Learn English – How to ask about one’s availability? “free/available/not busy”

word-choice

Are the following equally appropriate to be used at work with a colleague or client? I don't want to be informal, but I don't have to be too formal either.

Let me know when you are free so that
we can discuss this in more details.

or

Let me know when you are available so that
we can discuss this in more details.

or

Let me know when you are not busy so that
we can discuss this in more details.

Disclaimer: I'm not a native English speaker (as if I had to explain that)

Best Answer

All three variations of the sentence you give are grammatically correct, and are virtually (but not completely) equivalent. There are a few points worth noting in particular.

  1. It is far more conventional to say "let me know when you are busy" than "let me know when you are not busy". The negative is considered redundant, and they are understood to mean the same thing, i.e. they are both enquiring about availability.

  2. Saying free or available rather than busy may be considered a more "positive" enquiry. It may also simply mean that you expect the person to be busy rather than free, rather than the other way round.

  3. Saying available rather than free is considered slightly more formal, though I wouldn't worry much about usage cases. (Most people wouldn't think twice if you used either in a formal or colloquial situation.)

Related Topic