Portuguese · Real conversations
Change a plan naturally in Portuguese
When a plan changes, state the change early. Ask for a new day, explain that you cannot attend, or give a realistic arrival time and check whether it works.
Three ways to say it
Podemos mudar nosso encontro para sexta-feira?
Could we move our meeting to Friday?
Request a new day for an existing meeting.
Surgiu um imprevisto. Não posso ir hoje.
Something has come up. I can't make it today.
Explain an unexpected commitment and decline today's arrangement.
Desculpe, vou me atrasar dez minutos. Tudo bem?
I'm sorry, I'll be ten minutes late. Is that okay?
Give the expected delay and ask whether that is acceptable.
Avoid translating word by word
English 'something has come up' usually means an unexpected matter needs attention. It does not describe an object moving upward. The examples use a natural expression for an unexpected event or task.
See the difference in context
Moving a Thursday meeting
Quinta-feira ainda está bom?
Is Thursday still okay?
Podemos mudar nosso encontro para sexta-feira?
Could we move our meeting to Friday?
Changing an afternoon arrangement
Até hoje à tarde.
See you this afternoon.
Surgiu um imprevisto. Não posso ir hoje.
Something has come up. I can't make it today.
Your turn
Tell someone you will be ten minutes late. Apologize and ask whether the revised time is okay.
Reveal a sample reply
Desculpe, vou me atrasar dez minutos. Tudo bem?
I'm sorry, I'll be ten minutes late. Is that okay?
This speaking goal in other languages
A note on speaking Portuguese
These guides use Brazilian Portuguese. Você is a common everyday address; senhor or senhora may fit a more formal interaction. Eu gostaria and poderia can soften requests without making them complicated.
Keep the accents and nasal spellings, such as não and conexão. Portuguese in Portugal may use different everyday vocabulary or pronouns. The examples aim for broadly understandable Brazilian wording.
