Why is en used before retard and avance

Question

Thank you very much

Gruff Davies · Answer

Hi Advika - there's no logic to which prepositions are used in most cases I'm afraid. You just have to learn them by heart. Best wishes, Gruff

Advika Karthik Iyer · Answer

Thank you very much for you timing and help .

Robin Eschenbruecher · Answer

Does this include the use of "de" in the example Je suis d'être en retard"?  I was wondering why there needs to be the "de" before the verb être.  Thank you.

Gruff Davies · Answer

Hi Robin, I think you missed reading the word désolé in the example with 'de':

"Je suis désolé d'être en retard"

An alternative translation in English might be "I'm sorry about being late" where 'about' is playing a similar role to 'de' (but notice in French the infinitive, être, follows, whereas in English we follow with the present participle in this example).