<p>Most machine translators won't be able to translate sentences containing idioms correctly. The trick is to rephrase those sentences to make the translation more straight forward:</p>

<blockquote>I am behind schedule (idiomatic)<br>
My progress has fallen behind schedule (rephrased)<br>
我的 进度   落后于   预期计划<br></blockquote>

<blockquote>I am running two hours late for the meeting (idiomatic)<br>
I am already late by two hours for the meeting (rephrased)<br>
我  已  迟了 两个小时 出席这个会议</blockquote>

<blockquote>This project is two weeks overdue (idiomatic)<br>
This project has already been delayed by two weeks (rephrased)<br>
这个 项目    已     延误了 两个星期<br></blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-09T04:12:41.923Z
Essentially try to be as verbose as possible.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-09T09:05:41.517Z
@deutschZuid, that's right!
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-09T03:26:03.297Z
2013-05-09T03:26:03.297Z
杨以轩
<pre><code>I am running two hours late for the meeting.
这个会我已晚到2个小时了。
</code></pre>

<p>There are various ways to say "<strong>behind schedule</strong>" in Chinese, depending on the context.</p>

<pre><code>I am **behind schedule**.
我的**进度晚**了。(or **进度拖后** or **进度滞后**)

This project is two weeks **behind schedule**.
这个项目已**拖延**2个星期了。(or **拖后**)

Any borrowing country must be aware of the hazards of refusing to repay its foreign debts, 
or of paying them **behind schedule**.
任何借款国都必须意识到拒绝偿还或**拖延**偿还外债的各种危险。 

Owing to various delays en route, we arrived two days **behind schedule**.
由于路上的种种耽搁,我们**比原计划迟**到了两天。 

The project is **behind schedule** again.
这项计划的**进度又耽搁**了。 

I am sorry to say that we are three months **behind schedule** .
很抱歉,我们**比计划晚**了3个月。 

Programmes are running a few minutes **behind schedule** this evening.
今晚的节目演出**比预定的时间晚**了几分钟. 

The train's ten minutes **behind schedule**.
列车**晚点**十分钟。

The flight is **behind schedule**.
班机**误点**了。(or **晚点**)

This project is 1 year **behind schedule**.
这项目已**超期**1年了。
</code></pre>

<p>For "<strong>on schedule</strong>":</p>

<pre><code>I am **on schedule**.
我的**进度正常**。

Please try to sail **on schedule**.  
请尽量**按时**开船。

He could have finished it **on schedule**, but somehow he fell behind.  
他原本能**按预定进度**做完这件事的，但不知怎地却拖后了。

He was bidden to finish the work **on schedule**.  
他被要求**如期**完成工作。

The train arrives at the station **on schedule**.
火车**准点**到站。

The bridge was finished **on schedule**.
大桥**如期**竣工。(or **按期**)

All trains are running **on schedule**.
全部列车均**正点**运行。(or **准点**） 
</code></pre>

<p>For "<strong>adhead (of) schedule</strong>":</p>

<pre><code>I am **adhead schedule**.
我的**进度超前**了。

The plane arrived **ahead schedule**.
飞机**提前**到达了。 

The task was fulfilled **ahead of schedule**.
任务**提前**完成了。

The train arrived at the station **ahead of schedule**.
列车**早点**了。(or 列车**提前**到站了)

The train arrived at the station 3 minutes **ahead of schedule**.
列车到站**早**了3分钟。(or 列车**早**到站3分钟 or 列车**提前3分钟**到站)
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-09T22:36:19.747Z
Thanks for all of the really great examples! I only have one upvote to give, unfortunately.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-21T02:45:23.123Z
@孤影萍踪 Would these usages be okay for conversational purposes?
MarkE
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-21T17:16:17.717Z
@MarkE Yes, all the Chinese sentences in my answer are good for both written and spoken Mandarin. I think they are just normal usage, somewhere between informal and formal.
孤影萍踪
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-09T17:37:53.147Z
2013-05-10T18:05:20.820Z
2013-05-10T18:05:20.820Z
孤影萍踪
<p>What I would like to know is the proper way to say &quot;I am behind schedule&quot; in the general sense, similar to &quot;I am running two hours late for the meeting&quot; or &quot;this project is two weeks overdue&quot;.</p>
<p>When I searched for a translation for &quot;I am behind schedule&quot;, Google gave:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我是落后于计划</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yet when I search for &quot;behind schedule&quot;, the translation is:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>进度落后</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don't recall learning &quot;behind schedule&quot; when I took Chinese, so I don't know which one is correct, or if both of them are just poor machine translations.</p>
<p>Could someone please help with this?</p>

<translation><usage><word-requests>
How to say "behind schedule" in Chinese?
# How to say "behind schedule" in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-05-09)

What I would like to know is the proper way to say "I am behind schedule" in the general sense, similar to "I am running two hours late for the meeting" or "this project is two weeks overdue".

When I searched for a translation for "I am behind schedule", Google gave:

> 我是落后于计划

Yet when I search for "behind schedule", the translation is:

> 进度落后

I don't recall learning "behind schedule" when I took Chinese, so I don't know which one is correct, or if both of them are just poor machine translations.

Could someone please help with this?

**Tags:** translation, usage, word-requests


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-05-09. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

```
I am running two hours late for the meeting.
这个会我已晚到2个小时了。

```

There are various ways to say "**behind schedule**" in Chinese, depending on the context.

```
I am **behind schedule**.
我的**进度晚**了。(or **进度拖后** or **进度滞后**)

This project is two weeks **behind schedule**.
这个项目已**拖延**2个星期了。(or **拖后**)

Any borrowing country must be aware of the hazards of refusing to repay its foreign debts, 
or of paying them **behind schedule**.
任何借款国都必须意识到拒绝偿还或**拖延**偿还外债的各种危险。 

Owing to various delays en route, we arrived two days **behind schedule**.
由于路上的种种耽搁,我们**比原计划迟**到了两天。 

The project is **behind schedule** again.
这项计划的**进度又耽搁**了。 

I am sorry to say that we are three months **behind schedule** .
很抱歉,我们**比计划晚**了3个月。 

Programmes are running a few minutes **behind schedule** this evening.
今晚的节目演出**比预定的时间晚**了几分钟. 

The train's ten minutes **behind schedule**.
列车**晚点**十分钟。

The flight is **behind schedule**.
班机**误点**了。(or **晚点**)

This project is 1 year **behind schedule**.
这项目已**超期**1年了。

```

For "**on schedule**":

```
I am **on schedule**.
我的**进度正常**。

Please try to sail **on schedule**.  
请尽量**按时**开船。

He could have finished it **on schedule**, but somehow he fell behind.  
他原本能**按预定进度**做完这件事的，但不知怎地却拖后了。

He was bidden to finish the work **on schedule**.  
他被要求**如期**完成工作。

The train arrives at the station **on schedule**.
火车**准点**到站。

The bridge was finished **on schedule**.
大桥**如期**竣工。(or **按期**)

All trains are running **on schedule**.
全部列车均**正点**运行。(or **准点**） 

```

For "**adhead (of) schedule**":

```
I am **adhead schedule**.
我的**进度超前**了。

The plane arrived **ahead schedule**.
飞机**提前**到达了。 

The task was fulfilled **ahead of schedule**.
任务**提前**完成了。

The train arrived at the station **ahead of schedule**.
列车**早点**了。(or 列车**提前**到站了)

The train arrived at the station 3 minutes **ahead of schedule**.
列车到站**早**了3分钟。(or 列车**早**到站3分钟 or 列车**提前3分钟**到站)

```

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Thanks for all of the really great examples! I only have one upvote to give, unfortunately.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 Would these usages be okay for conversational purposes?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 Yes, all the Chinese sentences in my answer are good for both written and spoken Mandarin. I think they are just normal usage, somewhere between informal and formal.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-05-09. Score: 5

Most machine translators won't be able to translate sentences containing idioms correctly. The trick is to rephrase those sentences to make the translation more straight forward:

> I am behind schedule (idiomatic)  
> My progress has fallen behind schedule (rephrased)  
> 我的 进度   落后于   预期计划

> I am running two hours late for the meeting (idiomatic)  
> I am already late by two hours for the meeting (rephrased)  
> 我  已  迟了 两个小时 出席这个会议

> This project is two weeks overdue (idiomatic)  
> This project has already been delayed by two weeks (rephrased)  
> 这个 项目    已     延误了 两个星期

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Essentially try to be as verbose as possible.  
> **username_1**: @username_2, that's right!  

---

