Learn Hardcore Korean: yaksogeul naeillo mirwodo gwaenchanha? - Is it okay to postpone the appointment to tomorrow?

In everyday Korean, 약속 most often means an appointment/plan/meeting, not a moral “promise.” Here it’s “our plan/meeting.” Context clarifies which sense is intended.

Why is 약속 marked with -을? Could I use -은 or drop the particle?

약속을 marks it as the direct object of 미루다 (to postpone).
약속은 topicalizes (“as for the appointment”), often with a contrastive nuance.
In casual speech, you can drop the particle: 약속 내일로 미뤄도 괜찮아? Natural if context is clear.

Why 내일로, not 내일에?

-로 marks a new target/result. With time nouns it means “to (the time of) …”: 내일로 미루다 = “move it to tomorrow.”
-에 marks when something happens, not a change of schedule. 내일에 미루다 sounds odd.

Why is it 로 and not 으로 after 내일?

Use -으로 after a consonant, but after a vowel or final ㄹ, use -로. 내일 ends with ㄹ, so it’s 내일로. Examples:

Consonant: 집으로
Vowel/ㄹ: 학교로, 서울로, 금요일로

What exactly is 미뤄도?

It’s the contracted form of 미루어도: verb stem 미루- + connective -어도 (“even if/if (I) do”). In requests with 괜찮다/되다, V-어도 …? means “Is it okay if I/we V?” So 미뤄도 = “if (we) postpone.”

Is the 도 in 미뤄도 the “also” particle?

No. Here -어도 is a single connective ending. The additive 도 attaches to nouns/pronouns (e.g., 나도), not to verb stems like this.

What’s the nuance of 괜찮아? vs 돼?/될까? vs 괜찮을까?

미뤄도 괜찮아? checks the listener’s comfort/consent (“Are you okay with that?”).
미뤄도 돼? / 될까? asks about permission/possibility (“Is that allowed/will that work?”). 될까? feels more tentative.
괜찮을까? also sounds softer/tentative (“Do you think it’d be okay?”).

How can I make this more polite or honorific?

Polite: 약속을 내일로 미뤄도 괜찮아요? / 돼요?
More tentative: … 괜찮을까요? / 될까요?
With honorific: … 괜찮으실까요?
Very formal option: 약속을 내일로 연기해도 괜찮겠습니까?

Are there good synonyms for 미루다?

미루다: everyday “push back” (plans, tasks).
연기하다: more formal “postpone/reschedule,” common for events/meetings.
늦추다: “delay/make later” (time, deadline).
옮기다: “move” to another time/place (e.g., 일정을 내일로 옮기다). With 약속, 미루다/연기하다 are more idiomatic.
Contrast: 취소하다 = cancel (not postpone).

Any pronunciation tips for 미뤄도 괜찮아?

미뤄도: the 워 is pronounced [wʌ].
괜찮아 is pronounced close to [괜차나]; the ㅎ causes aspiration of ㅈ/ㅊ sounds. Be careful with spelling: 괜찮아 (not “괜잔아”).

Can I drop 약속을 entirely?

Yes. If context is clear, 내일로 미뤄도 괜찮아? is perfectly natural. You can also say 약속 내일로 미뤄도 괜찮아? (particle drop) in casual speech.

What’s the nuance of 약속은 내일로 미뤄도 괜찮아?

Topicalizes and slightly contrasts: “As for the appointment (at least), is it okay to move it to tomorrow?” It can imply other things might not be moved.

Difference between 내일로 미루다 and 내일까지 미루다?

내일로 미루다: reschedule to tomorrow (the new set time).
내일까지 미루다: postpone until tomorrow (not before then). This fits deadlines/tasks better than appointments.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, as long as the verb phrase stays at the end. Natural variants:

내일로 약속을 미뤄도 괜찮아?
약속, 내일로 미뤄도 괜찮아? The original order is the most neutral.

Can I use other verbs like 바꾸다 here?

Yes: 약속을 내일로 바꿔도 괜찮아? is acceptable (“change it to tomorrow”), but for rescheduling, 미루다/연기하다 sound more standard. You’ll often hear 시간을 내일로 바꾸다 or 일정을 내일로 바꾸다.