In this workshop, you will practice a short, polite conversation about changing plans. You will learn how to say that something unexpected came up, apologize, and suggest a new day or time. You will also practice understanding a friendly reply and confirming a new plan. The phrases are short and useful for everyday situations, such as canceling a coffee, moving a study session, or changing a meeting. The recordings are models for your speaking; use the answer keys and self-checks to check your own speaking.
Explain the problem and apologize
Start by saying that something unexpected happened. The phrase «J'ai eu un imprévu.» means "Something came up." It is neutral and works in many situations. After that, apologize sincerely with «Je suis vraiment désolé(e).», which means "I'm really sorry." If you are female, you can add an "e" sound at the end in writing, but the spoken form is usually the same. These two lines are enough to open the conversation politely. Keep your voice calm and friendly. You do not need to give a long explanation. A short apology and a clear reason are enough for a beginner conversation.
Suggest a new day or time
Next, suggest a new plan. The question «On peut décaler à dimanche ?» means "Can we push it to Sunday?" The verb "décaler" means to shift or postpone, and "à" comes before the day. This is a polite and common way to suggest a new day. If you want a more formal option, you can use «Est-ce qu'on peut reporter à une autre date ?», which means "Can we postpone to another date?" This is useful in professional situations. Both questions are polite. Choose one that fits your situation. After you suggest a new day, the other person may ask for a time. You can answer with the recorded line «Vers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.», which means "Around 3 PM? I'm really sorry for the change."
Understand the reply and confirm
When you suggest a new plan, listen for a friendly reply. In the dialogue, the other person says «Pas de souci. Dimanche, ça me va. On se voit à quelle heure ?», which means "No problem. Sunday works for me. What time shall we meet?" This shows that the new day is accepted. Then you can give a time and apologize again for the change, as in «Vers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.», which means "Around 3 PM? I'm really sorry for the change." Finally, the other person confirms with «C'est bon pour moi. À dimanche !», which means "That's fine for me. See you Sunday!" Notice that the reply is positive and the plan is confirmed. Practice listening for the day and the time in the reply.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
J'ai eu un imprévu.
Something came up.
zhay ü u(n) na(n)-pray-vü
On peut décaler à dimanche ?
Can we push it to Sunday?
o(n) puh day-ka-lay a dee-mansh
Je suis vraiment désolé(e).
I'm really sorry.
zhuh swee vray-ma(n) day-zo-lay
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
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
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?Pas de souci. Dimanche, ça me va. On se voit à quelle heure ?
No problem. Sunday works for me. What time shall we meet?Vers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.
Around 3 PM? I'm really sorry for the change.C'est bon pour moi. À dimanche !
That's fine for me. See you Sunday!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: change the plan
Imagine you have a coffee meetup with a friend, but something unexpected happens. You need to change the day to Sunday. Your friend is friendly and speaks slowly.
Your task: Play the role of the person who needs to change the plan. Say the line that means "Something came up." Then apologize with the line that means "I'm really sorry." Finally, ask if you can push it to Sunday using the question that means "Can we push it to Sunday?" Use the recordings «J'ai eu un imprévu.», «Je suis vraiment désolé(e).», and «On peut décaler à dimanche ?» as your model. Speak clearly and pause between lines.
Reply comprehension: choose the correct response
You will hear a short reply from a friend. Your job is to choose the best next line from two options. This practices listening for acceptance and a request for time.
Your task: Listen to «Pas de souci. Dimanche, ça me va. On se voit à quelle heure ?». It means "No problem. Sunday works for me. What time shall we meet?" Choose the best reply: (A) Give a time and apologize for the change, using «Vers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.». (B) Say "Something came up" again, using «J'ai eu un imprévu.». Say your chosen line out loud. Then check the answer key below.
Recall and role swap: be the friend
Now swap roles. You are the friend who receives the request to change the plan. You will hear the other person suggest Sunday and apologize. Your job is to reply with acceptance and ask for a time.
Your task: Listen to «Salut, je suis désolé, j'ai eu un imprévu. On peut décaler à dimanche ?». It means "Hi, I'm sorry, something came up. Can we push it to Sunday?" Reply with the line that means "No problem. Sunday works for me. What time shall we meet?" Use «Pas de souci. Dimanche, ça me va. On se voit à quelle heure ?» as your model. Then listen to «Vers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.» and reply with the line that means "That's fine for me. See you Sunday!" Use «C'est bon pour moi. À dimanche !» as your model. Say both replies out loud without reading.
Common questions
What is the difference between "décaler" and "reporter"?
"Décaler" means to shift or push something to a different time, and it is common in everyday conversation. "Reporter" also means to postpone, but it often sounds a little more formal and is useful in professional situations. Both are polite. You can use «On peut décaler à dimanche ?» for a friendly suggestion and «Est-ce qu'on peut reporter à une autre date ?» for a more formal request.
How do I apologize for changing plans?
Use «Je suis vraiment désolé(e).», which means "I'm really sorry." You can say it after you explain the problem. If you are female, you can add an "e" in writing, but the spoken form is usually the same. A sincere tone is more important than a long apology. You can also add the apology from «Vers 15 heures ? Je suis vraiment désolé pour le changement.» after you suggest a new time.
Sources and further reading
- french: reschedule meetupChecked September 2026
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