not yet” in a negative or question context. 向かっている comes from the verb 向かう, “to head toward” or “to be bound for.” The form 向かって is its て-form, and いる follows it. Together, 向かっている describes an ongoing heading-toward situation: “is heading toward” or, when the destination is understood, “is on its way.” The destination is not stated in this sentence. Example: 駅に向かっている。 — “I am heading to the station.” 途中 is a noun meaning “the middle of a process” or “partway through.” In 向かっている途中, it forms the useful pattern “in the middle of heading toward [something],” which naturally corresponds to “on the way.” It can also be used in other process expressions, such as 仕事の途中 — “in the middle of work.” The final です is the polite copular ending. The structure 向かっている途中です presents the situation politely as “is in the middle of heading there.” Putting the parts together, バスは sets the bus as the topic, まだ says the situation is continuing, and 向かっている途中です says it is partway through traveling toward the understood destination. The whole utterance means: “The bus is still on the way.”

5. それで、待ち時間は長くなるかもしれません。

   So the wait may be longer.

   それで

   so; therefore

   待ち時間

   waiting time

   長くなる

   become longer

   かもしれません

   may; might

   More detail

   それで means “so” or “therefore” here. It links this statement to the preceding situation: the bus is still on the way, so the waiting time may increase. Example: 雨です。それで、試合は中止です。 — “It is raining. Therefore, the game is canceled.” 待ち時間 means “waiting time”: 待つ is “to wait,” and 時間 is “time.” Together, they form a noun for the time spent waiting. Example: 待ち時間が長いです。 — “The waiting time is long.” 長くなる expresses a change to a longer state. 長い means “long”; before なる (“become”), the adjective changes to its く form: 長い → 長くなる. This pattern is reusable with other i-adjectives, such as 寒い → 寒くなる (“become cold”). かもしれません adds uncertainty: “may” or “might.” It follows the plain form 長くなる, while ません gives the expression a polite style. Example: 明日は寒くなるかもしれません。 — “It might become cold tomorrow.” Together, それで、待ち時間は長くなるかもしれません。 means “So, the waiting time may become longer,” naturally translated as “So the wait may be longer.” それで marks the consequence, 待ち時間は sets the topic, 長くなる describes becoming longer, and かもしれません keeps that outcome uncertain.

6. 同じ路線の別のバスはありますか。

   Is there another bus for the same route?

   同じ

   same

   路線

   route

   別の

   another; different

   バス

   bus

   ありますか

   is there?

   More detail

   同じ means “same” here and modifies 路線, giving “the same route.” It is normally placed before the noun it describes: 同じ路線 = “the same route.” Do not confuse it with 同じもの, “the same thing,” when a noun is omitted. 路線 means a route or line, especially a transportation route. In this sentence it identifies the route associated with the bus. 同じ路線の uses の to connect that noun phrase to the following noun: “of/on the same route.” 別の means “another” or “a different,” and it modifies バス. In 別のバス, it presents a bus different from one already under consideration, while 同じ路線 specifies that it serves the same route. 別 is the useful base element here; 別の is the noun-modifying pattern. バス means “bus.” Japanese loanwords such as this one can be written in katakana. The phrase 別のバス is therefore “another bus,” not a claim that there is a particular numbered bus. ありますか is a polite question about whether something exists or is available. あります is the polite nonpast form of ある, and か marks the sentence as a question. Here it asks whether such a bus is available, rather than asking where it is. For example, 席がありますか。 means “Are there any seats available?” Together, 同じ路線の別のバス means “another bus for the same route,” and ありますか asks whether one exists or is available. The complete utterance is therefore “Is there another bus for the same route?”

7. ありますが、そのバスはもっと時間がかかります。

   There is, but that option takes longer.

   ありますが

   there is, but

   その

   that

   バス

   bus

   もっと

   more

   時間

   time

   かかります

   takes (time)

   More detail

   ありますが combines the polite nonpast form あります of ある with が, which links this clause to a contrasting clause. In this context, あります has the existence meaning “there is/are,” referring to the available bus option established by the question before it. ある is the base form; あります is its polite nonpast form. Example: 席があります。 — “There is a seat.” その is a demonstrative determiner meaning “that” and appears before the noun it modifies. Its form does not change for number or gender. Here it modifies バス, giving “that bus” in the intended reading. Example: その店は近いです。 — “That shop is nearby.” バス is the noun “bus.” In そのバス, it identifies the vehicle being contrasted with the other available option. もっと means “more” and increases the degree of the following comparison. The comparison target is understood from the alternative already under discussion, so “more” becomes “longer” in the fixed translation. Example: もっと早い電車 — “a faster train.” 時間 is the noun “time.” In the pattern 時間がかかる, it forms the common expression for an activity or route requiring time. Example: 時間がかかります。 — “It takes time.” かかります is the polite nonpast form of かかる, meaning “takes” in this time-related construction. The pattern Xは時間がかかります means “X takes time”; with もっと, Xはもっと時間がかかります means “X takes longer.” The subject of かかる is not the time itself: 時間が marks the time required, while the topic before は is what requires it. Example: この道は時間がかかります。 — “This route takes time.” Together, ありますが says that an option exists but introduces a contrast. そのバスはもっと時間がかかります says that the bus takes more time than the alternative under discussion. The whole utterance therefore means: “There is [another bus], but that bus takes longer.”

8. このバスをここで待ちます。

   I'll stay here for this bus.

   この

   this

   バス

   bus

   ここ

   here

   待ちます

   wait

   More detail

   この この means “this” and comes directly before a noun: このバス = “this bus.” It is a Japanese demonstrative determiner, so it does not change for grammatical gender or number. When the noun is omitted, Japanese uses the pronoun これ: これはバスです means “This is a bus.” The distinction is whether a noun follows, not whether the expression is a topic or subject. バス バス is the noun “bus,” written in katakana as a loanword. In this sentence, この identifies which bus is meant. Example: バスに乗ります。 — “I will get on the bus.” ここ ここ means “here,” referring to the relevant nearby or established place. It can stand alone as a place word. Japanese also has そこ for “there” and あそこ for “over there”; the exact reference depends on context. Example: ここで待ちます。 — “I will wait here.” 待ちます 待ちます means “wait” here and is the polite non-past form of 待つ (“to wait”). The non-past form can describe a present intention or a future action, so the fixed translation naturally uses “I’ll.” The polite form is used in this sentence; the plain form is 待つ. Example: 駅で友だちを待ちます。 — “I will wait for my friend at the station.” The pattern is この + noun + を + place + で + 待ちます: このバス is the bus being waited for, を marks it as the object of 待つ, and ここで marks the place where the waiting happens. Japanese does not state the subject in the sentence; the translation supplies “I” as the intended actor. Together, このバスをここで待ちます。 means “I’ll wait here for this bus,” or, with the same intended perspective, “I’ll stay here for this bus.”

9. 待てるなら、そのほうがよさそうです。

   That's probably best if you can wait.

   待てるなら

   if you can wait

   そのほうが

   that option

   よさそうです

   seems good

   More detail

   待てるなら means “if you can wait.” The base verb is 待つ (to wait). 待てる is its potential form, meaning “can wait,” and なら makes the condition: “if that is the case” or “if you can wait.” Example: 明日まで待てるなら、そうしましょう。— “If you can wait until tomorrow, let’s do that.” そのほうが presents “that option” as the one being evaluated. その points to an option identifiable from the situation; the sentence itself does not specify exactly what that option is. ほう (方) means “way” or “option” here, and が marks this option as the one that seems preferable. A useful comparison pattern is AよりBのほうがよい: “B is better than A.” よさそうです means “seems good” here. The adjective よい (also commonly いい) has the form よさ before そう, which expresses an appearance or inference: “looks/seems good.” です makes the statement polite. Example: この店はよさそうです。— “This restaurant looks good.” Together, 待てるなら sets the condition, and そのほうがよさそうです says that the option under discussion seems preferable. The whole utterance is therefore: “That’s probably best if you can wait.”