French for Changing Plans: Postpone and Apologize Politely
Learn to say 'Something came up' and 'Can we push it to Sunday?' in French, apologize, and suggest a new time.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Making plans is one skill; changing them politely is another. In French, you need a few key phrases to explain that something came up, apologize, and propose a new time. This lesson focuses on postponing an appointment or meeting. You will learn how to say 'On peut décaler à dimanche ?' (Can we push it to Sunday?) and 'J'ai eu un imprévu' (Something came up). We will also cover how to apologize and suggest an alternative. The phrases are standard French, with notes on register and regional differences where relevant. By the end, you will be able to handle a change of plans smoothly and politely.
By the end, you can…
- explain that something came up and I need to change plans.
- apologize for the change and suggest a new day or time.
- ask to postpone an appointment to a specific day.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
J'ai eu un imprévu.
Something came up.
zhay ü u(n) na(n)-pray-vü
Use this to explain that an unexpected event prevents you from keeping the original plan. It is neutral and common in both formal and informal contexts.
On peut décaler à dimanche ?
Can we push it to Sunday?
o(n) puh day-ka-lay a dee-mansh
This is a polite way to suggest moving the appointment to Sunday. 'Décaler' means to shift or postpone. Use 'à' before the day.
Je suis vraiment désolé(e).
I'm really sorry.
zhuh swee vray-ma(n) day-zo-lay
Apologize sincerely. Add 'e' in parentheses for feminine form if you are female. This is standard and works in most situations.
Est-ce qu'on peut reporter à une autre date ?
Can we postpone to another date?
ess-kon puh ruh-por-tay a ün o-truh dat
Use 'reporter' for a more formal postponement. This is common in professional contexts. 'Une autre date' means another date.
Ça te va si on se voit samedi ?
Does Saturday work for you?
sa tuh va see o(n) suh vwa sam-dee
Informal way to suggest a new time. Use 'te' for 'you' (informal). For formal, say 'Ça vous va si on se voit samedi ?'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To suggest a new time, use 'On peut + [infinitive] + à + [day/time] ?' For example: 'On peut décaler à dimanche ?' (Can we push it to Sunday?) or 'On peut reporter à lundi ?' (Can we postpone to Monday?). You can also use 'Est-ce qu'on peut...' for a slightly more polite question: 'Est-ce qu'on peut décaler à dimanche ?' The verb 'décaler' is common for shifting an appointment, while 'reporter' is more formal and often used for rescheduling events. Both are followed by 'à' plus the new time.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you need to change an existing plan. Start with an apology: 'Je suis désolé(e), j'ai eu un imprévu.' Then suggest a new time: 'On peut décaler à dimanche ?' If you are suggesting a specific day, use 'Ça te va si on se voit samedi ?' (informal) or 'Ça vous va si on se voit samedi ?' (formal). For a more formal tone, say 'Je suis vraiment désolé(e), mais j'ai un empêchement. Est-ce qu'on peut reporter à une autre date ?' Note that 'un empêchement' is a more formal way to say 'something came up'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Salut, je suis désolé, j'ai eu un imprévu. On peut décaler à dimanche ?
Hi, I'm sorry, something came up. Can we push it to Sunday?sa-lü, zhuh swee day-zo-lay, zhay ü u(n) na(n)-pray-vü. o(n) puh day-ka-lay a dee-manshPas de souci. Dimanche, ça me va. On se voit à quelle heure ?
No problem. Sunday works for me. What time shall we meet?pa duh soo-see. dee-mansh, sa muh va. o(n) suh vwa a kel uhrVers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.
Around 3 PM? I'm really sorry for the change.vair kan-z uhr? zhuh swee vray-ma(n) day-zo-lay poor luh shanzh-ma(n)C'est bon pour moi. À dimanche !
That's fine for me. See you Sunday!say bo(n) poor mwa. a dee-manshA little context goes a long way
In France, punctuality is valued, but unexpected events happen. Apologizing clearly and suggesting a new time is appreciated. The informal 'tu' form is common among friends and colleagues of similar age, while 'vous' is safer with strangers, elders, or in formal settings. In Quebec, 'décaler' is also used, but you might hear 'reporter' more in formal contexts. In Belgium and Switzerland, similar phrases apply. Always adjust your apology to the relationship: a simple 'désolé' may suffice with friends, but a more elaborate apology is better for professional contacts.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Je suis désolé, j'ai un imprévu' when you mean 'I had something come up' (past tense).
Try this instead: Use the past tense: 'J'ai eu un imprévu.' The present 'j'ai un imprévu' means 'I have an unexpected event (right now)', which is less natural when explaining a past event that caused the change. For example: 'Désolé, j'ai eu un imprévu, on peut décaler ?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'Something came up' in French?
Show a sample answer
J'ai eu un imprévu.
This is the standard phrase. 'Imprévu' means unexpected event. You could also say 'J'ai eu un empêchement' in more formal contexts.
2Translate: 'Can we push it to Sunday?'
Show a sample answer
On peut décaler à dimanche ?
This uses 'décaler' (to shift) and 'à dimanche' (to Sunday). You could also say 'Est-ce qu'on peut décaler à dimanche ?' for a more polite question.
3Apologize and suggest Saturday informally.
Show a sample answer
Je suis désolé, ça te va si on se voit samedi ?
This uses informal 'te' and suggests Saturday. For formal, replace 'te' with 'vous'. You could also say 'On peut se voir samedi ?'
To change plans in French, apologize, explain with 'J'ai eu un imprévu', and suggest a new time with 'On peut décaler à...' or 'Ça te va si...'. Adjust formality with 'tu' or 'vous'.
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