French course

Lesson 113 of 240

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Change or check an appointment in French

Sam has a medical appointment on Thursday, but a delivery is coming to his fourth-floor walk-up. He calls the clinic to change the time.

He also checks what to bring, asks about a possible cancellation fee, and requests a reminder.

Practice polite phone language with clinic staff, including how to move a medical appointment rather than simply cancel it.

By the end of this lesson

Move or cancel an appointment, and check what to bring.

  • Je voudrais changer mon rendez-vous.I'd like to change my appointment.
  • Est-ce que je peux déplacer le rendez-vous à ___ ?Can I move the appointment to ___?
  • Je dois annuler mon rendez-vous.I need to cancel my appointment.
  • Qu'est-ce que je dois apporter ?What should I bring?
  • Il y a des frais d'annulation ?Is there a cancellation fee?
  • Vous pouvez m'envoyer un rappel ?Could you send me a reminder?

Scene — a delivery on Thursday

Sam is in his fourth-floor walk-up on rue des Tilleuls. Inès has come up from two floors below. A delivery is due Thursday morning, the same time as his visit to Dr. Roche.

His phone is on the kitchen table. He will call the clinic before the delivery window is set.

A wide kitchen view shows Sam and Inès at the table with a phone and a delivery notice while Gaspard sits on a pair of chairs beside them.

Learn — move or cancel

Six useful lines help you change or cancel an appointment, ask what to bring, check for a fee, and request a reminder.

You will also hear how to move a medical time without dropping the visit.

  1. A medium two-shot shows Inès pointing at the phone on the table while Sam looks up from the delivery notice.

    Je voudrais changer mon rendez-vous.

    I'd like to change my appointment.

    When to use it: Say this when you need to change an appointment you already have.

    Je voudrais is a polite way to ask for something.

  2. A close-up shows Sam's hands on the table as one lifts the phone and the other rests on the delivery notice.

    Est-ce que je peux déplacer le rendez-vous à ___ ?

    Can I move the appointment to ___?

    When to use it: Ask this to move a medical appointment to another time.

    For a doctor visit, déplacer means to move the time.

  3. An over-the-shoulder view from standing Inès shows Sam sitting at the table, talking on the phone and asking to move the visit.

    Je dois annuler mon rendez-vous.

    I need to cancel my appointment.

    When to use it: Say this when you cannot keep the appointment and must drop it.

    Annuler drops the appointment instead of moving it.

  4. From the hallway, a high angle looks down at Sam crouching beside an open bag and holding a folder toward the phone on the table.

    Qu'est-ce que je dois apporter ?

    What should I bring?

    When to use it: Ask this to find out what to bring to the appointment.

    Apporter means to bring something with you.

  5. A low angle shows Sam sitting sideways at the table with a hand paused over a blank bill-shaped paper while Gaspard sits on a pair of chairs nearby.

    Il y a des frais d'annulation ?

    Is there a cancellation fee?

    When to use it: Ask this to check if cancelling will cost extra.

    Frais is plural in this question about a fee.

    Say it: The d' in d'annulation is an elision before a vowel.

  6. A profile view shows Sam at the tall kitchen window with the phone to his ear and a blank notepad in his hand.

    Vous pouvez m'envoyer un rappel ?

    Could you send me a reminder?

    When to use it: Ask clinic staff politely to send you a reminder.

    Vous is the polite form for clinic staff.

Story — a quick call

Inès sees the Thursday delivery notice, then Sam calls the clinic.

Watch how he explains the problem and checks the details.

  1. The delivery notice is on the table. Inès looks at Thursday.
  2. SamJe dois annuler mon rendez-vous.I need to cancel my appointment.
  3. InèsAppelle le cabinet d'abord.Call the office first.
  4. Sam calls the clinic above the pharmacy.
  5. Clinic staffBonjour. Cabinet de la docteure Roche.Hello. Dr. Roche's office.
  6. SamBonjour. Je voudrais changer mon rendez-vous.Hello. I'd like to change my appointment.
  7. Clinic staffBien sûr. Pourquoi ?Of course. Why?
  8. SamLa livraison arrive jeudi matin, je ne suis pas disponible.The delivery is coming Thursday morning; I'm not available.
  9. Clinic staffVous voulez un autre créneau ?Would you like another appointment time?
  10. SamEst-ce que je peux déplacer le rendez-vous à vendredi matin ?Can I move the appointment to Friday morning?
  11. Clinic staffOui, vendredi matin, c'est possible.Yes, Friday morning is possible.
  12. SamQu'est-ce que je dois apporter ?What should I bring?
  13. Clinic staffVotre carte Vitale et vos ordonnances.Your health insurance card and your prescriptions.
  14. SamIl y a des frais d'annulation ?Is there a cancellation fee?
  15. Clinic staffNon, il n'y a pas de frais.No, there is no fee.
  16. SamVous pouvez m'envoyer un rappel ?Could you send me a reminder?
  17. Clinic staffOui, je vous envoie un SMS.Yes, I'll send you a text message.

Practice — the clinic call

Listen for the purpose of each question, then build and choose polite lines for a call with a clinic receptionist.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Je voudrais changer mon rendez-vous.Drop the English here
    Je dois annuler mon rendez-vous.Drop the English here
    Qu'est-ce que je dois apporter ?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  3. Fill the gap

    Is there a cancellation fee?

    Il y a des frais ____ ?

  4. Build the line

    Could you send me a reminder?

     ?

    Tap the words in order.

  5. What does it mean?

    Il y a des frais d'annulation ?

  6. Pick the reply

    Clinic staff says:

    Vous voulez un autre créneau ?

    Would you like another appointment time?

    And you reply with:

  7. Find the mistake

  8. What do you say?

    You want the clinic to send you a reminder.

  9. True or false?

    This is how you book a new appointment, not how you change one.

  10. What do you say?

    You call the clinic in the morning. Greet the receptionist politely.

  11. What does it mean?

    Merci.

Say it — your turn on the phone

Now you're Sam on the phone with the clinic. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Clinic staffBonjour. Cabinet de la docteure Roche.Hello. Dr. Roche's office.
  2. Sam (you)Say hello. It is still morning.

    Bonjour.

    Hello

0 of 7 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je voudrais changer mon rendez-vous.I'd like to change my appointment.
Est-ce que je peux déplacer le rendez-vous à ___ ?Can I move the appointment to ___?
Je dois annuler mon rendez-vous.I need to cancel my appointment.
Qu'est-ce que je dois apporter ?What should I bring?
Il y a des frais d'annulation ?Is there a cancellation fee?
Vous pouvez m'envoyer un rappel ?Could you send me a reminder?
Next: lesson 114Making plans

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