Meeting Mastery

Navigate French corporate meetings with confidence

French meetings follow unwritten rules. We debate ideas passionately but never attack people personally. Interruptions show engagement, not rudeness. The real decisions? Often made during the coffee break.

Essential Meeting Vocabulary (15)

L'ordre du jour
The agenda
โ†ป
lor-druh dรผ zhoor
Meeting structure
Le compte rendu (CR)
Meeting minutes
โ†ป
luh kont ron-dรผ
Official record
Les enjeux
The stakes
โ†ป
lay zon-zhuh
What's at stake
La problรฉmatique
The core issue
โ†ป
lah pro-blay-mah-TEEK
Problem statement
Les livrables
The deliverables
โ†ป
lay lee-VRABL
What's due
Je me permets de
I'd like to
โ†ป
zhuh muh pehr-MEH duh
Polite interjection
Tout ร  fait
Absolutely
โ†ป
too tah FEH
Strong agreement
Effectivement
Indeed
โ†ป
eh-fek-teev-MON
Confirming
En l'occurrence
In this case
โ†ป
on lo-kรผ-RONS
Specific instance
Mettre en ล“uvre
To implement
โ†ป
mehtr on UVRR
Execute plans
Faire le point
Take stock
โ†ป
fehr luh PWAN
Status check
Un compromis
A compromise
โ†ป
un kom-pro-MEE
Middle ground
Reporter
To postpone
โ†ป
ruh-por-TAY
Delay decision
En amont
Upstream/beforehand
โ†ป
on ah-MON
Earlier in process
En aval
Downstream/after
โ†ป
on ah-VAL
Later in process

Meeting Protocol

Start with "Bonjour ร  tous" and brief small talk. Present ideas with "Je propose que..." + subjunctive. Disagree diplomatically: "C'est intรฉressant, nรฉanmoins..." Never say "non" directly - say "Oui, mais..." Factor in 15 minutes overrun.

Professional Email Excellence

Write emails that get results

French business emails are an art form. Too direct? Rude. Too casual? Unprofessional. The secret is wrapping your message in layers of politeness while maintaining clarity.

Email Essentials (15)

ร€ la suite de
Following
โ†ป
ah lah sweet duh
More formal than "Suite ร "
En piรจce jointe
Attached
โ†ป
on pee-YES zhwant
Modern, no agreement trap
Serait-il possible de
Would it be possible to
โ†ป
suh-REH-teel poh-SEEBL duh
Polite request
Je me permets de revenir vers vous
Following up with you
โ†ป
zhuh muh pehr-MEH duh ruh-vuh-NEER
Polite chase
Conformรฉment ร  notre รฉchange
As per our discussion
โ†ป
kon-for-may-MON ah notr ay-SHONZH
Formal reference
Je reste ร  votre disposition
I remain available
โ†ป
zhuh rest ah votr dees-po-zee-SYON
Availability
Dans l'attente de
Looking forward to
โ†ป
don lah-TONT duh
Expecting reply
Bien ร  vous
Best regards
โ†ป
bee-AN ah voo
Neutral, safe closing
Bien cordialement
Warm regards
โ†ป
bee-AN kor-dee-al-MON
Warmer option
Je vous prie d'agrรฉer
Please accept
โ†ป
zhuh voo pree dah-gray-YAY
Very formal โ€ข Letters only
Comme convenu
As agreed
โ†ป
kom kon-vuh-Nรœ
Reference agreement
Je vous remercie par avance
Thank you in advance
โ†ป
zhuh voo ruh-mehr-SEE par ah-VONS
Better than "Merci d'avance"
Vous m'entendez?
Can you hear me?
โ†ป
voo mon-ton-DAY
Video call check
Je coupe mon micro
I'm muting
โ†ป
zhuh koop mon mee-KRO
Video etiquette
Une invitation Teams
Teams invite
โ†ป
รผn an-vee-tah-SYON teemz
Meeting link

Sample Professional Email

Professional Networking

Build your French professional network

French networking isn't about collecting cards - it's about intellectual connections. We value diplomas, discuss ideas before deals, and build trust slowly. The real networking? At the afterwork.

Networking Essentials (12)

Enchantรฉ(e)
Pleased to meet you
โ†ป
on-shon-TAY
First introduction
Je suis diplรดmรฉ(e) de
I graduated from
โ†ป
zhuh swee dee-ploh-MAY duh
Education matters!
Mon domaine
My field
โ†ป
mon doh-MEN
Area of expertise
Crรฉer des synergies
Create synergies
โ†ป
kray-YAY day see-nehr-ZHEE
Collaboration
ร‰changer sur
Exchange ideas on
โ†ป
ay-shon-ZHAY sรผr
Discuss topics
Le rรฉseau
The network
โ†ป
luh ray-ZOH
Connections
Restons en contact
Let's stay in touch
โ†ป
res-TON on kon-TAK
Keep connected
Un dรฉjeuner d'affaires
Business lunch
โ†ป
un day-zhuh-NAY dah-FEHR
Formal meeting
L'afterwork
After-work drinks
โ†ป
laf-teur-WORK
Casual networking
Mettre en relation
Make introductions
โ†ป
mehtr on ruh-lah-SYON
Connect people
C'est passionnant
That's fascinating
โ†ป
seh pah-see-oh-NON
Show interest
ร€ trรจs bientรดt
See you soon
โ†ป
ah treh bee-AN-toh
Networking goodbye
Networking Secret:
Always mention your school early - education credentials matter enormously. Discuss ideas before business. Build intellectual rapport first.

Presentation Excellence

Command attention in French presentations

French presentations are intellectual performances. We expect clear problรฉmatique, structured argumentation, and synthesis. Don't just present data - interpret it.

Presentation Phrases (12)

La problรฉmatique
The core issue
โ†ป
lah pro-blay-mah-TEEK
Problem statement
Dans un premier temps
First
โ†ป
don zun pruh-mee-YEH ton
Structure marker
En synthรจse
In summary
โ†ป
on san-TEZ
Crucial conclusion
J'attire votre attention
I draw your attention
โ†ป
zhah-TEER votr ah-ton-SYON
Highlighting
Les chiffres parlent
The numbers speak
โ†ป
lay SHEEFR parl
Clear data
Pour conclure
To conclude
โ†ป
poor kon-KLรœR
Wrapping up
Avez-vous des questions?
Any questions?
โ†ป
ah-vay voo day kes-tee-YON
Q&A opening
C'est une excellente question
Excellent question
โ†ป
seh tรผn ek-seh-LONT kes-tee-YON
Buying time
Je reviendrai vers vous
I'll get back to you
โ†ป
zhuh ruh-vee-an-DREH vehr voo
Don't know now
Comme vous le voyez
As you can see
โ†ป
kom voo luh vwah-YAY
Evidence pointer
Il est important de noter
Important to note
โ†ป
eel eh tan-por-TON duh no-TAY
Key point
Je vais creuser
I'll dig deeper
โ†ป
zhuh veh kruh-ZAY
Research promise

Presentation Structure

French presentations MUST have: 1) Problรฉmatique, 2) Plan annoncรฉ, 3) Argumentation, 4) Synthรจse. Never just list facts - interpret them. Use "Dans un premier temps... Dans un deuxiรจme temps..." for clear structure.

Ready to Command French Boardrooms?

"You now have the codes - the phrases that open doors, the formulas that command respect. Remember: in French business, eloquence is power. Practice these patterns until they become natural." - Camille