How to Say ‘Can't make it’ in Simplified Chinese
不能来
bù néng lái
[boo-nung lai]
💬 Usage Tip: [来] often gets translated as "come," but with appointments or bookings, [不能来] is the natural way to say you can't make it. The same pattern works elsewhere too: [明天来不了] means "I can't come tomorrow."
Phrase Breakdown
不能
bù néng
[boo-nung]
cannot; be unable to
Used to express that someone is not able to attend or arrive.
如果您今天不能来，可以先打电话。
If you can’t come today, you can call first.
来
lái
[lai]
to come
Means to come, arrive, or attend.
我晚上不能来，所以需要取消。
I can’t come tonight, so I need to cancel.
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