Vocab: Asking for a Reschedule

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TL;DR 🦄

Learn how to ask for a 연기 (postponement) when you need to reschedule.

Practice 조율 (coordinating) a new time and asking for 양해 (understanding).

Master saying things 정중하게 (politely) when making a 부탁 (request).

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🎧 Iru Helper Note

Need a refresher on pronunciation? Check out the Korean Helper Widgets for audio support.

Try listening to: 일정을 좀 연기할 수 있을까요?

🌈 The Big Picture

Sometimes plans change, and you need to ask for a 연기 (postponement). Doing this well means 조율 (coordinating) a new time, asking for 양해 (understanding), and making your 부탁 (request) 정중하게 (politely). This lesson covers the essential vocabulary for rescheduling gracefully in Korean.

🎨 The Core Reschedule Family

1. 연기 — postponement 🗓️

Refers to delaying something to a later time. "일정을 연기하다" means "to postpone the schedule."

Note: 연기하다 means "to postpone" — different from 취소하다 (to cancel).

2. 조율 — coordination / adjustment 🔄

Describes negotiating or adjusting something, often a schedule, to fit everyone. "시간을 조율하다" means "to coordinate the time."

Note: Implies mutual negotiation, not a one-sided change.

3. 양해 — understanding (in response to inconvenience) 🤲

Used when asking someone to be understanding about an inconvenience. "양해를 구하다" means "to ask for understanding."

Note: Don't confuse with 이해 (general comprehension/understanding of an idea).

4. 정중하게 — politely / respectfully 🎩

The adverb form of 정중하다, describing a dignified, respectful manner. "정중하게 부탁드리다" means "to politely make a request."

Note: Slightly more formal/dignified than 공손하게 (politely, humble manner).

5. 부탁 — request / favor 🙏

A personal request or favor, ranging from casual to formal. "부탁드립니다" is the polite/honorific way to say "please" or "I have a request."

Note: Compare with 요청 (a more formal/official request, often used in business).

🛠️ How They Work in a Sentence

1. 일정을 좀 연기할 수 있을까요?

Could we postpone the schedule a bit?

→ 일정을 연기할 수 있을까요? (could we postpone the schedule?) is a polite way to ask for a delay.

2. 시간을 조율해서 다시 약속을 잡았어요.

We coordinated the time and made a new appointment.

→ 시간을 조율해서 (by coordinating the time) + 다시 약속을 잡았어요 (made a new appointment).

3. 갑작스러운 부탁이지만 양해 부탁드립니다.

It's a sudden request, but I ask for your understanding.

→ 갑작스러운 부탁이지만 (it's a sudden request, but) + 양해 부탁드립니다 (I humbly ask for your understanding).

🧩 General Formation Rule

연기 (postponement) → 연기하다 (to postpone, dictionary form), 연기해요 (polite present), 연기할 수 있을까요? (could we postpone...?)

조율 (coordination) → 조율하다 (to coordinate, dictionary form), 조율해요 (polite present), 조율했어요 (past)

양해 (understanding) → 양해를 구하다 (to ask for understanding), 양해해 주세요 (please understand), 양해 부탁드립니다 (honorific, "I humbly ask for your understanding")

정중하다 (to be polite/respectful, adjective) → 정중하게 (adverb form, modifies a verb), 정중한 (attributive)

부탁 (request/favor) → 부탁하다 (to ask a favor, dictionary form), 부탁해요 (polite present), 부탁드립니다 (honorific form)

📚 Cross-check note

All vocabulary cross-checked against korean.go.kr ✅

🪞 Synonym Alert

연기 vs 미루다 — 연기하다 is a more formal noun+하다 verb meaning "to postpone"; 미루다 is an everyday verb meaning "to put off/delay."

조율 vs 맞추다 — 조율하다 implies negotiating/adjusting something (often schedules) to fit everyone; 맞추다 means "to match/align" in a more general sense.

양해 vs 이해 — 양해 is asking for understanding about an inconvenience ("양해를 구하다"); 이해 is general comprehension or understanding of an idea.

정중하게 vs 공손하게 — 정중하게 conveys a dignified, formal politeness; 공손하게 emphasizes a humble, deferential manner.

부탁 vs 요청 — 부탁 is a personal favor or request, often relational; 요청 is a more formal/official request, common in business contexts.

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

❌ 약속을 연기했어요 (meaning "I canceled the appointment") → ✅ 연기하다 means "to postpone," not "to cancel" — use 취소하다 for cancellations.

❌ 일정을 조율했어요 (when you unilaterally changed it without discussion) → ✅ 조율하다 implies mutual negotiation — if it was one-sided, use 바꾸다 (to change).

❌ 양해해 주세요 used for "please understand this concept" → ✅ 양해 is for understanding about an inconvenience; use 이해해 주세요 for comprehension of an idea.

❌ 정중하게 부탁 (missing 드리다/하다) → ✅ 정중하게 부탁드립니다 — pair the adverb with a verb for a complete sentence.

❌ 부탁드립니다 in a highly formal business email → ✅ 요청드립니다 may be more appropriate in formal/official business contexts.

You're ready to reschedule gracefully — 정중하게 부탁드려 보세요! 🙏

Try this exercise

Fill in each blank with the correct word from the Vocabulary Box. Use each word at least once.

일정을 좀 ＿＿＿＿할 수 있을까요?

시간을 ＿＿＿＿해서 약속을 다시 잡았어요.

갑작스러운 부탁이지만 ＿＿＿＿ 부탁드립니다.

＿＿＿＿ 말씀드리면, 다음 주가 더 좋을 것 같아요.

작은 ＿＿＿＿ 하나 드려도 될까요?

회의를 다음 주로 ＿＿＿＿하고 싶어요.

두 사람의 일정을 ＿＿＿＿하기가 어려웠어요.

늦어서 죄송합니다, ＿＿＿＿ 부탁드립니다.

＿＿＿＿ 요청드려도 괜찮을까요?

일정 변경에 대해 ＿＿＿＿ 설명해 주셨어요.

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Vocabulary Box

연기 · 조율 · 양해 · 정중하게 · 부탁

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Pitfalls Reminder

연기하다 = postpone, not cancel

조율하다 = mutual negotiation

양해 = understanding about inconvenience, not 이해 (comprehension)

정중하게 + verb (e.g., 부탁드리다)

부탁 (personal) vs 요청 (formal/business)

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Want more reps? Visit the Practice Hub below for 50 more questions! 🚀

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Practice Hub: Asking for a Reschedule 🙏

Ready for more practice? Work through these 5 exercises (50 questions total) to fully master this lesson's vocabulary. Listen along with the Korean Helper Widgets for pronunciation support!

Exercise 1 — Reschedule Word Recall 🙏

A. What does 연기 mean?

B. What does 조율 mean?

C. What does 양해 mean?

D. What does 정중하게 mean?

E. What does 부탁 mean?

F. What is the verb form of 연기?

G. What is the difference between 연기하다 and 취소하다?

H. What is the difference between 양해 and 이해?

I. What is the difference between 정중하게 and 공손하게?

J. What is the difference between 부탁 and 요청?

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Reference

연기 = postponement

조율 = coordination/adjustment

양해 = understanding (about inconvenience)

정중하게 = politely/respectfully

부탁 = request/favor

연기하다 = to postpone

연기하다 = postpone; 취소하다 = cancel

양해 = understanding about inconvenience; 이해 = general comprehension

정중하게 = dignified politeness; 공손하게 = humble manner

부탁 = personal favor; 요청 = formal/official request

Exercise 2 — Rescheduling Situational Phrases 📞

A. How do you say "Could we postpone the meeting?"

B. How do you say "Let's coordinate a new time"?

C. How do you say "I ask for your understanding"?

D. How do you say "I'm making a request politely"?

E. How do you say "I have a small favor to ask"?

F. How do you say "It's a sudden request, but..."?

G. How do you say "I'd like to postpone it to next week"?

H. How do you say "Coordinating both schedules was difficult"?

I. How do you say "Please understand the schedule change"?

J. How do you say "I respectfully request a change"?

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Reference

회의를 연기할 수 있을까요?

새 시간을 조율해 봐요.

양해 부탁드립니다.

정중하게 부탁드려요.

작은 부탁이 있어요.

갑작스러운 부탁이지만...

다음 주로 연기하고 싶어요.

두 사람의 일정을 조율하기가 어려웠어요.

일정 변경에 대해 양해해 주세요.

정중하게 변경을 요청드립니다.

Exercise 3 — 연기하다 & 조율하다 Conjugation Practice 🔁

A. Conjugate 연기하다 into polite present tense.

B. Conjugate 연기하다 into past tense.

C. Conjugate 조율하다 into polite present tense.

D. Fill in: 회의를 다음 주로 ＿＿＿＿. (연기하다, past)

E. Fill in: 시간을 ＿＿＿＿서 다시 정했어요. (조율하다)

F. Translate: "Can we postpone this to Friday?"

G. Translate: "We're coordinating the schedules now."

H. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 일정이 다음 달로 바뀌었어요. (연기하다, attributive — "the postponed schedule")

I. Translate: "I postponed the appointment due to a sudden situation."

J. Translate: "We coordinated and found a time that works for everyone."

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Reference

연기해요

연기했어요

조율해요

회의를 다음 주로 연기했어요.

시간을 조율해서 다시 정했어요.

이거 금요일로 연기할 수 있을까요?

지금 일정을 조율하고 있어요.

연기된 일정이 다음 달로 바뀌었어요.

갑작스러운 사정으로 약속을 연기했어요.

조율해서 모두에게 맞는 시간을 찾았어요.

Exercise 4 — 양해 & 부탁 Honorific Practice 🙇

A. How do you politely ask for understanding (honorific form)?

B. Fill in: 늦어서 죄송합니다, ＿＿＿＿ 부탁드립니다.

C. Translate: "I have a favor to ask of you."

D. Convert "부탁해요" into its more honorific form.

E. Fill in: 작은 ＿＿＿＿ 하나 드려도 될까요?

F. Translate: "Please understand that the schedule has changed."

G. Translate: "Thank you for your understanding."

H. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿이지만 도와주실 수 있을까요?

I. Translate: "I'd like to ask a favor politely."

J. Translate: "We ask for your kind understanding regarding this matter."

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Reference

양해 부탁드립니다.

양해

부탁드릴 게 있어요.

부탁드립니다

부탁

일정이 바뀐 점 양해해 주세요.

양해해 주셔서 감사합니다.

부탁

정중하게 부탁드리고 싶어요.

이 건에 대해 양해 부탁드립니다.

Exercise 5 — 종합 연습 (Mixed Mastery) 🎯

A. Translate: "I'd like to postpone the meeting and coordinate a new time."

B. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿을 ＿＿＿＿하고 새 시간을 ＿＿＿＿하고 싶어요.

C. Translate: "It's a sudden request, but could you postpone it politely?"

D. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 부탁이지만 ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿해 주실 수 있을까요?

E. Translate: "We coordinated our schedules and asked for everyone's understanding."

F. Fill in: 일정을 ＿＿＿＿하고 모두의 ＿＿＿＿를 구했어요.

G. Translate: "I politely asked for a postponement and they understood."

H. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿을 부탁드렸더니 ＿＿＿＿해 주셨어요.

I. Translate: "Because of a sudden situation, I ask for your understanding about the postponement."

J. Write one full sentence using at least three of this lesson's words.

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Reference

회의를 연기하고 새 시간을 조율하고 싶어요.

회의 / 연기 / 조율

갑작스러운 부탁이지만 정중하게 연기해 주실 수 있을까요?

갑작스러운 / 정중하게 / 연기

일정을 조율하고 모두의 양해를 구했어요.

조율 / 양해

정중하게 연기를 부탁드렸더니 양해해 주셨어요.

정중하게 / 연기 / 양해

갑작스러운 사정으로 연기에 대해 양해 부탁드립니다.

Example: 정중하게 연기를 부탁드리고 양해를 구했어요.

다음 일정도 잘 조율되길 바라요! 🙏✨