堵车了
dǔchē le
There's a traffic jam · trad. 堵車了
堵车了 (Dǔchē le) means “there's a traffic jam” or “I'm stuck in traffic.” It's a very common phrase, often used as an excuse for being late, and unfortunately, it's usually true in big cities.
What does 堵车了 (dǔchē le) mean?
堵车了 (dǔchē le) means “there's a traffic jam” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “blocked car particle.”
When to use it
Neutral and informal. It's a common way to explain a delay. For a more formal or descriptive term, you might hear 交通堵塞 (jiāotōng dǔsè).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “doo-CHUH luh.” The first syllable is a third tone, the second is a first tone, and the third is a neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 堵车dǔchētraffic jam (noun/verb)
- 交通堵塞jiāotōng dǔsètraffic jam (formal)
Examples
不好意思，堵车了，我来晚了。
bù hǎo yìsi, dǔchē le, wǒ lái wǎn le.
Sorry, there was a traffic jam, I'm late.
今天路上堵车了，你早点出门吧。
jīntiān lùshang dǔchē le, nǐ zǎodiǎn chūmén ba.
There's a traffic jam today, you should leave early.
我堵车了，会晚点到。
wǒ dǔchē le, huì wǎndiǎn dào.
I'm stuck in traffic, I'll arrive a bit late.
Pro tip: The particle 了 (le) here indicates a change of state or a new situation, meaning the traffic jam has started or is currently happening.
Related phrases
快到了 · Almost there我在路上 · I'm on my way迟到了 · (i'm) late
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