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N4  ·  40 words

Making plans

Inviting, accepting, turning down and arranging where and when to meet.

A Japanese invitation is often a negative question — 一緒(いっしょ)に行(い)きませんか, "won't you come with me?" — which sounds gentler than a direct one. Saying no is gentler still: people seldom answer いいえ outright, but say that the day is a little difficult, その日(ひ)はちょっと…, or that it does not suit them, 都合(つごう)が悪(わる)い, and leave the rest unsaid.

The words

Verb (7)

誘(さそ)うto invite; to ask (someone) alongVerbN4
同僚(どうりょう)を映画(えいが)に誘(さそ)いました。I asked a colleague to come to the cinema.
断(ことわ)るto decline; to turn downVerbN4
用事(ようじ)があったので、パーティーに行(い)くのを断(ことわ)りました。I had something on, so I said no to the party.
空(あ)くto be free; to become emptyVerbN4
金曜日(きんようび)の夜(よる)なら空(あ)いています。I'm free on Friday evening.

Of time and of seats: 空(あ)いている, "free, available".

決(き)まるto be decided; to be fixedVerbN4
旅行(りょこう)の日(ひ)が決(き)まりました。The date of the trip has been fixed.

Intransitive: the plan gets decided; deciding it yourself is 決(き)める.

立(た)てるto make (a plan); to stand (something) upVerbN4
夏休(なつやす)みの計画(けいかく)を立(た)てました。I made plans for the summer holidays.
落(お)ち合(あ)うto meet up (at an agreed place)VerbN2
映画館(えいがかん)の前(まえ)で落(お)ち合(あ)いましょう。Let's meet up in front of the cinema.
空(あ)けるto keep (time) free; to make roomVerbN3
土曜日(どようび)の午後(ごご)を空(あ)けておいてください。Please keep Saturday afternoon free.

Transitive partner of 空(あ)く.

Noun (31)

約束(やくそく)promise; arrangement to meetNounN4
友達(ともだち)と6時(じ)に会(あ)う約束(やくそく)をしました。I have arranged to meet a friend at six.

For meeting people; a booking at a restaurant or a clinic is 予約(よやく).

予定(よてい)plans; scheduleNounN4
今週(こんしゅう)の土曜日(どようび)は予定(よてい)がありますか。Do you have any plans this Saturday?
都合(つごう)whether something suits; convenienceNounN4
明日(あした)の午後(ごご)、ご都合(つごう)はいかがですか。Would tomorrow afternoon suit you?

都合(つごう)が悪(わる)い, "it does not suit me", is the polite way of saying you cannot come.

待(ま)ち合(あ)わせarranging to meet; meeting placeNounN4
待(ま)ち合(あ)わせは駅(えき)の改札(かいさつ)の前(まえ)にしましょう。Let's meet in front of the ticket gates at the station.
空(あ)き時間(じかん)free time (between commitments)NounN3
授業(じゅぎょう)の間(あいだ)の空(あ)き時間(じかん)に友達(ともだち)と会(あ)います。I meet a friend in the free time between classes.
用事(ようじ)something to do; errandNounN4
今日(きょう)は用事(ようじ)があるので、早(はや)く帰(かえ)ります。I have something to do today, so I'm going home early.

A vague, polite reason for not being able to come.

集合(しゅうごう)meeting up (of a group)NounN4
明日(あした)は朝(あさ)9時(じ)に駅前(えきまえ)に集合(しゅうごう)です。Tomorrow we all meet in front of the station at nine.

Also a verb: 集合(しゅうごう)する.

延期(えんき)postponementNounN3
雨(あめ)のため、ピクニックは来週(らいしゅう)に延期(えんき)になりました。Because of the rain, the picnic has been put off until next week.
中止(ちゅうし)cancellation; calling offNounN4
台風(たいふう)で花火大会(はなびたいかい)が中止(ちゅうし)になりました。The fireworks display was called off because of the typhoon.

For an event that will not take place at all.

招待(しょうたい)invitationNounN4
友達(ともだち)の結婚式(けっこんしき)に招待(しょうたい)されました。I've been invited to a friend's wedding.

A formal invitation; asking a friend along is 誘(さそ)う.

歓迎会(かんげいかい)welcome partyNounN3
来週(らいしゅう)、新(あたら)しい同僚(どうりょう)の歓迎会(かんげいかい)をします。Next week we're having a welcome party for a new colleague.
飲(の)み会(かい)drinks; evening out drinkingNounN4
金曜日(きんようび)に会社(かいしゃ)の飲(の)み会(かい)があります。There are office drinks on Friday.
目印(めじるし)landmark; something to look out forNounN3
赤(あか)いポストを目印(めじるし)にしてください。Look out for the red postbox.
スケジュールscheduleNounN3
来月(らいげつ)のスケジュールを確(たし)かめます。I'll check my schedule for next month.
行(い)き先(さき)destination; where one is goingNounN3
旅行(りょこう)の行(い)き先(さき)はまだ決(き)めていません。We haven't decided where to go on the trip yet.
提案(ていあん)suggestion; proposalNounN3
友達(ともだち)がキャンプに行(い)こうと提案(ていあん)しました。A friend suggested going camping.

Also a verb: 提案(ていあん)する.

先約(せんやく)prior engagementNounN2
すみません、その日(ひ)は先約(せんやく)があります。Sorry, I've already got something on that day.
次回(じかい)next time (of something that repeats)NounN3
次回(じかい)は私(わたし)の家(いえ)で会(あ)いましょう。Next time, let's meet at my place.
送別会(そうべつかい)farewell partyNounN3
転勤(てんきん)する先輩(せんぱい)の送別会(そうべつかい)に参加(さんか)しました。I went to the farewell party for a senior colleague who is being transferred.
会場(かいじょう)venueNounN3
会場(かいじょう)までの地図(ちず)を送(おく)ります。I'll send you a map showing the way to the venue.
日(ひ)にちdate; day (set for something)NounN3
会(あ)う日(ひ)にちを決(き)めましょう。Let's fix a day to meet.
当日(とうじつ)the day itself; on the dayNounN4
当日(とうじつ)は雨(あめ)でも行(い)きます。We'll go on the day even if it rains.
誘(さそ)いinvitation (to come along)NounN4
友達(ともだち)の誘(さそ)いを断(ことわ)るのは難(むずか)しいです。It's hard to turn down an invitation from a friend.
手帳(てちょう)diary; plannerNounN4
予定(よてい)はいつも手帳(てちょう)に書(か)いています。I always write my plans in my diary.
了解(りょうかい)understood; OKNounN3
では、明日(あした)の10時(じ)ということで了解(りょうかい)しました。Right — tomorrow at ten, then. Got it.

Fine among friends and colleagues; to a superior or a customer, 承知(しょうち)しました is safer.

前日(ぜんじつ)the day beforeNounN4
旅行(りょこう)の前日(ぜんじつ)に荷物(にもつ)を準備(じゅんび)します。I pack the day before a trip.
時間通(じかんどお)りon time; as scheduledNounN3
友達(ともだち)は時間(じかん)通(どお)りに来(き)ました。My friend arrived on time.

Usually with に: 時間(じかん)通(どお)りに.

日時(にちじ)date and timeNounN3
会(かい)の日時(にちじ)が決(き)まったら、教(おし)えてください。Let me know once the date and time of the get-together are fixed.
遊(あそ)びplay; going round (to see someone)NounN4
今度(こんど)うちに遊(あそ)びに来(き)てください。Do come round to our place some time.

遊(あそ)びに行(い)く is how adults say they are going to see a friend.

再来週(さらいしゅう)the week after nextNounN4
再来週(さらいしゅう)の日曜日(にちようび)はどうですか。How about Sunday the week after next?
集(あつ)まりgathering; get-togetherNounN3
今夜(こんや)は大学(だいがく)の友達(ともだち)の集(あつ)まりがあります。Tonight there is a get-together with friends from university.

Adverb (1)

早(はや)めにa little early; in good timeAdverbN3
道(みち)が混(こ)むので、早(はや)めに出(で)ましょう。The roads get busy, so let's set off in good time.

na-adjective (1)

無理(むり)impossible; too muchna-adjectiveN4
今週(こんしゅう)は忙(いそが)しいので、会(あ)うのは無理(むり)です。I'm busy this week, so I can't manage to meet.

無理(むり)しないでください, "don't overdo it", is a kind thing to say.

This list belongs to Free time, hobbies and sport — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.