Translation guide
How to express 'catch up' in Japanese, covering physical catching up, making up for lost time or work, and social updates.
To reach someone or something ahead of you by moving faster.
The most common and natural verb for physically catching up to a moving person or vehicle.
先に行って。すぐに追いつくから。
Go ahead. I'll catch up soon.
彼は走って友達に追いついた。
He ran and caught up with his friend.
Means 'to chase' or 'pursue', implying the process of trying to catch up rather than the moment of reaching.
犬が猫を追いかけている。
The dog is chasing the cat.
To complete tasks that have fallen behind schedule.
Literally 'recover the delay'. Used for making up for lost time in work, studies, or schedules.
週末に仕事の遅れを取り戻さなければならない。
I have to catch up on work over the weekend.
病気で休んだ分の勉強の遅れを取り戻す。
Catch up on the studies missed due to illness.
Can also be used metaphorically for catching up with a schedule or level, though 遅れを取り戻す is more explicit for backlogs.
Means 'to recover' or 'regain' a disadvantageous situation, often used in sports or business contexts.
遅れを挽回するために残業した。
I worked overtime to catch up on the delay.
To talk with someone you haven't seen in a while to share recent news.
Literally 'talk about recent situation'. A natural way to describe catching up socially.
久しぶりに会って、近況を話した。
We met after a long time and caught up.
Means 'to have a lot of accumulated stories to tell', implying a long catch-up session.
積もる話をして夜が更けた。
We caught up and the night grew late.
In casual conversation, simply saying '久しぶり！最近どう？' (Long time no see! How have you been?) initiates a catch-up without a direct translation.
久しぶり！最近どう？
Long time no see! How have you been?
To reach the same level as others, e.g., in skill or knowledge.
Used for catching up to someone's level or a standard.
彼の日本語力に追いつきたい。
I want to catch up to his Japanese ability.
Literally 'line up shoulders', meaning to be on par with someone.
彼はついに先輩と肩を並べるまでになった。
He finally caught up to his senior's level.
The loanword キャッチアップ (kyatchi appu) is sometimes used in business for catching up on trends or information, but it is not natural for social conversations. Use the phrases above instead.
やっと仕事に追いついた。
I finally caught up with work.