#201 Requesting a Change of Meeting Schedule｜French Business Phrases

In a business setting, there are times when you may need to reschedule a meeting due to unavoidable circumstances.

In such situations, it is important to explain the reason briefly, show consideration for the other person, and suggest an alternative date.

In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for requesting a schedule change, together with a practical dialogue example and key grammatical points.

Dialogue

A

Bonjour, je me permets de vous contacter au sujet de notre réunion prévue demain.
（Good morning. I am contacting you regarding our meeting scheduled for tomorrow.）

B

Oui, je vous écoute.
（Yes, I am listening.）

A

Malheureusement, un imprévu est survenu, et serait-il possible de la reporter à un autre jour ?
（Unfortunately, something unexpected has come up. Would it be possible to postpone it to another day?）

B

Je comprends. Avez-vous une autre date à proposer ?
（I understand. Do you have another date to suggest?）

A

Seriez-vous disponible jeudi après-midi ou vendredi matin ?
（Would you be available on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning?）

B

Vendredi matin me conviendrait.
（Friday morning would work for me.）

A

Merci beaucoup. Dans ce cas, retenons cette date.
（Thank you very much. In that case, let us confirm that date.）

1. Stating the Purpose of Your Contact

When you need to discuss a schedule change, I recommend first clarifying the purpose of your message. This makes the conversation smoother from the beginning.

The expression “se permettre de + verb” literally means “to allow oneself to…,” but in practice it functions as a polite phrase meaning “I take the liberty of…” or “Please allow me to…”

Since “se permettre” is a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun changes according to the subject:

In “notre réunion prévue demain,” the word “prévue” is the past participle of “prévoir” (to schedule / to plan). Here, it functions like an adjective describing “réunion.”

Because “réunion” is feminine singular, the participle agrees in gender and number: “prévue” (with -e).

2. Explaining the Reason for the Change

When explaining the reason for rescheduling, you should keep it concise and professional.

The word “un imprévu” comes from the adjective “imprévu(e)” (unexpected), but here it is used as a noun meaning “an unforeseen event.”

The verb “survenir” means “to occur” or “to arise unexpectedly.” In the passé composé, it takes “être” as its auxiliary verb, which is why we say “est survenu.”

Using a softening adverb such as “Malheureusement” at the beginning of the sentence helps create a more polite tone.

3. Politely Requesting the Change

When asking to reschedule, I recommend avoiding direct commands. Instead, use a structure that asks about possibility.

The verb “serait” is the present conditional form of “être.” The conditional mood expresses politeness, uncertainty, or hypothesis, making the request sound less direct.

The structure “Serait-il possible…” is an impersonal construction. The subject il does not refer to a specific person; instead, it refers to the situation itself. This allows you to present the request as a matter of scheduling rather than a personal demand.

In this example, “la reporter” replaces “la réunion.” The pronoun “la” is a direct object pronoun used to avoid repetition.

4. Suggesting Alternative Dates

When requesting a change, I always recommend proposing concrete alternative dates. This shows professionalism and consideration.

The structure “être + disponible” means “to be available.” The adjective “disponible” describes a state and can be used with people or objects.

Time expressions such as “jeudi après-midi” or “vendredi matin” function as adverbial expressions and can be used without a preposition.

The verb “convenir à + person” means “to suit” or “to be convenient for.”

In practice, French usually uses an indirect object pronoun instead of “à + person.”

Summary