Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 約束 | yakusoku | [ja̠kɯ̟̊so̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 待ち合わせ | machiawase | [ma̠t͡ɕia̠β̞a̠se̞] (narrow) |
| アポイント | apointo | |
| アポ | apo | [a̠po̞] (narrow) |
| 予約 | yoyaku | [jo̞ja̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The term used for appointment depends heavily on what kind of arrangement you are making. Use 約束 for social appointments or promises made between friends and acquaintances. Use 予約 when the appointment involves a service or a resource, such as a restaurant table, a hotel room or a doctor's visit. If the appointment refers specifically to the act of meeting someone at a designated time and place, use 待ち合わせ.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 待ち合わせ literally means waiting for each other, derived from the verb 待つ (to wait) and 会う (to meet).
Which one should you use?
約束 is used for social engagements or promises, while 予約 is used for reservations involving services or resources. For the specific act of meeting at a set time and place, use 待ち合わせ. In business contexts, the loanwords アポイント and its shortened form アポ are also used.
How do you pronounce it?
yakusoku
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 約束 for professional business appointments. Instead, use 予約 or アポイント for service-based or formal business settings.
Did you know?
- The word 約束 can be used to describe a 'pinky swear', a gesture known as 指切り (yubikiri), where two people lock pinky fingers to seal a promise.
- If you use 予約 to describe a meeting with a friend, you might inadvertently imply that you have 'booked' them like a hotel room or a seat at a restaurant.
- While アポイント is a loanword, using the shortened アポ in a business setting often specifically refers to the process of scheduling the meeting rather than the meeting itself.
Examples in context
- アポ取れた？Did you get an appointment?This sentence is useful for asking if an appointment was secured using the form アポ.Tatoeba #12439919 by small_snow, translation #12439916 by CK
- 約束の時間に遅れた。I was late for the appointment.This sentence is useful for describing being late for a social appointment using the form 約束.Tatoeba #79544 by bunbuku, translation #324174 by CK
- 次の予約があるんだ。I have another appointment.This sentence is useful for stating you have another service-based appointment using the form 予約.Tatoeba #10987966 by small_snow, translation #10987999 by DJ_Saidez
- 予約を入れたいのですが。I would like to make an appointment.
- 来週の打ち合わせの日程は決まりましたか。Has the schedule for next week's meeting been decided?
- 今日の面会はどこでしますか。Where shall we meet today?
- 56 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking on the phone about their plans.
- 蓮 Ren今日の約束、覚えてる？Kyō no yakusoku, oboeteru?Do you remember our appointment for today?
- 結衣 Yuiもちろん、忘れてないよ。Mochiron, wasuretenai yo.Of course, I haven't forgotten.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、駅で待ち合わせね。Jā, eki de machiawase ne.Then, let's meet at the station.
- 結衣 Yuiわかった、楽しみにしてるね。Wakatta, tanoshimi ni shiteru ne.Okay, I'm looking forward to it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “appointment” translations and entries 約束, 待ち合わせ, アポ, 予約, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
