New here? This is lesson 117 of a free 240-lesson French course.
Reschedule a plan in French
Sam and Inès had a lunch plan, then the day got messy. Another appointment sits on the same hour.
At Café des Tilleuls they pick a new time: Sunday.
You'll ask to reschedule, suggest a better slot, and warn you might be late.
Sam still has four flights of stairs. He tells Inès not to wait. She waits downstairs anyway.
By the end of this lesson
Suggest a new time and say you might be late.
- On peut reporter ?Can we reschedule?
- On peut décaler à ___ ?Can we move it to ___?
- ___, ça serait mieux ?Would ___ be better?
- Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.I might be a little late.
- Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.Please don't wait for me.
- J'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.I already have another appointment then.
Scene — the lunch will not fit
Friday at Café des Tilleuls. Inès is already at a round table, denim jacket on the chair. Sam sits down across from her.
Gaspard is at the next table, café crème untouched. The window table still has its blank brass sign.
Learn — a new time
Six lines help you move a plan. You ask to reschedule, offer a new time, and say you might be late.
You also tell a friend not to wait, and you explain you already have another appointment.
On peut reporter ?
Can we reschedule?
When to use it: Ask this when a plan no longer works.
On means we in everyday speech.
On peut décaler à ___ ?
Can we move it to ___?
When to use it: Use this to offer a new day or time.
Fill the blank with a day or a clock time.
___, ça serait mieux ?
Would ___ be better?
When to use it: Put a day or time first, then check if it is better.
Serait keeps the offer polite and open.
Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.
I might be a little late.
When to use it: Warn a friend before you think you will be late.
Peut-être means maybe in this warning.
Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.
Please don't wait for me.
When to use it: Tell a friend not to wait if you may be late.
Ne and pas wrap the verb; this tu form is for a friend.
Say it: The apostrophe in m'attends hides a dropped e.
J'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.
I already have another appointment then.
When to use it: Give this reason when that time is already taken.
J'ai is je plus ai, said as one piece.
Story — she waits anyway
Watch Sam and Inès move lunch to Sunday. Then the stairs slow him down.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.
- Inès has already claimed a table. Sam drops his backpack on the chair.
InèsSalut. On déjeune demain midi ?Hi. Are we having lunch at noon tomorrow?
SamOn peut reporter ?Can we reschedule?- InèsAh bon ? Pourquoi ?Oh, really? Why?
- SamJ'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.I already have another appointment then.
- SamOn peut décaler à une heure ?Can we move it to one o'clock?
- InèsDimanche, ça serait mieux ?Would Sunday be better?
- SamÇa me va.That works for me.
- Sunday morning. Inès stands at the bottom of the stairs. Sam is still on the fourth floor, on his phone.
- SamJe vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.I might be a little late.
- InèsJe t'attends en bas.I'll wait for you downstairs.
- SamNe m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.Please don't wait for me.
- InèsJe t'attends quand même.I'll wait anyway.
Practice — move the plan
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
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
French
On peut reporter ?Drop the English hereOn peut décaler à ___ ?Drop the English here___, ça serait mieux ?Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
Inès is already at the table on Friday afternoon. Greet her as a friend.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Can we reschedule?
On peut ____ ?
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Tomorrow at noon is already taken. Tell Inès why.
J'ai ____ un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.
Pick the reply
Inès says:
Pick the reply
Je t'attends en bas.
I'll wait for you downstairs.
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
I might be a little late.
- .
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You already asked to reschedule. Ask if you can move lunch to Sunday.
True or false?
True or false?
This means you might be late.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Inès offers Sunday for lunch. The new time works for you.
Say it — tell Inès
Now you're Sam with a lunch plan to move. 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.
- InèsSalut. On déjeune demain midi ?Hi. Are we having lunch at noon tomorrow?
- Sam (you)Ask if you can reschedule.
Ask if you can reschedule.
On peut reporter ?
Can we reschedule?
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| French | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| On peut reporter ? | Can we reschedule? | |
| On peut décaler à ___ ? | Can we move it to ___? | |
| ___, ça serait mieux ? | Would ___ be better? | |
| Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard. | I might be a little late. | |
| Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît. | Please don't wait for me. | |
| J'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là. | I already have another appointment then. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Want to keep these lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.
A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your new times ready for the next change of plan.
Open Yak Cards