Je suis dix minutes en retard?

Question

Can you tell me what is incorrect :  Je suis dix minutes en retard?  Should it be "je suis en retard de dix minutes"?

Accepted Answer

It is either:

1) J'ai dix minutes de retard. I have 10 minutes of delay.
2) Je suis en retard de dix minutes. I am in delay of 10 minutes.

Please note that the English translations are only meant as a mnemonic and not real translations.
In French, you either "have xx minutes of delay" or "you are in delay of xx minutes."
-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Answer

Thanks Chris but you haven’t really answered my question- is “ je suis dix minutes en retard “ incorrect?  Ii is marked down as being so.

Answer

Sorry, I wasn't being entirely clear, I guess. Yes, "je suis dix minutes en retard" is incorrect. The only two possibilites are the ones I cited in my first reply.

-- Chris.