Simplified Chinese - Making Plans

你___有空吗？

Nǐ ___ yǒu kòng ma?

Are you free ___?

Meaning: Are you free ___?

When to use: Use this to ask if someone has time at a certain time or day. Fill the blank with a time or phrase like “周末”, “明天下午” or a specific time.

Tip: Beginners sometimes forget to put a time in the blank and it sounds incomplete.

你想___吗

Nǐ xiǎng ___ ma?

Do you want to ___?

Meaning: Do you want to ___?

When to use: Use this to invite someone to do an activity. You can also say “要不要一起___？” for a more casual invitation.

___怎么样

___ zěnme yàng?

How about ___?

Meaning: How about ___?

When to use: Use this to suggest a time, place, or activity, e.g. “下午三点怎么样？” or “公园怎么样？”.

我们在___见吧。

Wǒmen zài ___ jiàn ba.

Let's meet at ___.

Meaning: Let's meet at ___.

When to use: Use this to suggest a specific meeting time or place; fill the blank with something like “三点” or “图书馆”.

你什么时候方便？

Nǐ shénme shíhou fāngbiàn?

What time works for you?

Meaning: What time works for you?

When to use: Use this natural question to ask the other person which time is convenient for them.

我___可以

Wǒ ___ kěyǐ.

I can do ___.

Meaning: I can do ___.

When to use: Use this to say when you are available, e.g. “我周五可以” or “我晚上可以”.

Tip: Don’t forget to add the time after 我___可以; otherwise listeners won’t know when you mean.

我去不了

Wǒ qù bù liǎo.

I can't make it.

Meaning: I can't make it.

When to use: Use this to say you cannot attend or go. If someone is coming to your place you can say “我来不了”.

可以改成___吗？

Kěyǐ gǎi chéng ___ ma?

Can we do ___ instead?

Meaning: Can we do ___ instead?

When to use: Use this to suggest changing to a different time, place, or plan.

那就定___吧。

Nà jiù dìng ___ ba.

Let's plan for ___.

Meaning: Let's plan for ___.

When to use: Use this to confirm a final detail — fill the blank with a time or place, e.g. “那就定星期六吧。”

我们做什么好

Wǒmen zuò shénme hǎo?

What should we do?

Meaning: What should we do?

When to use: Ask this when you want ideas for an activity. For casual speech you can also say “我们干什么？”.

我们在哪里见

Wǒmen zài nǎlǐ jiàn?

Where should we meet?

Meaning: Where should we meet?

When to use: Use this when you need to decide on a meeting place.

哪天你比较方便？

Nǎ tiān nǐ bǐjiào fāngbiàn?

What day is best for you?

Meaning: What day is best for you?

When to use: Use this to ask which day works better for the other person when planning.

还有谁会来

Hái yǒu shéi huì lái?

Who else is coming?

Meaning: Who else is coming?

When to use: Use this to ask about other attendees so you know who will join the plan.