A2 Expression Neutral

到时候再说

823

We'll see then

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this phrase to politely delay a decision or avoid committing to a plan right now.

  • Means: Postponing a decision until the specific time arrives.
  • Used in: Casual social planning, avoiding pressure, or when details are uncertain.
  • Don't confuse: It is not a flat 'no'; it is a 'not now'.
Calendar icon + Shrug emoji = Flexible plans

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'wait until later'. Use it when you are not sure about your plans.
It is a common expression to delay a decision. When someone asks you to do something, but you are not ready to say yes or no, you say this.
This phrase is used to postpone a commitment. It is useful in social situations where you want to remain flexible. It implies that the decision depends on future circumstances.
Functioning as a pragmatic strategy, this expression allows speakers to navigate social pressure by deferring judgment. It is highly effective in avoiding immediate confrontation or premature commitment.
This is a quintessential example of Chinese indirect communication. By shifting the focus to the temporal 'when', the speaker avoids the binary trap of 'yes/no', thereby preserving interpersonal harmony.
The phrase serves as a linguistic buffer in discourse. It reflects a high-context communication style where the ambiguity of the future is leveraged to maintain social equilibrium and avoid the rigidity of explicit refusal.

Meaning

Suggests that a decision or plan will be made later, when the time comes.

🌍

Cultural Background

Very common in daily life to avoid conflict.

💡

Add '吧'

Always add '吧' to sound less blunt.

Meaning

Suggests that a decision or plan will be made later, when the time comes.

💡

Add '吧'

Always add '吧' to sound less blunt.

Test Yourself

Complete the sentence.

A: 我们下周去旅游吗？ B: 我还没想好，_______。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 到时候再说

This is the correct phrase for deferring a decision.

🎉 Score: /1

Frequently Asked Questions

1 questions

Not if you use '吧'.

Related Phrases

🔄

以后再说

synonym

Talk about it later

Where to Use It

📅

Weekend plans

Friend: 周六去唱歌吗？

You: 还不确定，到时候再说吧。

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a clock: 'Dao' (arrive) at the 'Shihou' (time) and then 'Zai' (again) 'Shuo' (speak).

Visual Association

Imagine a calendar page blowing in the wind—you aren't ready to write on it yet!

Story

My friend asked me to go to a concert. I checked my calendar, it was empty, but I was tired. I said, '到时候再说吧!' I felt relieved.

Word Web

时间决定以后不确定计划考虑

Challenge

Use this phrase three times today when someone asks you about future plans.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Ya veremos

Ya veremos is slightly more dismissive.

French high

On verra bien

None, very similar.

German high

Das sehen wir dann

German is slightly more direct.

Japanese high

その時になったら考えます

Japanese is much more formal.

Arabic high

نرى في ذلك الوقت

None.

Chinese high

到时候再说

N/A

Korean high

그때 가서 생각해보자

None.

Portuguese high

Depois vemos

None.

Easily Confused

到时候再说 vs 到时候看

Very similar meaning.

看 means 'see', 说 means 'speak'.

FAQ (1)

Not if you use '吧'.

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