أجل الاجتماع

You will mostly use the verb أجل followed by the object الاجتماع. If you are the one doing the postponing, you say أجلت الاجتماع (I postponed the meeting). If you are asking for a favor, try هل يمكننا تأجيل الاجتماع؟ (Can we postpone the meeting?). It is very flexible. You can add a specific time afterward using إلى (to/until). For example, إلى الأسبوع القادم (to next week). It works perfectly in emails, texts, or face-to-face chats.

Use this in professional settings when a project is not ready. Use it with friends when you are stuck in traffic. It is perfect for doctor appointments or study sessions too. If you are feeling overwhelmed, this phrase is your best friend. It signals that the event is still important, just not happening right now. It is much softer than canceling entirely.

Do not use this if you intend to cancel the meeting forever. For that, you need the verb ألغى (to cancel). Also, avoid using it for things that are not 'meetings' in a structured sense. You would not 'postpone' a sandwich, for instance. If you are just running five minutes late, use سأتأخر (I will be late) instead. Postponing implies a new time slot will be picked later.

In many Arabic-speaking cultures, time is viewed with a degree of flexibility. You will almost always hear the word إن شاء الله (If God wills) following this phrase. It acknowledges that while we plan, things can change. Postponing is often seen as a polite necessity rather than a failure. It is better to postpone than to show up unprepared or rushed. It shows you value the quality of the meeting.

You might hear تأجل الاجتماع which means 'the meeting was postponed' (passive voice). Another common one is نؤجل (we postpone). In some dialects, like Egyptian, you might hear أجلنا الميعاد (we postponed the appointment). Regardless of the dialect, the root أ-ج-ل remains the standard for delaying events. It is a very safe and widely understood root across the Arab world.