Practise declining a specific invitation while keeping the relationship friendly. Say which day does not work and offer an alternative only if you mean it.
Interpret a softened refusal in context
土曜日はちょっと… can be a softened way to decline Saturday. The unfinished phrasing relies on the situation. A learner may find it easier to understand and produce a fuller reason such as 土曜日は予定があります.
If you want to meet on another day, 日曜日はどうですか proposes Sunday. Do not use a vague また今度 as a firm arrangement; it does not specify a new date. In this dialogue, the two people explicitly agree on Sunday at two.
Confirm both day and time
日曜日の二時ですね checks the new plan. Keeping the final confirmation short reduces the risk of carrying the original Saturday into your calendar. These expressions suit the polite, friendly scene below; relationships and the seriousness of an invitation can call for different wording.
Examples to read before you practise
Japanese | Reading / English |
|---|---|
A：土曜日に映画を見ませんか。 | A: Would you like to see a film on Saturday? |
B：すみません。土曜日は予定があります。 | B: Sorry. I have plans on Saturday. |
B：日曜日はどうですか。 | B: How about Sunday? |
A：いいですね。二時に会いましょう。 | A: Sounds good. Let’s meet at two. |
B：日曜日の二時ですね。 | B: Sunday at two, correct? |
A：はい。 | A: Yes. |
Try six questions
Use the interactive practice below. Type only the requested expression. Kanji and kana alternatives are accepted where listed in the answer key. Completing a question records a result; opening the answer key does not.
Which day is declined? Copy the day.
Which day is finally agreed? Copy the day.
What time is agreed? Copy the time.
I have plans: 予定が（ ）。
Would you like to watch? 見（ ）か。 Complete the polite invitation ending.
Let’s meet: 会う → polite volitional
Answer key and explanations
土曜日 / どようび — Saturday does not work.
日曜日 / にちようび — Sunday is the alternative.
二時 / にじ — They agree on two.
あります — Plans are expressed with 予定があります.
ません — 見ませんか is a polite invitation.
会いましょう / あいましょう — 会いましょう proposes meeting.
Keep learning
Related lessons
Try what you have just read
Answer the six practice questions. Mistakes are saved for later review.
Try six questionsTry the six questions
Practise without an account. Sign in to sync your results and review schedule.
Loading your history…
Loading your history…
History and self-check answers
The answers below are for self-study and do not record a score. Mixed practice uses topics you have practised.
Recorded questions in this set: 0
Correct on first attempt: 0
Sources
Related Grammar
Masen Ka: Invite Someone to Do Something
A polite negative question can function as an invitation: 一緒に食べませんか. The speaker is proposing an activity, not merely stating that it will not happen. Practise with 10 explained questions.
Mashou and Mashou Ka: Suggestions and Offers
ましょう suggests doing something, often together. ましょうか can offer the speaker’s help or ask about a proposed joint action. Practise with 10 explained questions.
Related Articles
Ask Someone to Repeat in Japanese: Again, More Slowly, and One Detail
Keep a conversation going when you miss something. Choose between asking for the whole message again, asking for slower speech, and checking one detail.
Restaurant Reservation Japanese: Date, Time, and Party Size
Practise a short reservation call with a fictional restaurant. Give the number of people and repeat the time before ending the conversation.
Japanese Reading Practice: A Message About Swapping a Work Shift
Read a fictional exchange between two coworkers. Work out which person will cover each day after the proposed swap is accepted.
Japanese Message Practice: Tell Someone You Will Be Late
Write a brief delay message that includes an apology, the reason, and a usable arrival estimate. The workplace and transport problem here are fictional.
Japanese at Clinic Reception: Appointment, Name, and Where to Wait
Practise identifying yourself and understanding a simple reception instruction. This exercise covers language at the desk, without giving medical advice.
Lost Item Japanese: Describe a Bag and Ask Where to Go
Describe a missing object with a colour and a location. Practise giving useful details instead of relying on the word “lost” alone.