如果你是个迟到大王，这句话你一定要学：Sorry to keep you waiting.(对不起，让你久候)。这句话不论在日活生活或在电话在线要别人久等都可用得着，此外也可说：Sorry I couldn't be on time.(对不起，我不能准时到达)。

对话

A: Hey Marcus, where were you? We've been expecting you all night.

B: Sorry to keep you waiting. I had an important meeting and it ran over.

A: How's business been recently?

B: Well, not too bad.

甲：唏，马吉斯，你去了哪儿?我们整晚等着你。

乙：对不起，要你们久候。我有个重要会议，开到过了时。

甲：生意最近如何?

乙：蛮不错吧。

有些人迟到，会说：Sorry to keep you waiting，有些则会说：Sorry to have kept you waiting.(对不起，要你们久候了)，究竟哪个说法才正确?

说为现在的事抱歉，sorry之后用‘to + 原形动词(infinitive)’或‘that + 子句(clause)’都可以，例如：(1) I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's a long-distance call for you.(对不起，打扰了，有长途电话找你)。(2) I'm sorry (that) I'm late(对不起，我迟到了)。

说为过去的事抱歉，sorry之后用‘for/about + ing形式动词’或‘to have + 完成时动词(perfect tense)’或‘that + 子句’，例如：(1) I'm sorry for calling you a liar.(我曾说你不诚实，真对不起)。(2) I'm sorry to have called you a liar. (3) I'm sorry (that) I called you a liar.

迟到者说‘要你们久候了’，那等候在他到达时即成过去，所以有I'm sorry to have kept you waiting这说法。不过，由于等候才刚刚结束，当作现在的事并无不可，所以也有I'm sorry to keep you waiting. 的说法，两句意思没有什么分别。

迟到最好可以解释原因。一个常见原因是交通阻塞：I got stuck in traffic.(我在车辆之中动弹不得)或Traffic was slow.(路上车辆缓慢)。另一原因是：I overslept.(我睡过了头)或My alarm didn't go off.(闹钟没有响)。当然，真正的原因可能是时间估计错误：I misjudged the time.