late texts
- Ya voy. I am on my way.
- Voy llegando. I am almost there.
- Ya casi. Almost there.
- Me tardé un poco. I took a little longer.
Back to situations 
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getting around
ya voy, voy llegando, and other late-but-not-dead texts
Mexican lateness Spanish is a soft art: honest enough to be useful, vague enough to preserve dignity.
Use This First
- Learn ya voy, voy llegando, ya casi, and se me complicó.
- Ahorita is warm, but not precise. Add a time if someone is waiting.
- No inventes progress. If you are still in the shower, do not say voy llegando.
Memorize these first
damage control
- Se me complicó. Things got complicated.
- Llego en diez. I arrive in ten.
- Perdón, hubo mucho tráfico. Sorry, there was a lot of traffic.
- Ahorita salgo. I am leaving in a bit.
One-screen cheat sheet
⏰
running late cheat sheet Screenshot this before you go.
| Spanish | English | Use case | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ya voy. | I am on my way. | leaving soon or now | local |
| Voy llegando. | I am almost there. | near arrival | local |
| Ya casi. | Almost there. | near arrival | safe |
| Me tardé un poco. | I took a little longer. | soft apology | safe |
| Se me complicó. | Things got complicated. | delay reason | safe |
| Llego en diez. | I arrive in ten. | clear timing | safe |
| Perdón, hubo mucho tráfico. | Sorry, there was a lot of traffic. | apology | safe |
| Ahorita salgo. | I am leaving in a bit. | honest delay | local |
the gringo trap
Do not say this by default
don't say this
Do not say voy llegando if you have not left.
say this
Say ahorita salgo or salgo en diez.
Voy llegando implies physical proximity. Abusing it becomes a personality flaw.
safe / local / spicy
Pick your register
safe
Perdón, llego en diez.
local
Ya voy, se me complicó.
spicy
No me odies, ya casi.
The spicy one is for friends or dates who like you already.
How it sounds
honest delay
¿Ya vienes? Are you coming?
Sí, perdón, se me complicó. Llego en diez. Yes, sorry, things got complicated. I arrive in ten.
Sale, te esperamos. Okay, we will wait for you.
Gracias. Thanks.
almost there
¿Dónde andas? Where are you?
Voy llegando, estoy a una cuadra. I am almost there, I am one block away.
Va, estamos adentro. Okay, we are inside.
Ahorita entro. I will come in in a second.
Practice cards
three fast taps before you try it outside.
You are still at home and your friend asks where you are.
You need the safest version for running late. What do you pick first?
Which move avoids the gringo trap?
Words you'll hear
Deep dives
FAQ
What should I memorize first for running late?
Start with Ya voy., Voy llegando., Ya casi., Me tardé un poco., Se me complicó.. These cover the fastest moments on the page.
Is this running late Spanish safe to use as a foreigner?
Yes. Start with the safe phrases, then use the local phrases with friends or people your age. Treat spicy phrases as context-dependent, not universal.
How should I practice this situation?
Read the cheat sheet out loud, run the mini-dialogues once in Spanish and once in English, then answer the practice card before you go out in CDMX.