Rescheduling a Meeting ｜ French for Business Conversation

In business situations, it is common to postpone or reschedule a planned meeting.

To express rescheduling naturally in French, it is important to know the correct choice of verbs as well as polite request expressions suitable for professional settings.

Here, I will explain useful French phrases for rescheduling meetings, with notes on grammar and nuance.

Dialogue

A

Bonjour, est-ce que c’est possible de reporter la réunion de demain ?
（Hello, would it be possible to postpone tomorrow’s meeting?）

B

Oui, bien sûr. Quelle date vous conviendrait ?
（Yes, of course. Which date would suit you?）

A

Serait-il possible de la déplacer à jeudi après-midi ?
（Would it be possible to move it to Thursday afternoon?）

B

D’accord, je note jeudi à 15 heures.
（All right, I’ll note Thursday at 3 p.m.）

A

Parfait, merci beaucoup pour votre flexibilité.
（Perfect, thank you very much for your flexibility.）

Grammar and Expression Points

1. “To Postpone” vs. “To Move”

In French, two main verbs are used when rescheduling a meeting:

Think of reporter as “rescheduling to a later date,” while déplacer means “changing its position in the schedule.”

2. Making Polite Requests

When asking to reschedule, instead of being direct, it is better to frame your request as a polite question.

“Serait-il possible … ?” uses the conditional mood, making it more considerate and appropriate for formal business contexts.

3. Asking About the Other Person’s Availability

It is important not only to suggest your preferred time but also to ask about the other person’s schedule.

“Convenir à ~” means “to be suitable for ~,” while “être disponible” means “to be available.” These expressions make schedule adjustments smoother.

4. Common Phrases for Agreement

Here are some useful expressions to confirm or agree with the new schedule:

The phrase “je note” (I’ll take note of it) is very common in business conversations.

Summary

泉（Izumi）

Author

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