Learn Hardcore Chinese: rúguǒ nǐ wǎnshang yǒukòng, zuìhǎo wǒmen yuē zài gōngyuán jiànmiàn. - If you are free tonight, we’d better arrange to meet in the park.

如果你晚上有空，我们在公园见面吧。
如果你晚上有空，我们就去公园见面。 Putting 就 right before 最好 is uncommon; better restructure the consequent instead (e.g., use 就去… or drop 就 and keep 最好).

Where should 最好 go? Is “最好我们…” okay?

Both are acceptable, but the most typical placement is after the subject:

More common: 我们最好在公园见面。
Also possible (slightly more “announcement-like”): 最好我们在公园见面。 Note that 最好 can sound like a strong recommendation (“had better”). To soften it, add 吧: 我们最好在公园见面吧。

Why use 约 at all? Can’t I just say “我们在公园见面”?

You can. 我们在公园见面 simply proposes meeting. 约 adds the idea of arranging/scheduling in advance, as in “let’s set it up (at the park).” With 约 you’re talking about making an appointment: 我们约在公园见面.

Is “约在公园见面” redundant? Isn’t 约 already “to meet”?

Not redundant. It means “arrange (to be) at the park to meet.” Common pattern: 约在 + time/place + [activity]. Examples:

约在周五晚上见面。
约在咖啡馆聊一聊。 Avoid saying 约见面 as a unit; either 约在…见面 or just 见面.

Why 见面 instead of 见? Do I need 跟?

见 (jiàn) is transitive: 见你 “see/meet you.”
见面 (jiànmiàn) is intransitive “meet (each other),” so it cannot take a direct object. Use 跟/和 for the other party: 我跟你见面.
In this sentence the subject is 我们, so 我们见面 already implies both parties.

Can I say “见面在公园”?

Not as a normal predicate. Location phrases usually go before the verb: 在公园见面.
见面在公园 only works in a topic-comment structure like 见面的地点在公园 (“the meeting location is the park”), which is a different sentence pattern.

Why isn’t there 在 before 晚上? Is “在晚上” wrong?

Time words like 晚上 normally appear alone before the verb phrase: 你晚上有空. 在晚上 is unusual in everyday speech and is used only when emphasizing contrast or in formal written styles (e.g., 在晚上，人们更容易…).

What’s the difference between 有空 and 有时间?

有空 (yǒu kòng) = “to be free/available.” Very common in scheduling: 你晚上有空吗？
有时间 (yǒu shíjiān) = “to have time (as a resource).” Often used when you plan to do something specific: 你有时间看电影吗？
They overlap a lot; 有空 feels a bit more casual and availability-focused.

How do I pronounce 晚上 and 空 here? Any tone-sandhi to watch?

晚上 is typically pronounced wǎnshang (neutral tone on “shang”). You’ll also hear wǎnshàng; both are understood, but the neutral second syllable is standard in many dictionaries.
空 in 有空 is fourth tone: yǒu kòng (meaning “free/available”).
Tone sandhi: a third tone before another third tone changes to a rising contour. So 你晚上 is pronounced like ní wǎnshang. Similarly, in fluent speech 最好 wǒ们 makes 好 sound like a rising tone before 我.

Can I use 要是 instead of 如果? What about adding 的话?

Yes.

要是你晚上有空，我们最好在公园见面。 (colloquial)
如果你晚上有空的话，我们最好在公园见面。 (的话 makes it sound more conversational/soft.)

Should I add 吧 to make it sound more like a suggestion?

Good idea. 吧 softens directives and makes suggestions friendlier:

如果你晚上有空，我们在公园见面吧。
我们最好在公园见面吧。

What’s the usual order of time and place in a sentence like this?

General template: Subject + Time + Place + Verb (+ Object).

我们晚上在公园见面。 You can also front the time for emphasis: 晚上我们在公园见面。

Could I use 咱们 instead of 我们?

Yes, 咱们 explicitly includes both speaker and listener and is common in northern speech:

咱们最好在公园见面吧。
In many regions people simply use 我们 for the same function.

Do I need 会 to indicate the future?

No. Chinese often relies on context and time words for future meaning. 会 expresses likelihood or prediction, not a friendly suggestion. So prefer:

Suggestion: 我们在公园见面吧。
Prediction: 我们会在公园见面。 (means “we will”/“are likely to,” not “let’s.”)

Should it be 在公园 or 在公园里?

Both are fine.

在公园 = “at the park” (neutral).
在公园里 = “inside the park” (a bit more specific).
In real-life plans people often say a more precise spot: 在公园门口见面 (“meet at the park gate”).

Can 见面 take aspect or little complements like 了, 过, 一下?

Yes. Common forms:

见了面 (met)
见过面 (have met before)
见个面 / 见一下面 (meet briefly)

Is “我们在公园约见面” okay? What about 约见?

Say 我们约在公园见面 or simply 我们在公园见面.
约见 is a separate verb meaning “to arrange to meet (someone)” and usually takes a person as its object in more formal contexts: 约见他 (“arrange to meet him”). Don’t say 约见面 as a chunk.