German · A2 · Speaking · about 5 min
Name the appointment, ask for another day, check the time, and confirm it. Learn six lines and practise the exchange.
Anya has an appointment at a language school on Tuesday, but her train will arrive too late. She calls the school. A short opening says exactly what needs to change: ‘Ich muss meinen Termin am Dienstag verschieben.’ Termin is an appointment; verschieben means to move it to a different time. She does not need to tell a long travel story before the staff member understands the task. The appointment is at a language school, so the next useful step is to ask for a free time.
MomentYou need to move Tuesday's appointment. What do you say first?
Say thisIch muss meinen Termin am Dienstag verschieben.
WhyVerschieben names the change; Dienstag identifies the appointment.
MomentYou want to ask about a free Thursday slot. Which line fits?
Say thisHaben Sie am Donnerstag einen freien Termin?
WhyA concrete day is easy to answer; Sie keeps the request polite.
MomentYou are free on Thursday morning. What do you say?
Say thisAm Donnerstagvormittag kann ich.
WhyVormittag narrows the available time to before noon.
MomentThey offer noon, but you can arrive only at 15:00. What do you say?
Say thisLeider schaffe ich es erst um 15 Uhr.
WhyErst um 15 Uhr gives the earliest possible time.
MomentYou did not catch the time. What do you ask?
Say thisKönnten Sie die Uhrzeit bitte wiederholen?
WhyWiederholen politely asks for the time again.
MomentYou want the new appointment in writing. What do you ask?
Say thisKönnten Sie mir den neuen Termin schriftlich bestätigen?
WhySchriftlich bestätigen asks for written confirmation.
| Moment | Say this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need to move Tuesday's appointment. What do you say first? | Ich muss meinen Termin am Dienstag verschieben. | Verschieben names the change; Dienstag identifies the appointment. |
| You want to ask about a free Thursday slot. Which line fits? | Haben Sie am Donnerstag einen freien Termin? | A concrete day is easy to answer; Sie keeps the request polite. |
| You are free on Thursday morning. What do you say? | Am Donnerstagvormittag kann ich. | Vormittag narrows the available time to before noon. |
| They offer noon, but you can arrive only at 15:00. What do you say? | Leider schaffe ich es erst um 15 Uhr. | Erst um 15 Uhr gives the earliest possible time. |
| You did not catch the time. What do you ask? | Könnten Sie die Uhrzeit bitte wiederholen? | Wiederholen politely asks for the time again. |
| You want the new appointment in writing. What do you ask? | Könnten Sie mir den neuen Termin schriftlich bestätigen? | Schriftlich bestätigen asks for written confirmation. |
With a staff member you do not know, use polite Sie. Ask ‘Haben Sie am Donnerstag einen freien Termin?’ A specific alternative helps the other person answer. If Thursday morning is possible for you, add ‘Am Donnerstagvormittag kann ich.’ Vormittag is the time before noon. When the school offers a slot, repeat the day and hour back. German times are easy to mishear over a phone call, so confirmation matters more than a perfect accent.
If the offered slot is too early, keep the conversation moving: ‘Leider schaffe ich es erst um 15 Uhr.’ Erst um 15 Uhr states the earliest time you can arrive. If a number was unclear, ask ‘Könnten Sie die Uhrzeit bitte wiederholen?’ Do not pretend you heard it to sound polite. Before ending, request written confirmation of the new appointment. The useful outcome is a new time that both sides understand, not simply a quick ‘okay’. The six choices below rehearse the whole exchange.
Name the appointment, ask for another day, check the time, and confirm it. Learn six lines and practise the exchange.
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You need to move Tuesday's appointment. What do you say first?
Ich muss meinen Termin am Dienstag verschieben.
Verschieben names the change; Dienstag identifies the appointment.
Anya's opening line on the call.
Haben Sie am Donnerstag einen freien Termin?
A concrete day is easy to answer; Sie keeps the request polite.
Thursday is the first day Anya can come.
Am Donnerstagvormittag kann ich.
Vormittag narrows the available time to before noon.
Anya can arrive before lunch.
Leider schaffe ich es erst um 15 Uhr.
Erst um 15 Uhr gives the earliest possible time.
The first offered slot does not work.
Könnten Sie die Uhrzeit bitte wiederholen?
Wiederholen politely asks for the time again.
The phone line cuts out during the number.
Könnten Sie mir den neuen Termin schriftlich bestätigen?
Schriftlich bestätigen asks for written confirmation.
Anya wants to check the date later.