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Lesson 116 of 240

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Cancel plans in French

Saturday was meant to be easy: Inès, the market, then coffee. Dr. Roche told Sam to rest, so the plan has to go.

He has to say he can't come, and why, without leaving Inès hanging.

You'll apologise, name a sudden change, cancel, and thank her for taking it well.

Gaspard still keeps two chairs free. The window table stays empty.

By the end of this lesson

Say you can't make it and why.

  • Désolé, je ne peux pas venir.Sorry, I can't make it.
  • J'ai un imprévu.Something came up.
  • Je ne me sens pas bien.I'm not feeling well.
  • Je dois annuler ce qu'on avait prévu.I have to cancel our plans.
  • Merci de comprendre.Thanks for understanding.
  • Désolé de te prévenir au dernier moment.Sorry for the short notice.

Scene — two chairs wait

Saturday morning at Café des Tilleuls. Inès has already claimed a chair on the terrace.

Gaspard sits on two chairs beside the window table, croissant in reach, café crème untouched.

Sam arrives late, still tired from Dr. Roche. The blank brass sign is on the window table. Two extra chairs sit empty next to Gaspard.

A wide Saturday-morning terrace where Inès sits at the window table, Gaspard sits on two chairs with a croissant and untouched coffee, Sam arrives on foot, a blank brass plate lies on the table, and two chairs stay empty.

Learn — you cannot come

Six lines let you cancel a plan: you can't come, something came up, you feel off, you have to call it off, and you thank them.

You'll also apologise for the late message.

  1. From low on the terrace stones, Sam stands beside the table without sitting, one hand raised in apology, while Inès looks up from the chair and Gaspard stays on two chairs behind.

    Désolé, je ne peux pas venir.

    Sorry, I can't make it.

    When to use it: Say this when you have to skip a plan with a friend.

    A man says Désolé, and a woman writes Désolée with the same sound.

    Say it: The x in peux is silent.

  2. Over Inès's shoulder, Sam stands among the unused chairs with both palms open toward Inès.

    J'ai un imprévu.

    Something came up.

    When to use it: Say this when a sudden thing stops the plan.

    J'ai joins je and ai into one spoken piece.

    Say it: The vowel in un is nasal: /œ̃/ (often /ɛ̃/ in Paris).

  3. A close view of Sam's hands on the terrace, one pressed to the stomach and the other gripping an empty chair back.

    Je ne me sens pas bien.

    I'm not feeling well.

    When to use it: Use this to say you feel ill, without listing symptoms.

    Keep ne and pas around me sens, even in casual talk.

    Say it: The vowel in sens is nasal, like the vowel in sans.

  4. From high above, Sam makes a flat canceling gesture over the table toward seated Inès, with Gaspard on two chairs, a blank brass plate, and the extra seats still unused.

    Je dois annuler ce qu'on avait prévu.

    I have to cancel our plans.

    When to use it: Say this when you must call off a shared plan.

    Qu'on is que plus on, said as one piece.

    Say it: The n in on links into avait.

  5. Sam leans in toward Inès with both hands open in thanks, Inès still seated across the morning table.

    Merci de comprendre.

    Thanks for understanding.

    When to use it: Say this after someone accepts the change without fuss.

    De plus a verb here thanks them for the understanding.

    Say it: The last e in comprendre is silent.

  6. From the sidewalk, Sam is already turning away with a last apologetic hand raised, while Inès stays seated, Gaspard still on two chairs, and the extra chairs remain empty.

    Désolé de te prévenir au dernier moment.

    Sorry for the short notice.

    When to use it: Use this when you cancel very late, to a friend.

    Te is for a friend, while staff and strangers get vous.

    Say it: The last t in moment is silent.

Story — Saturday is off

Sam has to cancel Saturday with Inès after Dr. Roche told him to rest.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Inès has her bag on the chair. Gaspard has kept two chairs free.
  2. InèsSalut. Tu es prêt pour le marché ?Hi. Are you ready for the market?
  3. SamDésolé, je ne peux pas venir.Sorry, I can't make it.
  4. InèsQu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?What happened?
  5. SamJe ne me sens pas bien.I'm not feeling well.
  6. InèsLa docteure t'a dit de te reposer ?Did the doctor tell you to rest?
  7. SamOui. J'ai un imprévu.Yes. Something came up.
  8. SamJe dois annuler ce qu'on avait prévu.I have to cancel our plans.
  9. InèsC'est dommage.That's a shame.
  10. SamDésolé de te prévenir au dernier moment.Sorry for the short notice.
  11. InèsPas de souci.No problem.
  12. SamMerci de comprendre.Thanks for understanding.
  13. Gaspard looks at the two free chairs. His café crème is still full.
  14. GaspardBon. Les deux chaises restent là.Right. The two chairs stay there.
  15. InèsPrends soin de toi.Take care.

Practice — say why

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Désolé, je ne peux pas venir.Drop the English here
    J'ai un imprévu.Drop the English here
    Je dois annuler ce qu'on avait prévu.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    You already said you cannot come. Now call off the plan you both had.

  4. Fill the gap

    I'm not feeling well.

    Je ne me ____ pas bien.

  5. What does it mean?

    J'ai un imprévu.

  6. Build the line

    Sorry for the short notice.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Inès says:

    Pas de souci. Repose-toi.

    No problem. Get some rest.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    Inès is waiting for Saturday. You have to skip the plan.

    Désolé, je ne peux pas ____.

  9. Find the mistake

  10. What do you say?

    A close friend just cancelled because they feel ill.

  11. True or false?

    You say this when a friend apologises for a late change.

Say it — tell Inès

Now you're Sam on the terrace. Inès is waiting. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak.

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

  1. InèsSalut. Tu es prêt pour le marché ?Hi. Are you ready for the market?
  2. Sam (you)Tell her you are sorry and you cannot come.

    Désolé, je ne peux pas venir.

    Sorry, I can't make it.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Désolé, je ne peux pas venir.Sorry, I can't make it.
J'ai un imprévu.Something came up.
Je ne me sens pas bien.I'm not feeling well.
Je dois annuler ce qu'on avait prévu.I have to cancel our plans.
Merci de comprendre.Thanks for understanding.
Désolé de te prévenir au dernier moment.Sorry for the short notice.
Next: lesson 117Reschedule a plan

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