10 Ways to Ask About One’s Availability

Are you trying to figure out the best way to ask about someone’s availability? It can be hard to know how to phrase it at first glance.

Luckily, this article has all the answers. Here are some of the best synonyms you should familiarize yourself with:

• Are you available at
• Please let me know when you are available
• What is your availability this week?
• When are you free to meet?
• When should we set this up?
• Do you have any free time to do this?
• What time suits you best?
• When works for you?
• Are you going to be available on
• Please confirm your availability

The best ways to ask about one’s availability are “are you available at,” “please let me know when you are available,” and “what is your availability this week?” These phrases will ask someone for their direct availability so you can plan ahead with meetings.

1. Are You Available At

“Are you available at” is a great question that checks specific times and dates. You can use the “at” preposition to find out exactly what times work.

For example:

• Are you available at three?
• Are you available at nine on Thursday?

It’s up to you to be specific here. You should use “are you available at” when you’d like to confirm things as early as possible. It shows you’re trying to plan ahead and sort meetings out with employees.

Here are a few examples to help you with it:

• Are you available at six o’clock? I’d really like to find out more about this.
• Are you available at nine on Friday morning? We need to go through this schedule.

2. Please Let Me Know When You Are Available

“Please let me know when you are available” is a polite and formal synonym showing you how to ask for one’s availability. It is not a question. Instead, it’s worded as a statement.

Using a statement rather than a question leaves the availability up to the other party. It shows you’re willing to hear back from them when they’ve reviewed their availability and determined what times or dates suit them best.

The only issue you might run into is that people won’t “let you know.” Saying “please let me know” is polite, but it runs the risk of people ignoring you or not replying in time for you to set up official plans.

Check out some of these examples to see how it works:

• Please let me know when you are available this week. I’d love to talk you through these stages.
• Could you please let me know when you are available?I need to know by Friday morning.

3. What Is Your Availability This Week?

“What is your availability this week?” is a direct and formal question asking someone when they are free. It allows them to check their diary as soon as you ask to find out when they can fit in a time to see you.

Generally, you’ll want to use this question formally. It works best when you need to set up a meeting with a client. After all, it gives your client a chance to look through their diary before giving you any confirmed details.

Here are a few examples to help you:

• What is your availability this week? I think we should sit down and discuss some matters.
• I’m sorry, but what is your availability this week? You should run me through the new plans.

4. When Are You Free to Meet?

“When are you free to meet?” is a great question in formal spoken English. It shows you want to meet someone and would like to know what times work best.

Again, this gives people a chance to look through their diaries before giving any concrete information. They can check when they are free based on the days that would be most convenient for them.

Often, you’ll want to use this with friends or colleagues. Basically, when you are planning to meet someone you’re friendly with, “when are you free to meet?” works well.

Here are a couple of examples to give you some assistance:

• When are you free to meet, Benny? I would love to see you outside of work!
• Wait, when are you free to meet again? I don’t know if I put it in my diary last time.

5. When Should We Set This Up?

“When should we set this up?” works very well when you’ve made preliminary plans for a meeting and need to confirm availability.

It suggests you’ve already discussed the general ideas with a coworker but still need some information.

For example, imagine you’ve been tasked to set up a work fundraiser. You might have ironed out most of the details with a coworker. Now, all that’s left is setting up the date to host it based on availability. You should ask them, “when should we set this up?”

This allows your coworker to figure out a good time to do something. Of course, other situations apply, but this phrase works best when you’ve already sorted out most of the details.

Check out these examples to help:

• Now that we’ve sorted that, when should we set this up? I think Friday might be good.
• When should we set this up? Do you have any preferences on the timings?

6. Do You Have Any Free Time to Do This?

“Do you have any free time to do this?” is a decent option when asking someone whether they’re free. You should use it informally to check someone’s availability based on what “this” refers to.

Usually, you would have already established your plans when saying “do you have any free time to do this?”

For example:

• I want to go to the cinema. Do you have any free time to do this with me?

You should express your intention first before using this question. It’s very good at figuring out whether someone has the free time and interest in joining you, though.

Here are a few more examples:

• We should go to that restaurant later this week. Do you have any free time to do this?
• Wait, I’d like to take you to an escape room! Do you have any free time to do this coming up?

7. What Time Suits You Best?

“What time suits you best?” is a great question allowing you to leave the decision up to the other party. You might make a few suggestions that work for you, but overall, you expect the other person to have the final say.

It’s best to use a question like this when asking colleagues about their availability outside of work. For instance, you might ask a colleague to meet you for a coffee. You could say “what time suits you best?” to see what hours they have free in their diary.

Saying “suits you” leaves the decision entirely in your colleague’s hands. You can guide their choice by providing a few times yourself.

Here are a couple of examples to help you with it:

• I think six or seven will work best here. What time suits you best, though?
• What time suits you best? I want to ensure all of my friends can come along!

8. When Works For You?

“When works for you?” is a useful way to ask for someone’s availability. It allows someone to check their diary before giving you a response about what times suit them best.

In this instance, “what works” is synonymous with “when are you free?” It checks to see what times will be the most appropriate to book something in.

You’ll have the most luck with this question when arranging plans with friends. It’s more informal, so you should account for that.

These examples will help you with it:

• So, when works for you? I would love to get this show on the road.
• When works for you? I can probably do most of the hours listed.

9. Are You Going to Be Available On

“Are you going to be available on” is a more direct way to ask for availability. Rather than asking someone when they’re free, you can provide them with a specific date or time to check whether that works.

For instance:

• Are you going to be available on 15th May?

This way, you ensure that someone is free at a specific time. Of course, they might not be free, requiring you to find a different time.

This question is more confident and assured than others. It shows you have firm plans that you’d like someone to agree with and would rather they don’t change too much.

Check out these examples to help:

• Are you going to be available on Friday? I think that’s the best day for it.
• Are you going to be available on New Year’s Eve? That’s the only day I have free.

10. Please Confirm Your Availability

“Please confirm your availability” is a great synonym for allowing someone to let you know every time and date that works for them in the coming few weeks.

You can specify the timeframe you’re looking for. For instance:

• Please confirm your availability over the next two weeks.

This allows the person you’re speaking with to check their diary. They can then provide a full list of all the times that work. This will give you a more comprehensive way to arrange a meeting with them.

These examples will help you understand more about it:

• Please confirm your availability with me as soon as you get the chance.
• Would you please confirm your availability for work over the next month with Julie?