Annuler vs. décommander
In French, both annuler and décommander can be translated as to cancel, but they are not always interchangeable. The word annuler is the most common and versatile term, used for a wide variety of cancellations. On the other hand, the word décommander is more specific and is typically used when you are reversing an order, a personal appointment, or a social invitation that you previously arranged.
Annuler
The word annuler is a general and widely used verb that means to cancel, void, or call off an event, reservation, contract, or flight. It can be used for both personal decisions and actions taken by large organizations, authorities, or weather conditions.
La compagnie aérienne a décidé d'annuler le vol à cause de la tempête.
(The airline decided to cancel the flight due to the storm.)
Je dois annuler mon abonnement à la fin du mois.
(I have to cancel my subscription at the end of the month.)
Les organisateurs vont annuler le concert s'il pleut.
(The organizers will cancel the concert if it rains.)
Elle a appelé l'hôtel pour annuler sa réservation.
(She called the hotel to cancel her reservation.)
Nous ne pouvons pas annuler la réunion à la dernière minute.
(We cannot cancel the meeting at the last minute.)
Décommander
The word décommander literally means to un-order or reverse a command. It is primarily used when you need to cancel a personal appointment, a service you ordered, a restaurant reservation, or a social engagement. You would not use décommander for large-scale cancellations like flights or public events.
Je dois appeler le dentiste pour décommander mon rendez-vous.
(I must call the dentist to cancel my appointment.)
Il a dû décommander ses invités pour le dîner car il était malade.
(He had to cancel his guests for dinner because he was sick.)
Nous devrions décommander le taxi que nous avons demandé plus tôt.
(We should cancel the taxi we requested earlier.)
Elle a décidé de décommander la table au restaurant.
(She decided to cancel the table at the restaurant.)
Ils vont décommander la livraison des nouveaux meubles.
(They will cancel the delivery of the new furniture.)
Summary
To summarize, use annuler as your default word for to cancel, as it works for flights, official meetings, public events, and contracts. Reserve décommander for situations where you are personally backing out of a medical appointment, an order for goods or services, or a social plan you previously made.