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Lesson 120 of 240

New here? This is lesson 120 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Cancel plans in German

Priya had a canal walk planned with Jule. A cold stops her, so she has to cancel and say why.

Jule sends a photo of Keks looking sorry. Later Renate sees Priya at the bakery and tells her the stamp card can wait.

You'll tell a friend you cannot make it, cancel the plan, and thank them.

Keep du with Jule. A new time can wait until next time.

By the end of this lesson

Say you cannot make it to a plan and why.

  • Tut mir leid, ich schaffe es nicht.Sorry, I can't make it.
  • Ich muss leider absagen.I have to cancel, I'm afraid.
  • Es ist etwas dazwischengekommen.Something came up.
  • Mir geht's nicht gut.I'm not feeling well.
  • Danke für dein Verständnis.Thanks for understanding.
  • Lass uns das ein anderes Mal machen.Let's do it another time.

Scene — the canal walk

Priya sits at home on Fliederstraße with a cold. She and Jule had a walk by the canal.

Jule is on a voice note; her dog Keks is on the sofa.

Later Priya still steps into Bäckerei Krause. Renate is at the counter. Anton sits at the corner table, Milchkaffee untouched.

Priya has just entered the bakery, where Renate is at the counter and Anton sits with an untouched milky coffee.

Learn — sorry, I can't make it

Six lines cover sorry I cannot make it, cancelling, something coming up, feeling unwell, thanks, and another time.

You stay on du with Jule.

  1. Priya listens to Jule’s voice note from the sofa and makes a small apologetic gesture.

    Tut mir leid, ich schaffe es nicht.

    Sorry, I can't make it.

    When to use it: Say this when you cannot go to a plan with a friend.

    After the comma, the new clause still puts the verb second.

    Say it: Schaffe starts with sch, like English sh.

  2. Priya sits forward on the sofa, looking down at her phone after replying.

    Ich muss leider absagen.

    I have to cancel, I'm afraid.

    When to use it: Use this to cancel a plan you already agreed to.

    Learn this as one piece when you have to cancel.

    Say it: Leider puts the stress on the first syllable.

  3. Priya stands by the apartment window with her phone at her side, looking out at the courtyard.

    Es ist etwas dazwischengekommen.

    Something came up.

    When to use it: Give this as a short reason when plans change.

    Learn dazwischengekommen as one piece for a sudden change.

  4. Priya warms her hands around a steaming mug at the kitchen table.

    Mir geht's nicht gut.

    I'm not feeling well.

    When to use it: Say this when feeling ill is why you cancel.

    Learn this as one piece when you feel unwell.

    Say it: Nicht uses the soft ch, as in ich.

  5. Priya rests one hand over her heart beside her phone after thanking Jule for understanding.

    Danke für dein Verständnis.

    Thanks for understanding.

    When to use it: Thank a friend after they accept that you cannot come.

    Dein is for a friend; a stranger would get Ihr.

    Say it: The ä in Verständnis sounds like the e in bed.

  6. Jule sits on a sofa and holds her phone out while recording a gentle voice note.

    Lass uns das ein anderes Mal machen.

    Let's do it another time.

    When to use it: Leave the plan open without setting a new day yet.

    Learn this as one piece so the plan can wait.

    Say it: Anderes puts the stress on the first syllable.

Story — Keks looks sorry

Watch Priya cancel the canal walk. Jule checks on her, then Keks looks sorry on the sofa.

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

  1. A planned walk by the Landwehrkanal. Priya is on the sofa with a cold. Jule's voice note pops up.
  2. JuleGehen wir heute noch am Kanal spazieren?Are we still going for a walk by the canal today?
  3. PriyaTut mir leid, ich schaffe es nicht. Es ist etwas dazwischengekommen.Sorry, I can't make it. Something came up.
  4. JuleGeht's dir gut?Are you okay?
  5. PriyaMir geht's nicht gut. Ich bin erkältet.I'm not feeling well. I've got a cold.
  6. JuleDas ist schade.That's a shame.
  7. PriyaIch muss leider absagen.I have to cancel, I'm afraid.
  8. JuleAlles gut. Keks bleibt auf dem Sofa.All good. Keks is staying on the sofa then.
  9. Jule sends a photo of Keks on the sofa, looking sorry.
  10. PriyaDanke für dein Verständnis.Thanks for understanding.
  11. JuleRuh dich aus, ja?Get some rest, okay?
  12. PriyaLass uns das ein anderes Mal machen.Let's do it another time.
  13. Later Priya still steps into Bäckerei Krause for tea. Renate looks at her. Anton has not touched his Milchkaffee.
  14. RenateWatt, die Stempelkarte kann warten.Well, the stamp card can wait.

Practice — cancel and explain

A short round waits here. You will listen, match, fill a gap, build a line, and pick what you heard.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Ich muss leider absagen.Drop the English here
    Es ist etwas dazwischengekommen.Drop the English here
    Mir geht's nicht gut.Drop the English here
    Danke für dein Verständnis.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    You need to cancel the walk. Tell Jule you have to cancel.

  4. Fill the gap

    I'm not feeling well.

    Mir ____ nicht gut.

  5. What does it mean?

    Es ist etwas dazwischengekommen.

  6. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Geht's dir gut?

    Are you okay?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    Let's do it another time.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    Jule accepted the cancel. Thank her for understanding.

    Danke für dein ____.

  9. What do you say?

    A friend just said they cannot make it. Check they are okay.

  10. True or false?

    This line is how you cancel a plan with a friend.

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — say it to Jule

Now you're Priya with a cold, cancelling the walk. 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. JuleGehen wir heute noch am Kanal spazieren?Are we still going for a walk by the canal today?
  2. Priya (you)Apologise and say you cannot make it.

    Tut mir leid, ich schaffe es nicht.

    Sorry, I can't make it.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Tut mir leid, ich schaffe es nicht.Sorry, I can't make it.
Ich muss leider absagen.I have to cancel, I'm afraid.
Es ist etwas dazwischengekommen.Something came up.
Mir geht's nicht gut.I'm not feeling well.
Danke für dein Verständnis.Thanks for understanding.
Lass uns das ein anderes Mal machen.Let's do it another time.
Next: lesson 121Reschedule a plan

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these cancel lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your cancel lines ready for a friend.

Open Yak Cards