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Ce n'est pas que je veuille décommander, mais je suis surchargé.

Ce n'est pas que je veuille décommander, mais je suis surchargé.
It is not that I want to cancel, but I am overloaded.
From Lesson 445:Refuting a cause (ce n'est pas que)·French

Questions & Answers about Ce n'est pas que je veuille décommander, mais je suis surchargé.

Why is veuille in the subjunctive here?
The phrase ce n'est pas que (it is not that) is used to reject or refute a reason, and it always requires the subjunctive. Because you are denying that wanting to cancel is the real cause of your actions, you use the subjunctive veuille instead of the indicative veux.
Could I use annuler instead of décommander to say "cancel"?
Yes, annuler is a very common synonym and works perfectly well here. However, décommander is a great word to know: it specifically implies cancelling a previous arrangement, appointment, or reservation (literally "un-ordering"), making it very natural when bowing out of plans with someone.
I always forget the subjunctive of vouloir. Is veuille completely irregular?
Yes, vouloir is highly irregular in the subjunctive. For the singular pronouns (je, tu, il/elle/on) and ils/elles, it uses the stem veuill- (e.g., que je veuille). However, for nous and vous, it switches back to a more regular-looking stem: que nous voulions, que vous vouliez.
What exactly does surchargé mean in this context?
Surchargé literally means "overloaded" (from sur- meaning over, and chargé meaning loaded). In the context of a schedule or work, it is the perfect equivalent to the English feeling of being "swamped," "overwhelmed," or "overburdened."

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