My question is very similar to this where I want to communicate the reason why I won't be able to join the call/party or come to office but without giving any impression to my colleges that there are some issues.
Often I have to take leave for the family reasons and not necessary is family issue like someone fell ill or met with accident similar serious reasons but I take leave for attending Parnet-teacher meets or I have a party at home etc.
Can I just mention. "Family affairs" as a very broad reason?
Best Answer
In America, it's common to say "family commitments", "family matters", or "personal reasons".
I think the phrase "family affairs" is out-dated -- I've encountered it in older books and TV shows (there was a TV show when I was a kid about a widower raising two children called "Family Affair"), but I don't recall hearing anyone use it lately.
Just by the way, something I often struggle with is how specific to be. Suppose most of the time you give a specific reason, "I have to take my son to the dentist" or whatever. Then one time you have a reason that you don't want to share, like if you're taking a day off work to go on a job interview, or you can't attend a party because you're going to some other party that you think will be more fun. If you give a specific reason in most cases but a vague, general reason in the "maybe somebody will be insulted" case, then people may guess that you're giving a vague reason because you don't want to tell them the details. :-)