French Phrase
On peut décaler ça ?
Meaning
Literally, “Can we shift that?” It is a polite, informal way to ask whether something can be moved to another time or place, such as a meeting, a deadline, or a scheduled activity.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to propose a change in schedule or location in a casual‑to‑semi‑formal setting—e.g., at work with colleagues, with friends arranging plans, or when speaking to a service provider you already have a rapport with.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onpeutdécalerça?
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is used like ‘we’ or ‘one’ in French and is the most common subject pronoun in spoken language.
Peut (present of pouvoir)
‘Peut’ is the third‑person singular present of ‘pouvoir’ and agrees with the singular subject ‘on’.
Délacer (infinitive after pouvoir)
After a modal verb like ‘pouvoir’, the following verb stays in the infinitive; here ‘décaler’ means ‘to shift, to move, to postpone’.
Ça (demonstrative pronoun)
‘Ça’ replaces a previously mentioned idea, object or event; it is informal but perfectly acceptable in most spoken contexts.
Question intonation
In spoken French, a rising intonation at the end of the sentence turns a statement into a polite question without needing ‘est‑ce que’.
🗨In Conversation
On peut décaler ça ?
Can we move that?
Oui, pas de problème, on le repousse à 15 h.
Sure, no problem, we’ll push it to 3 p.m.
✕Common Mistakes
On peux décaler ça ?
‘Peux’ is the 1st‑person singular form; with the subject ‘on’ you must use ‘peut’.
On peut déplacer ça ?
‘Déplacer’ means ‘to move physically’; ‘décaler’ is preferred for shifting dates or times.
On peut décaler cela ?
Using ‘cela’ is more formal; ‘ça’ is fine in spoken French but avoid it in very formal writing.
↔Alternatives
Est‑ce qu’on peut repousser ça ?
Can we postpone that?
Peut‑on décaler cela ?
Can we shift that?
On peut le remettre à plus tard ?
Can we put it off for later?
Cultural Tip
In French, ‘on’ replaces ‘nous’ in everyday speech, making the request sound less formal and more collaborative. The verb ‘décaler’ is common in business and tech contexts, while ‘repousser’ or ‘remettre’ are slightly more formal alternatives. Pay attention to tone: a rising intonation signals a polite request rather than a command.