New here? This is lesson 115 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Cancel plans in Traditional Chinese
Maya wakes with a cold on the evening she planned to visit the night market with A-Jie. She needs to cancel kindly and explain why.
Practise a brief apology, saying something came up, and explaining that you feel unwell. Then thank your friend for understanding.
You will also suggest meeting another day. A-Jie's cutlet photo makes the cancellation a little easier, but Maya still needs rest.
By the end of this lesson
Politely cancel a plan, give a reason, thank someone for understanding, and suggest meeting another day.
- 不好意思，我沒辦法去了Sorry, I can't make it.
- 我臨時有事Something came up.
- 我身體不太舒服I'm not feeling very well.
- 我得取消我們原本的約I have to cancel our plan.
- 謝謝你體諒Thanks for understanding.
- 我們改天再約吧Let's pick another day.
Scene — a night market plan
Maya wakes up feeling unwell on the evening she planned to go to the night market with A-Jie. She messages him to cancel and explain why.
A-Jie is at his chicken-cutlet stall and sends her a photo of the food. At Banyan Breakfast, A-Li's soy milk is still unfinished, and the fortune slip remains folded away.
Learn — cancel kindly
These six expressions help you cancel a plan politely, give a reason, and show appreciation. Listen to the full chunks before trying them aloud.
Notice how a short explanation and a gentle suggestion can make a cancellation feel considerate.
不好意思，我沒辦法去了
Sorry, I can't make it.
When to use it: Use this polite apology when you need to cancel or say you cannot come.
了 marks the change from the original plan to not going.
我臨時有事
Something came up.
When to use it: Give this brief reason when an unexpected matter changes your plans.
臨時 describes something that happens unexpectedly or at short notice.
Say it: Listen for the rising tone at the end of 臨時.
我身體不太舒服
I'm not feeling very well.
When to use it: Use this to explain that you feel unwell without giving medical details.
不太 softens the statement and makes it less direct.
Say it: 不 changes to a rising tone before the fourth-tone syllable 太.
我得取消我們原本的約
I have to cancel our plan.
When to use it: Use this to state clearly that you have to cancel an existing plan.
得 before an action means that you have to do it.
Say it: 得 has a third tone here and means that you have to.
謝謝你體諒
Thanks for understanding.
When to use it: Say this when someone responds kindly to your cancellation.
體諒 means understanding another person's difficulty or situation.
Say it: Keep the final syllable of 體諒 in a falling tone.
我們改天再約吧
Let's pick another day.
When to use it: Use this gentle suggestion to leave the door open for another plan.
吧 makes this suggestion sound softer.
Say it: 吧 has a light, neutral tone at the end.
Story — Maya has to cancel
Maya has to cancel her night-market plan with A-Jie because she feels unwell. Listen as she apologizes and explains.
A-Jie takes the change in stride and sends her a photo from his chicken-cutlet stall.
A-Jie瑪雅，今晚要一起去夜市嗎？Maya, do you want to go to the night market tonight?
Maya不好意思，我沒辦法去了。Sorry, I can't make it.- A-Jie怎麼了？What's wrong?
- Maya我臨時有事，我身體不太舒服。Something came up; I'm not feeling very well.
- A-Jie喔，那我們原本的約呢？Oh, what about our original plan?
- Maya我得取消我們原本的約。I have to cancel our plan.
- A-Jie好，我傳雞排照片給你。Okay, I'll send you a photo of the chicken cutlet.
- Maya謝謝你體諒。Thanks for understanding.
- Maya我們改天再約吧。Let's pick another day.
- A-Jie好喔，你先休息。Okay, get some rest.
Practice — explain why you cannot go
Try ten short exercises to practise apologizing, explaining that something came up, and responding to a friend's understanding.
Choose the expression that fits each situation, then check the explanation and say it aloud.
0 of 10 done
What do you say?
What do you say?
You need to cancel tonight's plan politely. Apologize and say you can't come.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
我身體不太舒服
What do you say?
What do you say?
An unexpected matter changes your plans. Give your friend a brief reason.
Build the line
Build the line
I have to cancel our plan.
Tap the words in order.
Pick the reply
A-Jie says:
Pick the reply
沒關係，我懂。
It's okay, I understand.
And you reply with:
Swap the word
Swap the word
Suggest meeting on a different day.
我們____再約吧
Match the pairs
Traditional Chinese
不好意思，我沒辦法去了Drop the English here我臨時有事Drop the English here我身體不太舒服Drop the English here謝謝你體諒Drop the English hereEnglish
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
Use the earlier lesson phrase beginning with “I feel” to tell your friend you don't feel well.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your friend understood your apology. Give a simple thank-you without mentioning understanding.
Say it — your cancellation
Play Maya and practise a short message to A-Jie. Listen to his invitation, then explain why you cannot go.
Thank him for understanding and suggest meeting another day. Speak each response aloud before moving on.
- A-Jie asks Maya about their night-market plan.
- A-Jie今晚要一起去夜市嗎？Do you want to go to the night market tonight?
- Maya (you)Apologize and say you can't make it.
Apologize and say you can't make it.
不好意思，我沒辦法去了
Sorry, I can't make it.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 不好意思，我沒辦法去了 | Sorry, I can't make it. | |
| 我臨時有事 | Something came up. | |
| 我身體不太舒服 | I'm not feeling very well. | |
| 我得取消我們原本的約 | I have to cancel our plan. | |
| 謝謝你體諒 | Thanks for understanding. | |
| 我們改天再約吧 | Let's pick another day. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Review today's cancellation expressions in Yak Cards and practise them with other everyday plans.
Say the apology and reason together until they feel natural.
Open Yak Cards