French - Cancelling Plans

Lesson 131 of 159

Learner practicing French phrases for cancelling and rescheduling plans.

Goal: Change, delay, and update plans politely

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome! In this short lesson you'll practice natural ways to change or cancel plans in French. Read, listen, and try the phrases aloud — you’ll sound polite and confident when plans shift.

Level A2: In this CEFR-aligned mini-lesson you will practice key phrases for cancelling, delaying, or rescheduling plans in French. We'll focus on saying a plan no longer works, offering alternatives, warning about being late, and promising updates — all useful when things change last minute.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use polite phrases to say a plan doesn’t work anymore (A2).
  • Suggest alternatives and ask what day works best for the other person.
  • Politely tell someone you might be late, ask them not to wait, and promise to follow up.
Two friends texting and calling to reschedule a meetup — French lesson on cancelling plans.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Quel jour t'arrange le mieux ?

What day works best for you?

Meaning: What day works best for you?

When to use: Ask the other person which day is most convenient when you want to reschedule.

Quel jour t'arrange le mieux ?
What day works best for you?
Si on change, quel jour t'arrange le mieux la semaine prochaine ?
If we change, which day next week suits you?

___, ça serait mieux ?

Would ___ be better?

Meaning: Would ___ be better?

When to use: Offer a specific alternative (day or time) to see if it suits the other person.

Tip: Beginners sometimes forget to include the alternative (day/time) before « ça serait mieux ». Make it specific.

Demain, ça serait mieux ?
Would tomorrow be better?
Vendredi, ça serait mieux pour toi ?
Would Friday be better for you?

J'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.

I have another appointment then.

Meaning: I have another appointment then.

When to use: Give a clear reason when you cannot attend at a specific time because of another commitment.

Désolé, j'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.
Sorry, I have another appointment then.
Je peux pas être là, j'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.
I can't be there, I already have another appointment then.

Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.

I may be a little late.

Meaning: I may be a little late.

When to use: Warn someone you might not arrive on time, so they know to start without you or expect a delay.

Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard, je préviens.
I may be a little late, I'm letting you know.
Si le train a du retard, je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.
If the train is late, I may be a little late.

Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.

Please don't wait for me.

Meaning: Please don't wait for me.

When to use: Ask the person not to wait if you think you won't arrive or plans may change.

Tip: Remember the polite « s'il te plaît » and that with a formal/plural address you would say « Ne m'attendez pas, s'il vous plaît. »

Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît, je vais avoir un empêchement.
Please don't wait for me, I have a problem.
Si je suis en retard, ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.
If I'm late, please don't wait for me.

Je te tiens au courant rapidement.

I'll let you know soon.

Meaning: I'll let you know soon.

When to use: Promise to update the other person quickly when you need to check something before confirming.

Je te tiens au courant rapidement dès que je sais quelque chose.
I'll let you know quickly as soon as I know.
Merci, je te tiens au courant rapidement pour la nouvelle date.
Thanks, I'll let you know soon about the new date.

Aujourd'hui, ça ne va plus être possible pour moi.

Today doesn't work for me anymore.

Meaning: Today doesn't work for me anymore.

When to use: Tell someone that a plan scheduled for today is no longer possible for you.

Désolé, aujourd'hui ça ne va plus être possible pour moi.
Sorry, today won't be possible for me anymore.
Aujourd'hui, ça ne va plus être possible pour moi à cause d'un imprévu.
Today doesn't work for me anymore because of something unexpected.

On peut décaler un peu ?

Can we push it back a little?

Meaning: Can we push it back a little?

When to use: Ask if it's possible to delay a meeting or appointment slightly.

On peut décaler un peu ? Je finis plus tard au travail.
Can we push it back a little? I finish work later.
Si on décale un peu, ça m'arrangerait mieux — on peut décaler un peu ?
If we delay a bit, it would suit me — can we push it back a little?

Je me suis trompé d'heure.

I got the time wrong.

Meaning: I got the time wrong.

When to use: Explain you made a mistake about the scheduled time (adjust ending for gender if needed).

Tip: If the speaker is female, add an extra 'e': « Je me suis trompée d'heure. »

Pardon, je me suis trompé d'heure, je pensais que c'était à 18h.
Sorry, I got the time wrong; I thought it was at 6pm.
Je me suis trompé d'heure — je suis désolé, je vais arriver plus tard.
I got the time wrong — sorry, I'll arrive later.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David try to reschedule a meeting.

Anna and David talk in French to push a meeting to another day and promise to update each other.

What are Anna and David doing about their meeting?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Aujourd'hui, ça ne va plus être possible pour moi.

Today doesn't work for me anymore.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Oh non. On peut décaler un peu ?

Oh no. Can we push it back a little?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Demain, ça serait mieux ?

Would tomorrow be better?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Quel jour t'arrange le mieux ?

What day works best for you?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

J'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.

I have another appointment then.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard. Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.

I may be a little late. Please don't wait for me.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

D'accord, je te tiens au courant rapidement.

Okay, I'll let you know soon.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which French sentence means 'I may be a little late'?

How do you say 'Please don't wait for me' in French (informal)?

Which phrase asks 'What day works best for you?'

Which sentence explains 'I have another appointment then'?

I can't come today — Today doesn't work for me anymore.

I can't come today — ___.

If Friday works better, would Friday be better?

If Friday works better, ___?

You notice the meeting time is wrong. You say: I got the time wrong.

You notice the meeting time is wrong. You say: ___

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Quel jour t'arrange le mieux ?

What day works best for you?

Say this phrase out loud:

___, ça serait mieux ?

Would ___ be better?

Say this phrase out loud:

J'ai déjà un autre rendez-vous à ce moment-là.

I have another appointment then.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je vais peut-être avoir un peu de retard.

I may be a little late.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ne m'attends pas, s'il te plaît.

Please don't wait for me.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je te tiens au courant rapidement.

I'll let you know soon.

Say this phrase out loud:

Aujourd'hui, ça ne va plus être possible pour moi.

Today doesn't work for me anymore.

Say this phrase out loud:

On peut décaler un peu ?

Can we push it back a little?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je me suis trompé d'heure.

I got the time wrong.