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Lesson 121 of 240

New here? This is lesson 121 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Reschedule a plan in German

Priya and Jule planned a walk, but Priya read the time wrong. She asks to push it back, warns she might be late, and tells Jule not to wait.

Anton is already on the bakery bench, exactly on time for an hour that is no longer the plan.

By the end, you'll suggest a new time, explain the mix-up, and make the delay clear.

By the end of this lesson

Suggest a new time and say you might be late.

  • Können wir es ein bisschen nach hinten verschieben?Can we push it back a little?
  • Ich komme vielleicht ein bisschen später.I might be a little late.
  • Warte bitte nicht auf mich.Please don't wait for me.
  • Wäre ___ besser?Would ___ be better?
  • Ich sage dir bald Bescheid.I will let you know soon.
  • Ich habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.I got the time wrong.

Scene — the wrong hour

Sunday on Fliederstraße. Priya was sure the walk with Jule started later. Her phone says otherwise.

Outside Bäckerei Krause, Anton already fills the bench, with a Milchkaffee on the table. He is waiting at exactly the wrong hour.

Priya checks her phone on the sidewalk while Anton waits at the bakery table with a milky coffee.

Learn — a later time

Six lines help you move a plan, warn that you might be late, and offer a better time.

You'll also tell a friend not to wait, and admit you got the clock wrong.

  1. Priya stands by the bakery window and makes a gentle palm-forward gesture as she checks her phone.

    Können wir es ein bisschen nach hinten verschieben?

    Can we push it back a little?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if you can move a plan later.

    The question uses wir to suggest changing a plan together.

  2. Priya reacts to her phone with a small shrug as she realizes she may arrive late.

    Ich komme vielleicht ein bisschen später.

    I might be a little late.

    When to use it: Warn a friend that you may arrive late.

    Vielleicht follows komme; the verb stays second in this main sentence.

    Say it: Später starts with sp, pronounced like sh followed by p.

  3. Priya holds her phone and gestures toward the open sidewalk, asking Jule not to wait.

    Warte bitte nicht auf mich.

    Please don't wait for me.

    When to use it: Tell a friend to go ahead without you.

    Warte is the informal command for a friend.

  4. Jule stands beside her bicycle at the curb and opens both hands as she offers another time.

    Wäre ___ besser?

    Would ___ be better?

    When to use it: Offer a friend a possible time this way.

    Fill the blank with a time, not a long clause.

    Say it: Wäre has ä, close to the e in bed.

  5. Priya holds up her phone and makes a small gesture that she will send an update soon.

    Ich sage dir bald Bescheid.

    I will let you know soon.

    When to use it: Promise a friend an answer in a short while.

    Use dir with a friend; Ihnen is for someone you address formally.

  6. Priya reaches the bakery doorway with her phone while Anton waits at the outdoor table.

    Ich habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.

    I got the time wrong.

    When to use it: Admit you mixed up the clock time for a plan.

    In this sentence, geirrt comes at the end.

Story — on time, wrong hour

Priya messages Jule to move the walk. Anton is already outside, on time for the hour that is no longer the plan.

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

  1. Priya checks her phone on Fliederstraße and opens her chat with Jule. She thought the walk was later.
  2. PriyaIch habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.I got the time wrong.
  3. JuleWas ist los?What's going on?
  4. PriyaKönnen wir es ein bisschen nach hinten verschieben?Can we push it back a little?
  5. JuleWäre vier besser?Would four be better?
  6. PriyaDas klingt gut.That sounds good.
  7. JuleIch bin spät dran. Ich gehe schon los.I'm running late. I'm already heading off.
  8. PriyaWarte bitte nicht auf mich.Please don't wait for me.
  9. PriyaIch komme vielleicht ein bisschen später.I might be a little late.
  10. JuleSag mir später Bescheid.Let me know later.
  11. PriyaIch sage dir bald Bescheid.I will let you know soon.
  12. Priya reaches the bakery. Anton takes the whole bench, with his Milchkaffee still unfinished.
  13. AntonEs ist genau drei Uhr.It is exactly three o'clock.
  14. PriyaIch habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.I got the time wrong.
  15. AntonNa ja, für mich ist es pünktlich.Well, for me it is on time.

Practice — move the walk

Eleven short tasks wait here. You'll listen, build, fill a gap, and pick what to say.

They stay on the walk with Jule, so the new times stay useful.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Können wir es ein bisschen nach hinten verschieben?Drop the English here
    Ich komme vielleicht ein bisschen später.Drop the English here
    Wäre ___ besser?Drop the English here
    Ich habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Tell a friend you might arrive a little late.

  4. Fill the gap

    Please don't wait for me.

    Warte bitte ____ auf mich.

  5. What does it mean?

    Ich habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.

  6. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Sagst du mir Bescheid?

    Will you let me know?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    Can we push it back a little?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    You might arrive late, not early. Tell your friend.

    Ich komme vielleicht ein bisschen ____.

  9. What do you say?

    Offer a possible time using the question pattern, leaving the time open.

  10. True or false?

    This line means the new time is a bad idea.

  11. Fill the gap

    I'm running late.

    Ich bin ____ dran.

Say it — tell Jule

Now you're Priya messaging Jule, then meeting her for the walk. 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. JuleWas ist los?What's going on?
  2. Priya (you)You mixed up the clock. Tell Jule.

    Ich habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.

    I got the time wrong.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Können wir es ein bisschen nach hinten verschieben?Can we push it back a little?
Ich komme vielleicht ein bisschen später.I might be a little late.
Warte bitte nicht auf mich.Please don't wait for me.
Wäre ___ besser?Would ___ be better?
Ich sage dir bald Bescheid.I will let you know soon.
Ich habe mich in der Uhrzeit geirrt.I got the time wrong.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A short round with the Yak Cards keeps your later-time lines ready for the next walk.

Open Yak Cards