Other Ways to Ask “Is It OK for You” Politely

On this page15 sections

1. "OK for you" or "OK with you"?
2. Quick picker
3. For times, dates and arrangements
4. For checking agreement or comfort
5. For asking permission
6. Formal written versions
7. Casual versions for friends
8. Before and after
9. How to answer these questions
10. In person and on the phone
11. When you are changing an arrangement
12. Getting the tone right
13. Common mistakes
14. Practice
15. Quick answers

Polite other ways to ask “Is it OK for you?” are Does that work for you?, Is that convenient for you?, Would that suit you?, Are you happy with that?, Does that sound good?, Would you mind if…? and Is it all right with you if…? Which one fits depends on what you are actually asking. Checking a time or plan: Does Tuesday at 3 work for you? Asking permission: Would you mind if I opened the window? Checking someone agrees: Are you comfortable with that? One grammar point is worth knowing first: “Is it OK for you?” asks whether something suits the other person, while “Is it OK with you?” asks whether they agree or give permission.

“OK for you” or “OK with you”?

Both are correct, but they ask different questions.

Learners sometimes write “Is it OK for you if I leave early?” It is understood, but “Is it OK with you if I leave early?” or simply “Is it OK if I leave early?” sounds more natural.

Quick picker

For times, dates and arrangements

• Does that work for you? – the most common choice in modern work English. “I could call at 2:30 tomorrow. Does that work for you?”
• Would that suit you? – a little more formal and very British. “We could deliver on Monday morning. Would that suit you?”
• Is that convenient for you? – polite and neutral. “Is Friday at 11 convenient for you?” In formal writing you will also see “at your convenience”: “Please reply at your convenience.”
• Are you free / available then? – for checking someone’s diary. “Are you available on the 12th for a short call?”
• Does that fit your schedule? – natural in American English. “The workshop runs from 9 to 1. Does that fit your schedule?”
• How does … sound? – friendly and open. “How does lunch on Wednesday sound?”
• Would … be a good time? – polite and soft. “Would late afternoon be a good time to talk?”

Giving two options makes replies easier: “Would Tuesday at 10 or Wednesday at 3 work better for you?” For related email wording, see other ways to say “please call me when you are available”.

For checking agreement or comfort

• Are you happy with that? – common in British workplaces; asks if someone is satisfied. “I’ll send the final version on Monday. Are you happy with that?”
• Does that sound good (to you)? – friendly and positive. “I’ll book the table for eight. Does that sound good?”
• Are you comfortable with this? – shows care; useful when the plan affects the other person directly. “We’d like to share your story in the newsletter. Are you comfortable with that?”
• Are you OK with that? – casual but fine at work. “I’ll take the morning shift and you take the afternoon. Are you OK with that?”
• Do you agree? – direct; fine in a discussion but blunt in an email to a senior person.
• Do you have any objections? – formal and a little stiff; used in meetings. “If there are no objections, we’ll move on.”
• Is this acceptable to you? – formal, for terms, prices and contracts. “We can offer a 10% discount on orders over 500 units. Is this acceptable to you?”

For asking permission

When you want to do something and are checking that the other person does not mind, these are more natural than “Is it OK for you”:

• Do you mind if I…? – common and polite. “Do you mind if I sit here?”
• Would you mind if I…? – softer and more polite. Note the past tense after it: “Would you mind if I opened the window?” (In speech, the present is common too: “Would you mind if I open the window?”)
• Is it all right if I…? – neutral. “Is it all right if I bring a friend?”
• Would it be all right if I…? – more polite. “Would it be all right if I left a little early on Friday?”
• May I…? – formal and old-fashioned in conversation, but still used in polite settings. “May I ask a question?”
• Could I…? – polite and everyday. “Could I borrow your charger?”
• Would it be possible to…? – very polite; good for requests to people you don’t know. “Would it be possible to move our meeting to next week?”

Answering “Do you mind…?” correctly

This trips up many learners. “Do you mind?” literally asks whether you object, so “No” means “Go ahead”. “Do you mind if I sit here?” “No, not at all.” Answering “Yes” means you do object. Most people avoid confusion by saying “Not at all, go ahead” or “Of course – please do.”

Formal written versions

In formal emails and letters, statements often replace questions, which sounds less demanding:

• “Please let me know if this time suits you.”
• “I would be grateful if you could confirm whether this arrangement is acceptable.”
• “Kindly confirm whether you are available on 14 November.”
• “If this is not convenient, please suggest an alternative time.”
• “I hope this proposal meets with your approval.”

“Kindly confirm” is common in Indian and some business English; in British and American English it can sound a little stiff or demanding, so “Could you please confirm” is often safer. For closing lines like these, see other ways to say “let me know if you have any questions”.

Casual versions for friends

• That OK? / That cool? – very short, for texts.
• You good with that? – American, casual. “I’ll drive and you buy the snacks – you good with that?”
• Works for me – you? – after suggesting something.
• You up for it? – asks if someone wants to do an activity. “We’re going bowling later. You up for it?”
• Fancy it? (British) – asks if someone would like to join. “There’s a quiz at the pub tonight. Fancy it?”
• Any objections? – can be playful between friends. “Pizza again. Any objections?”

Before and after

How to answer these questions

If someone asks you one of these questions, a clear reply saves a second email. Here are natural answers for each situation.

Saying yes

• “Yes, that works for me.” / “That works perfectly, thanks.”
• “Thursday at 3 suits me well.”
• “That’s fine with me.” (agreement) / “That’s fine for me.” (it suits my diary)
• “Sounds good – see you then.”
• “I’m happy with that.”
• Formal: “I can confirm that this time is convenient.” / “The proposed terms are acceptable to us.”

Saying no politely

• “Unfortunately, Thursday doesn’t work for me. Would Friday morning be possible instead?”
• “I’m afraid I’m not available then. Could we try early next week?”
• “That’s a little tight for me – could we push it to 4?”
• “I’d rather you didn’t record the call, if that’s all right.” (refusing permission softly)
• Formal: “Regrettably, I am unable to attend on that date. I would be glad to suggest an alternative.”

The pattern is the same each time: a softener (“unfortunately”, “I’m afraid”), the problem in a few words, and a new suggestion. Leaving out the suggestion makes the reply feel like a closed door.

In person and on the phone

Spoken English is usually shorter and relies more on tone:

• “Is now a good time?” – the standard way to start a phone call when you are not sure the person can talk.
• “Have you got a minute?” / “Do you have a second?” – before asking a colleague something.
• “Shall we say ten o’clock?” – British; suggests a time and invites agreement at the same time.
• “How about we meet at the station?” – casual suggestion that invites a yes or no.
• “Mind if I join you?” – short form of “Do you mind if I join you?”, very common in cafes, trains and at events.
• “Is that all right?” – with a rising tone, a gentle check after you explain what you plan to do.

When you are changing an arrangement

Asking whether a change is OK needs a little extra care, because you are creating work for the other person. Apologise briefly, explain in one line, and make the new option easy to accept:

• “Sorry for the short notice – would it be possible to move our call to Thursday? Something urgent has come up on Wednesday.”
• “I’m running about fifteen minutes late. Is it still all right to start at 10:15, or would you prefer to reschedule?”
• “We need to change the delivery date to the 20th. Please let me know if this causes any problems on your side.”

Offering the person a choice (“or would you prefer…”) shows respect for their time and usually gets a quicker, friendlier answer than a plain “Is that OK?”.

Getting the tone right

• Soften with “would” and “could”. “Would that work?” is softer than “Does that work?”, which is softer than “Is that OK?”
• Give the person an easy way to say no. “If not, no problem – I can do Thursday instead.” This makes your question feel like a real question, not a polite order.
• Put the question after the information. “The meeting will take about an hour and we’ll need your sales figures. Does Thursday work for you?” is easier to answer than a question that comes first and leaves the person guessing what they are agreeing to.
• Don’t over-ask. Ending every line of an email with “Is that OK for you?” sounds anxious. One check at the end is enough.
• Match the culture. “Are you happy with that?” is ordinary in British offices but can sound oddly emotional to some American readers, who may prefer “Does that work for you?”

Common mistakes

• “Is it okay for you that I come?” Use “Is it OK if I come?” or “Is it OK with you if I come?”
• “Would you mind to send it?” “Mind” takes an -ing form: “Would you mind sending it?”
• “Does it suit for you?” No “for”: “Does it suit you?”
• “Is it convenient to you?” The usual preposition is “for you”.
• “Yes” in answer to “Do you mind?” when you mean “go ahead”. Say “No, not at all.”
• “OK” spelled “ok” in formal writing. Both “OK” and “okay” are standard; lowercase “ok” looks informal. In very formal writing, use “acceptable” or “convenient” instead.

Practice

Rewrite each question more naturally for the situation in brackets.

1. Is it OK for you if I use your pen? (stranger in a library)
2. Is 3 p.m. OK for you? (email to a client)
3. Is it OK for you to start on Monday? (job offer letter)
4. Is it OK for you? We get pizza. (text to a friend)
5. Is the plan OK for you? (manager to a team member)

Answers (others are possible): 1. Do you mind if I borrow your pen? 2. Would 3 p.m. be convenient for you? 3. Please let us know whether a Monday start would suit you. 4. Pizza tonight – that OK? 5. Are you comfortable with the plan?

Quick answers

Is “Is it OK for you?” correct?

Yes, for checking whether something suits someone: “Is Friday OK for you?” For permission, use “Is it OK if I…?” or “Is it OK with you if I…?”

What can I say instead of “Is it OK for you?” in an email?

“Does that work for you?”, “Would that suit you?” or “Please let me know if this is convenient.”

How do you ask “Is it OK for you?” formally?

“Would this be acceptable to you?” or “I would be grateful if you could confirm whether this suits you.”

Is “Does that work for you?” too casual?

No. It is standard in modern business emails in both British and American English. For more polite email wording, see polite ways to say “please wait” in an email and ways to say “let me know if you need anything”.