to postpone
The English verb to postpone can be translated into French in several ways, depending on the formality, context, and the nature of what is being delayed. The most common French equivalents include reporter, remettre, repousser, décaler, ajourner, and différer. Some of these verbs are close synonyms, but their usage can differ based on the setting (formal, informal, bureaucratic, conversational) and the object being postponed (event, task, deadline, etc.).
Reporter
This is the most common and neutral translation of to postpone. It applies to meetings, events, deadlines, and other scheduled activities. It is suitable in both spoken and written French, and is widely used in business, administration, and daily life.
- Nous devons reporter la réunion à la semaine prochaine.
We have to postpone the meeting until next week. - La conférence a été reportée en raison de la grève.
The conference was postponed due to the strike. - Ils ont reporté le lancement du produit.
They postponed the product launch.
Remettre
Remettre also means to postpone, but more literally means to put back. It often implies rescheduling to a later, unspecified time. It is slightly more informal than reporter, and commonly used in everyday speech.
- On remet ça à demain ?
Shall we postpone that until tomorrow? - Il a remis son rendez-vous chez le médecin.
He postponed his doctor’s appointment. - Le match a été remis à une date ultérieure.
The match was postponed to a later date.
Repousser
Repousser literally means to push back. It is a direct and common synonym of reporter, used especially when something is actively delayed.
- Le gouvernement a repoussé la réforme à l’année prochaine.
The government postponed the reform until next year. - Je dois repousser notre rendez-vous.
I need to postpone our appointment. - Ils ont repoussé la date limite de dépôt des candidatures.
They postponed the application deadline.
Décaler
Décaler is used when something is being shifted in time or space. In the context of scheduling, it often means postponing or rescheduling by a defined amount of time. It is particularly common in professional and informal settings.
- Peut-on décaler la réunion de 15 minutes ?
Can we postpone the meeting by 15 minutes? - Ils ont décalé le début du concert à 21h.
They postponed the start of the concert to 9 p.m. - Le rendez-vous a été décalé à jeudi.
The appointment was postponed to Thursday.
Ajourner
Ajourner is formal and often used in legal, bureaucratic, or academic contexts. It implies postponement without cancelling the event, often until further notice.
- Le tribunal a ajourné l’audience.
The court postponed the hearing. - L’assemblée a décidé d’ajourner le vote.
The assembly decided to postpone the vote. - L’examen a été ajourné en raison des intempéries.
The exam was postponed due to bad weather.
Différer
Différer is formal and more literary. It means to defer or delay something in time. It is often used in writing or administrative language.
- Ils ont différé la publication du rapport.
They postponed the publication of the report. - Le lancement a été différé sans explication.
The launch was postponed without explanation. - Le ministre a décidé de différer sa visite.
The minister decided to postpone his visit.
Other useful expressions
In informal contexts, especially in spoken French, fixed phrases or idiomatic expressions can also be used.
- On remet ça ?
Shall we postpone it? - On verra ça plus tard.
We’ll deal with that later. - Ce sera pour une autre fois.
That’ll be for another time.
These are not direct translations of to postpone, but they function as such in everyday language.
Summary
- Reporter, remettre, and repousser are the most common translations for to postpone, with minor differences in tone and specificity.
- Décaler implies rescheduling with a concrete time shift.
- Ajourner and différer are formal and used in official, legal, or academic contexts.
- Informal speech often uses expressions like remettre ça or on verra ça plus tard.
Each verb corresponds to a slightly different use case, but all can serve as translations of to postpone depending on the situation.
