If you’re looking for a professional way to say would you be available at work, you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’ll look at some suitable alternative phrases that you can use to avoid repetition in your work emails.
After that, we’ll discuss the correctness of the phrase would you be available, particularly in a professional setting. So, read on!
6 Alternative Ways to Say “Would You Be Available”
Below, you’ll find 6 examples of how to say would you be available in an email:
- Could we possibly meet?
- What’s your schedule like?
- Do you have time?
- What’s your availability?
- What time would work for you?
- Are you free?
1. Could We Possibly Meet?
If you’re wondering how to say would you be available politely, try the phrase could we possibly meet.
This alternative comes across very tentatively. This makes it a safe choice when you are asking for time to speak to your employer or superior.
Rather than asking about the other person’s schedule, this phrase simply asks whether the two of you can meet at a certain time.
This makes it a more direct alternative to would you be available as well, which works well in a fast-paced corporate environment.
Let’s see this phrase in an email example:
Dear Ms. Tulunga,
I have written a draft proposal for the marketing department.
Could we possibly meet tomorrow morning to discuss it?
Yours sincerely,
Dylan McFee
2. What’s Your Schedule Like?
What’s your schedule like is a more casual and conversational synonym for would you be available.
Therefore, we wouldn’t recommend using this phrase when trying to plan a meeting with your boss or a client.
However, you can use this phrase when you are collaborating with a colleague or a fellow professional with whom you have a friendly relationship.
You could probably get away with using this phrase when speaking to any coworker of equal rank to you as well. However, this depends on the general environment at your place of work.
Consider the following sample email:
Dear Darius,
I’d be keen to have a meeting about this.
What’s your schedule like next week?
All the best,
Therese
3. Do You Have Time?
The phrase do you have time is another effective way to ask your boss or manager for a meeting or a call.
This phrase is indirect and cautious. This is essential when you’re speaking to a superior.
After all, if you work in a corporate setting, your higher-ups will no doubt have a lot on their plate.
Therefore, you should show that you are aware of this when you request to meet with one of them.
Asking do you have time rather than simply asking to meet implies that you respect your boss’s time and have no expectations concerning their availability.
In short, this phrase ensures that your request does not come across as impatient or demanding, making it a safe choice in the office.
For instance:
Dear Marlon,
Do you have time for a quick call?
I want to briefly discuss our offer before I send it over.
Kind regards,
Hanni
4. What’s Your Availability?
What’s your availability is a slightly more formal synonym for would you be available,
Therefore, you can use this phrase when you are trying to plan a meeting with a fellow professional in your industry.
From time to time, you will need to collaborate with members from other organizations.
In these circumstances, it’s important to be accommodating and friendly while still maintaining professional boundaries.
A phrase like what’s your availability will show that you are willing to accommodate the other person’s schedule.
However, it keeps things tonally neutral enough that you won’t sound overly eager.
To see what we mean, check out this email sample:
Dear Wasewa,
I think it would be a good idea to meet in person about this.
What’s your availability on Friday?
Kind regards,
Shinique
5. What Time Would Work for You?
If your schedule is flexible and you don’t have a preference for the date or time of your meeting, it makes sense to leave it up to the other person.
Therefore, you can say what time would work for you instead of would you be available.
This phrase comes across as friendly and accommodating. Therefore, you can use it when you are scheduling a consultation with a client.
After all, being considerate of your client’s schedule will make them feel valued and taken seriously.
See the email sample below:
Dear Hendrick,
I would be happy to have a call about this today to explain things further
What time would work for you?
Kind regards,
Thembeka
6. Are You Free?
Another way to say would you be available is are you free?
This phrase comes across as fairly casual and friendly.
Therefore, we would recommend that you use this phrase when you are making plans with a colleague you are close to.
You could also use this phrase if you work at a small business and have a very close-knit relationship with your coworkers.
However, if you work in a more formal office setting, one of the more professionally phrased alternatives above would probably be a better choice.
Nevertheless, have a look at how you can use this phrase in our final email example:
Hi Zia,
Are you free for a quick coffee this afternoon?
All the best,
Cory
Is It Correct to Say “Would You Be Available”?
It’s perfectly correct to ask would you be available when you are trying to plan a meeting with someone and want to know about their schedule.
This phrase is neither formal nor informal. In fact, it uses fairly plain phrasing suitable for any situation.
Therefore, this is a perfectly appropriate way to ask about someone’s availability in a professional setting.
The main benefit of the phrase would you be available is its polite and tentative tone. This ensures that you come across as reasonable and open rather than instructive or pressing.
Below, we’ve drafted two email samples illustrating how you can use this phrase in practice:
First, let’s see an email to a colleague attempting to plan a meeting:
Dear Javier,
Would you be available for a meeting tomorrow?
Kind regards,
Lucinda
Next, let’s see an example of an email to a new recruit at a company:
Dear Tobias,
I am delighted to inform you that your interview was a success.
When would you be available to start working?
Kind regards,
Alexa
Lastly, let’s consider a few variations of the phrase would you be availableand discuss whether they are correct:
Variations: Replacing would you with are you or will you
- Correct: Would you be available?
- Correct: Will you be available?
- Correct: Are you available?
As you can see, all three of these phrases are perfectly grammatically correct and you can use any of them interchangeably. Just remember to drop the “be” in are you available!
Although would you be available is a perfectly suitable way to inquire about someone’s schedule, it never hurts to diversify your phrasing from time to time, especially in your work emails.
Check out our list of synonyms to find some useful alternative ways to make plans at work!
