Verspätete

Verspätete is a German noun derived from the adjective verspätet. It refers to a person or people who are late. In standard grammar, der Verspätete denotes a singular latecomer (masculine); die Verspätete denotes a singular latecomer of feminine gender; die Verspäteten denotes the plural latecomers. The term is more common in informal speech or narrative than in formal registers, where die Verspätung or die verspätete Ankunft are used for delays rather than for people.

As an adjective, verspätet means delayed or tardy, used attributively as ein verspäteter Zug or predicatively as Der Zug ist verspätet. The substantive Verspätete is typically reserved for referring to people and can carry a neutral, humorous, or mildly pejorative tone depending on context.

Etymology: formed from verspätet, with the noun suffix -e or -en in plural, following standard patterns for adjectives used as nouns.

Common usage contexts: travel disruptions, meetings, or class attendance. In travel reporting, you are more likely to encounter verspätete Züge (delayed trains) as a description of the situation rather than as a reference to people.

Example sentences: Der Verspätete kam zu spät zur Besprechung. Die Verspäteten mussten warten. Die verspätete Ankunft des Gästebusses verzögerte das Programm.

See also: Verspätung, verspätet.