Spanish for Changing Plans: "¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo?" and "Me surgió algo"
Learn beginner Latin American Spanish to cancel or move a plan, apologize briefly, and suggest a new day or time without sounding rude.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Making a plan is only half the job; real conversations often need a change. In this lesson you will learn short, polite Spanish phrases to move an appointment to another day, explain that something came up, apologize, and propose a new time. We focus on Latin American Spanish, using usted and tú appropriately, and we keep the grammar simple: poder plus an infinitive, reflexive verbs like surgir and venir, and useful time expressions.
By the end, you can…
- ask to move a plan to another day using ¿Lo podemos pasar a...?
- say that something came up with Me surgió algo or Me salió algo.
- apologize briefly and suggest a new time in Spanish.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo?
Can we push it to Sunday?
loh poh-DEH-mohs pah-SAHR ahl doh-MEEN-goh
Use pasar a + day or time to move an existing plan. Lo refers to the plan or appointment. In Latin America, domingo usually means the coming Sunday unless you add el domingo próximo.
Me surgió algo.
Something came up.
meh soor-HEE-oh AHL-goh
A natural, neutral way to say that an unexpected matter appeared. Surgir is common in Latin America; in Spain you may hear Me ha surgido algo more often.
Perdón, no puedo ir.
Sorry, I can't go.
pehr-DOHN, noh PWEH-doh eer
Perdón is a quick, sincere apology. Use it with friends, family, and most everyday situations. For a more formal tone, say Lo siento, no puedo ir.
¿Te queda bien el sábado?
Does Saturday work for you?
teh KEH-dah byehn ehl SAH-bah-doh
Quedar bien means to suit someone or to work for them. Use te for tú; use le for usted: ¿Le queda bien el sábado?
¿Nos vemos a las cinco?
Shall we meet at five?
nohs VEH-mohs ah lahs SEEN-koh
Nos vemos is a friendly way to propose or confirm a meeting. For a more formal suggestion, use ¿Nos podemos ver a las cinco?
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To move a plan, use poder + pasar + a + time expression: ¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo? (Can we push it to Sunday?) ¿La podemos pasar a las seis? (Can we push it to six?) If you want to be more formal, change podemos to podríamos: ¿Lo podríamos pasar al lunes? The pronoun lo or la refers to the plan, appointment, or meeting, so it stays before the verb in this structure. You can also attach it to the infinitive: ¿Podemos pasarlo al domingo?
When to use it
Use these phrases when a plan already exists and you need to change it. Start with a short apology: Perdón or Lo siento. Then give a brief reason: Me surgió algo or No puedo ese día. Finally, propose a new time: ¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo? or ¿Te queda bien el sábado? Keep the reason short; in many Latin American contexts, a simple Me surgió algo is enough and you do not need to give details.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Oye, perdón, me surgió algo y no puedo ir el sábado.
Hey, sorry, something came up and I can't go on Saturday.OH-yeh, pehr-DOHN, meh soor-HEE-oh AHL-goh ee noh PWEH-doh eer ehl SAH-bah-dohNo hay problema. ¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo?
No problem. Can we push it to Sunday?noh ay proh-BLEH-mah. loh poh-DEH-mohs pah-SAHR ahl doh-MEEN-gohSí, el domingo me queda bien. ¿Nos vemos a las cinco?
Yes, Sunday works for me. Shall we meet at five?see, ehl doh-MEEN-goh meh KEH-dah byehn. nohs VEH-mohs ah lahs SEEN-kohPerfecto, nos vemos el domingo a las cinco.
Perfect, see you Sunday at five.pehr-FEHK-toh, nohs VEH-mohs ehl doh-MEEN-goh ah lahs SEEN-kohA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, a short apology plus a new proposal is usually enough. Perdón is common and friendly; Lo siento is a bit more formal or heartfelt. If you are speaking with an older person, a client, or someone you just met, use usted: ¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo? and ¿Le queda bien? are safe. Regional note: in Spain, Me ha surgido algo is more common than Me surgió algo, but both are understood.
One thing to watch for
Using pasar a with a person, as in ¿Lo podemos pasar a Juan?
Try this instead: Pasar a introduces a day or time, not a person. Say ¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo? or ¿Lo podemos pasar a las cinco? If you want to include a person, use con: ¿Lo podemos pasar con Juan al domingo?
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You need to move a lunch from Friday to Sunday. Ask politely with podemos.
Show a sample answer
¿Lo podemos pasar al domingo?
This uses poder + pasar + a + day, and lo refers to the lunch plan. You could also say ¿Podemos pasarlo al domingo? with the pronoun attached to the infinitive.
2A friend asks why you can't come. Give a short, natural reason.
Show a sample answer
Me surgió algo.
This means 'Something came up' and is neutral and common in Latin America. You could also say Me salió algo, which is very natural in many regions.
3You want to suggest Saturday at six to a person you address as usted.
Show a sample answer
¿Le queda bien el sábado a las seis?
Le is the usted form of the indirect object pronoun. With a friend you would say ¿Te queda bien el sábado a las seis?
To change plans in Spanish, apologize briefly, say Me surgió algo, then move the plan with ¿Lo podemos pasar a...? and confirm the new time with ¿Te queda bien...?
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