Japanese - Making Plans

Lesson 149 of 168

Two friends checking a phone and smiling while planning a meetup in Japanese, focusing on polite meeting phrases and times.

Goal: Polite phrases for arranging meetings and times

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

Ready to plan something in Japanese? This short lesson gives you polite, everyday phrases to set meeting times and change plans. Listen, repeat, and then use them aloud.

Level A1: In this CEFR-aligned lesson you'll practice 8 polite planning phrases used in Japan, like asking "何時に会いますか。(Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.)" and saying "予定があります。(Yotei ga arimasu.)" You'll hear the phrases, use them in a short dialogue, and practice with quizzes and speaking prompts — quick and practical for real-life meetups.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Understand and say basic, polite phrases for arranging meetings and times.
  • Ask where and when to meet and suggest or change plans.
  • Use "___時ごろで大丈夫ですか。(___ ji goro de daijōbu desu ka.)" to suggest an approximate time.
A city scene near a cafe where people ask "待ち合わせはどこですか。(Machiawase wa doko desu ka.)" and decide a time.

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.

後で大丈夫ですか。

Ato de daijōbu desu ka.

Is later okay?

Meaning: Is later okay?

When to use: Ask this when you need to move something to a later time or confirm a delay politely.

Tip: Don't drop で; say 後で大丈夫ですか。 rather than just 後大丈夫か (unnatural).

すみません、忙しいです。後で大丈夫ですか。

Ato de daijōbu desu ka.

Sorry, I'm busy. Is later okay?
ミーティングを後で大丈夫ですか。少し遅れます。

Ato de daijōbu desu ka.

Is it okay to have the meeting later? I'll be a bit late.

先に行ってください。

Saki ni itte kudasai.

Please go ahead without me.

Meaning: Please go ahead without me.

When to use: Tell others to start if you will arrive late or want them not to wait.

電車が遅れています。先に行ってください。

Saki ni itte kudasai.

The train is delayed. Please go ahead without me.
もし私が来られなかったら、先に行ってください。

Saki ni itte kudasai.

If I can't make it, please go on ahead.

待ち合わせはどこですか。

Machiawase wa doko desu ka.

Where are we meeting?

Meaning: Where are we meeting?

When to use: Use when you need to confirm the meeting place for a planned meetup (待ち合わせ).

待ち合わせはどこですか。駅の改札の前ですか。

Machiawase wa doko desu ka.

Where are we meeting? In front of the station gate?
新しい友達に会う前に、待ち合わせはどこですかと聞きます。

Machiawase wa doko desu ka.

Before meeting a new friend I ask, 'Where are we meeting?'

何時に会いますか。

Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.

What time shall we meet?

Meaning: What time shall we meet?

When to use: Ask this to agree on a specific meeting time.

何時に会いますか。午後二時はどうですか。

Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.

What time shall we meet? How about 2 pm?
彼に電話して、何時に会いますかと確認しました。

Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.

I called him and confirmed, 'What time shall we meet?'

___時ごろで大丈夫ですか。

___ ji goro de daijōbu desu ka.

Is around ___ o’clock okay?

Meaning: Is around ___ o’clock okay?

When to use: Suggest an approximate time using ごろ (around) when you don't need an exact minute.

Tip: Beginners sometimes forget ごろ and make the time sound exact when they mean approximate.

三時ごろで大丈夫ですか。カフェで待っています。

San-ji goro de daijōbu desu ka.

Is around 3 o'clock okay? I'll wait at the cafe.
七時ごろで大丈夫ですか。夕食を一緒に食べましょう。

Shichi-ji goro de daijōbu desu ka.

Is around 7 o'clock okay? Let's have dinner together.

予定があります。

Yotei ga arimasu.

I have plans.

Meaning: I have plans.

When to use: Politely say this when you are not available or need to decline an invitation.

すみません、その日は予定があります。また今度お願いします。

Yotei ga arimasu.

Sorry, I have plans that day. Maybe next time.
夜は予定がありますが、昼間なら空いています。

Yotei ga arimasu.

I have plans in the evening, but I'm free during the day.

予定がありません。

Yotei ga arimasen.

I don’t have plans.

Meaning: I don’t have plans.

When to use: Use when you want to say you are free or available.

土曜日は予定がありません。一緒に行けます。

Yotei ga arimasen.

I don't have plans on Saturday. I can go with you.
今週は予定がありませんから、調整できます。

Yotei ga arimasen.

I don't have plans this week, so I can adjust my schedule.

予定を変えてもいいですか。

Yotei o kaete mo ii desu ka.

Can we change the plan?

Meaning: Can we change the plan?

When to use: Ask this when you need to modify a schedule, place, or arrangement.

Tip: Don't use casual forms with unfamiliar people; keep polite 〜てもいいですか for requests.

急ですみません、予定を変えてもいいですか。午後にできますか。

Yotei o kaete mo ii desu ka.

Sorry for the short notice — can we change the plan? Can we do it in the afternoon?
天気が悪いので、予定を変えてもいいですか。室内にしましょう。

Yotei o kaete mo ii desu ka.

Because of bad weather, can we change the plan? Let's do it indoors.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Deciding when and where to meet before a weekend event.

Anna and David standing by a train station entrance arranging time: using phrases like "何時に会いますか。(Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.)" and "先に行ってください。(Saki ni itte kudasai.)"

What are Anna and David arranging?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

待ち合わせはどこですか。

Machiawase wa doko desu ka.

Where are we meeting?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

駅前のカフェでどうですか。何時に会いますか。

Eki-mae no kafe de dō desu ka. Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.

How about the cafe in front of the station? What time shall we meet?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

三時ごろで大丈夫ですか。

San-ji goro de daijōbu desu ka.

Is around 3 o'clock okay?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

いいですね。もし私が遅れたら、先に行ってください。

Ii desu ne. Moshi watashi ga okuretara, saki ni itte kudasai.

Sounds good. If I'm late, please go ahead without me.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

わかりました。後で大丈夫ですか。

Wakarimashita. Ato de daijōbu desu ka.

Got it. Is later okay?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

大丈夫です。予定を変えてもいいですか。友達も来ます。

Daijōbu desu. Yotei o kaete mo ii desu ka. Tomodachi mo kimasu.

That's fine. Can we change the plan? A friend will also come.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase asks 'Where are we meeting?'

How do you politely say 'I have plans.'?

Which phrase means 'Is around 6 o’clock okay?'

Which phrase asks permission to change the plan?

I'm sorry, the train stopped. I'll be late to the meeting. Please go ahead without me.

ごめん、電車が止まりました。ミーティングに遅れます。___

Shall we watch a movie together this weekend? On Friday night, is around 7 o'clock okay — let's meet at the cinema.

週末に一緒に映画を見ますか。金曜日の夜、___ 映画館で待ち合わせましょう。

Friend: Can you meet this Saturday? You: I'm sorry, I have plans that day.

友達：今度の土曜日に会えますか？ あなた：申し訳ないですが、その日は___。

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:

後で大丈夫ですか。

Ato de daijōbu desu ka.

Is later okay?

Say this phrase out loud:

先に行ってください。

Saki ni itte kudasai.

Please go ahead without me.

Say this phrase out loud:

待ち合わせはどこですか。

Machiawase wa doko desu ka.

Where are we meeting?

Say this phrase out loud:

何時に会いますか。

Nan-ji ni aimasu ka.

What time shall we meet?

Say this phrase out loud:

___時ごろで大丈夫ですか。

___ ji goro de daijōbu desu ka.

Is around ___ o'clock okay?

Say this phrase out loud:

予定があります。

Yotei ga arimasu.

I have plans.

Say this phrase out loud:

予定がありません。

Yotei ga arimasen.

I don’t have plans.

Say this phrase out loud:

予定を変えてもいいですか。

Yotei o kaete mo ii desu ka.

Can we change the plan?