Translation guide
How to express delaying or postponing something in Japanese, from casual to formal.
To say you will do something later, or to describe putting something off.
Common verb meaning to postpone or put off, often with a nuance of procrastination.
宿題を先延ばしにしている。
I'm putting off my homework.
Formal 'to postpone', used for events, meetings, etc.
To describe the habit of delaying things unnecessarily.
To dawdle or procrastinate; often used for someone who is slow to act.
ぐずぐずしてないで、早くやりなさい。
Stop putting it off and do it quickly.
A noun meaning 'habit of putting things off' or 'procrastination'.
To delay dealing with a person, often by giving excuses.
To stall someone by making excuses.
彼は言い訳をして返事を引き延ばした。
He put off answering by making excuses.
先延ばしにする is often used for personal procrastination, while 延期する is more formal and used for scheduled events.
Do not translate 'put off' literally as 置く (to put) + オフ (off). It makes no sense in Japanese.
The meeting was put off until next week.
To put something off in favor of other things; to leave for later.
掃除を後回しにして、ゲームをした。
I put off cleaning and played games.
To keep putting something off repeatedly; to procrastinate over a long period.
返事を伸ばし伸ばしにしていた。
I kept putting off my reply.
先延ばし癖を直したい。
I want to stop putting things off.
To dodge or evade a question or request; to put someone off.
質問をはぐらかされた。
I was put off with evasive answers.