In this workshop you will practice a short, polite planning conversation in Japanese. You will learn how to invite someone to do something, how to accept warmly, how to say a suggested day is inconvenient, and how to agree on a different day and time. Each native example comes from a recording, and before you practice it you will see a plain English explanation of what the line means and when people use it. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic scoring, so use the answer keys to check yourself honestly.
The Invitation and the Warm Reply
A friendly plan often starts with a simple invitation. The line «一緒に映画を見ませんか。» means "Would you like to see a movie together?" It is a direct but polite way to invite someone. A longer version that adds a time frame is «ねえ、週末に一緒に映画を見ませんか。», which means "Hey, would you like to see a movie together this weekend?" When someone likes the idea, they can answer with «いいですね。行きましょう。», meaning "That sounds good. Let's go." A slightly softer reply that also asks for the other person's timing is «いいですね。いつがいいですか。», meaning "That sounds good. When is good for you?" Notice that accepting does not always end the conversation; it often opens the next step, choosing a day.
Suggesting a Day and Handling a Conflict
After the invitation, the next step is choosing a day. A short suggestion is «土曜日はどうですか。», meaning "How about Saturday?" A more specific version is «土曜日の午後はどうですか。», meaning "How about Saturday afternoon?" If that day does not work, the other person can politely decline with «すみません、ちょっと都合が悪いです。», meaning "I'm sorry, that's a bit inconvenient." A fuller version that also offers another day is «すみません、土曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。日曜日はどうですか。», meaning "I'm sorry, Saturday is a bit inconvenient. How about Sunday?" This keeps the plan alive instead of ending it. The phrase for inconvenience is softer than a flat no, so it is useful when you want to be honest but still friendly.
Agreeing on a Time and Place
Once both people agree on a day, they often confirm the time. The line «日曜日もいいですよ。何時にしますか。» means "Sunday is good too. What time shall we make it?" It accepts the new day and asks for a time in one move. The final line, «2時にしましょう。駅で会いましょう。», means "Let's make it 2 o'clock. Let's meet at the station." It gives a time and a meeting place. In a real conversation, you can reuse these patterns with other days, times, and places, but keep the same polite shape: suggest, respond, confirm. The recordings here show one complete flow from invitation to meeting details.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
一緒に映画を見ませんか。
Would you like to see a movie together?
Issho ni eiga o mimasen ka.
土曜日はどうですか。
How about Saturday?
Doyōbi wa dō desu ka.
いいですね。行きましょう。
That sounds good. Let's go.
Ii desu ne. Ikimashō.
すみません、ちょっと都合が悪いです。
I'm sorry, that's a bit inconvenient.
Sumimasen, chotto tsugō ga warui desu.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
ねえ、週末に一緒に映画を見ませんか。
Hey, would you like to see a movie together this weekend?いいですね。いつがいいですか。
That sounds good. When is good for you?土曜日の午後はどうですか。
How about Saturday afternoon?すみません、土曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。日曜日はどうですか。
I'm sorry, Saturday is a bit inconvenient. How about Sunday?日曜日もいいですよ。何時にしますか。
Sunday is good too. What time shall we make it?2時にしましょう。駅で会いましょう。
Let's make it 2 o'clock. Let's meet at the station.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: Invite and Accept
Imagine a friend or classmate you would like to invite to a movie. You will play the person who invites first, then switch roles.
Your task: Step 1: Say the invitation from «ねえ、週末に一緒に映画を見ませんか。». Step 2: Your partner replies with «いいですね。いつがいいですか。». Step 3: You suggest a day with «土曜日の午後はどうですか。». Step 4: Your partner declines Saturday and suggests Sunday with «すみません、土曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。日曜日はどうですか。». Step 5: You accept Sunday and ask for a time with «日曜日もいいですよ。何時にしますか。». Step 6: Your partner gives a time and place with «2時にしましょう。駅で会いましょう。». After one round, switch roles and repeat using the same recorded lines.
Reply Comprehension: Accept or Decline
You will hear or read a reply and decide whether the person is accepting the plan or saying the suggested day is inconvenient.
Your task: Read each reply and choose Accept or Decline. 1. «いいですね。行きましょう。» 2. «すみません、ちょっと都合が悪いです。» 3. «いいですね。いつがいいですか。» 4. «すみません、土曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。日曜日はどうですか。». Then say which reply also suggests a different day.
Recall and Role Swap: Who Says What
In this task you will rebuild the conversation from memory and then swap roles. One person invites and suggests a day; the other replies and offers another day.
Your task: Without looking at the lines, say the conversation in order. Person A: invite with «ねえ、週末に一緒に映画を見ませんか。». Person B: accept and ask for timing with «いいですね。いつがいいですか。». Person A: suggest Saturday afternoon with «土曜日の午後はどうですか。». Person B: decline Saturday and suggest Sunday with «すみません、土曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。日曜日はどうですか。». Person A: accept Sunday and ask for a time with «日曜日もいいですよ。何時にしますか。». Person B: give the time and meeting place with «2時にしましょう。駅で会いましょう。». Then swap roles and repeat.
Common questions
Can I use these lines for plans other than a movie?
Yes. The invitation pattern in «一緒に映画を見ませんか。» and «ねえ、週末に一緒に映画を見ませんか。» can be used for many activities, but in this workshop you should practice with the recorded movie plan first. Once you are comfortable, you can change only the activity word and keep the same polite shape.
What should I say if the other person suggests a day that does not work for me?
Use the polite decline from «すみません、ちょっと都合が悪いです。» to say the day is inconvenient, then offer another day as in «すみません、土曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。日曜日はどうですか。». This keeps the conversation friendly and shows you still want to meet. After the other person accepts, confirm the time and place with «2時にしましょう。駅で会いましょう。».
Sources and further reading
- japanese: make plansChecked September 2026
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