#40 French for Business

French is spoken in many parts of the world. As a result, there are situations in which French may be required in business, such as when dealing with overseas companies or working in a French-speaking region.

When using French for work, it is important to choose appropriate expressions according to your relationship with the other person and the situation. Understanding how to use tu and vous, as well as the conditional mood for making polite requests, can be useful for communication in professional settings.

In this article, I will explain the main characteristics of French used in business, along with vocabulary and expressions commonly used in the workplace.

1. Characteristics of French Used in Business

French used in professional settings is sometimes referred to as “business French.”

The basic grammar and vocabulary are the same as those used in everyday French. However, depending on your relationship with the other person, your respective positions, and the purpose of the conversation, expressions tend to be more polite and precise than those used in casual conversation.

In particular, when speaking with business partners, clients, or people you are meeting for the first time, it is important to avoid overly direct language and use expressions that show consideration for the other person.

For example, using the present indicative in Je veux parler avec vous. (I want to speak with you.) expresses your intention directly.

However, when requesting a meeting or discussion in a professional setting, you can use the conditional, as in Je souhaiterais m’entretenir avec vous. (I would like to speak with you.), to express your request in a more restrained and polite manner.

Furthermore, because misunderstandings need to be avoided in professional communication, it may be necessary to communicate dates, deadlines, requests, and other details clearly rather than relying on casual or ambiguous expressions commonly used in everyday conversation.

The important point is not to use difficult words or excessively formal expressions. The foundation of business French is communicating the necessary information accurately while considering your relationship with the other person and the context.

2. Vous Is Generally Used in Business

French distinguishes between tu, which is used with people with whom you have a close or informal relationship, and vous, which is used when addressing more than one person or when speaking politely to someone.

In business, vous is generally used when addressing people you are meeting for the first time, business partners, clients, and superiors. In particular, if you are not yet familiar with your relationship with the other person, it is advisable to begin with vous.

For example, when asking a business contact to send you a document, you can say:

• Pouvez-vous m’envoyer le document ?
  — Could you send me the document?

To make the request more polite, you can use the conditional:

• Pourriez-vous m’envoyer le document ?
  — Could you please send me the document?

On the other hand, tu is also commonly used between colleagues or in workplaces with a relatively informal atmosphere.

Someone with whom you initially used vous may also suggest, On peut se tutoyer ? (Shall we use tu with each other?). Using tu when addressing someone is called tutoyer in French, while addressing someone with vous is called vouvoyer.

In a business context, rather than deciding to use tu from the outset, it is generally better to begin with vous and switch to tu once the other person suggests it or you become familiar with the conventions of the workplace.

3. Common Business Vocabulary

French used in professional settings includes many words related to companies, meetings, contracts, and other aspects of business.

For example, both entreprise and société can refer to a “company” or “business.” More specifically, entreprise is a broad term for a business or organization engaged in economic activity, whereas société is often used when referring to a company as a legal or corporate entity.

The word rendez-vous is also used in everyday life, but in professional contexts it is an important term for an appointment or meeting with a client. Prendre rendez-vous means “to make an appointment,” while avoir rendez-vous avec un clientmeans “to have an appointment with a client.”

It is also useful to understand the distinction between devis and facture. A devis is a quotation or estimate that specifies the price of goods or services before they are provided, whereas a facture is an invoice requesting payment for goods or services.

4. The Conditional Is Commonly Used for Polite Requests

One particularly important feature of business French is the use of the conditional mood.

In addition to describing what would happen under certain conditions, the conditional can be used to express requests and wishes in a less direct manner. When asking someone to do something, using the conditional can make the request less direct and show greater consideration for the other person’s preferences or circumstances.

• Je voudrais obtenir davantage d’informations.
  — I would like to receive some additional information.
• Pourriez-vous me confirmer la date ?
  — Could you please confirm the date?
• Serait-il possible de reporter la réunion ?
  — Would it be possible to postpone the meeting?

The present indicative Pouvez-vous me confirmer la date ? can also be used to ask someone to confirm a date. However, using Pourriez-vous… ?, with pouvoir in the conditional, gives the request a more restrained and polite tone.

Similarly, Je veux… (I want…) expresses a desire directly, whereas the conditional form Je voudrais… (I would like…) allows you to express it more indirectly.

Another common approach is to use an expression such as Serait-il possible de… ? (Would it be possible to…?). Rather than directly asking the other person to do something, this construction asks whether something would be possible and therefore makes the request less direct.

In this way, the conditional allows speakers of French to avoid expressing requests or wishes too directly and to formulate them in a more considerate manner.

5. Common Expressions Used in Business Emails

French business emails contain a number of standard expressions commonly used for greetings, requests, confirmations, and closings.

If you know the recipient’s name, you can begin an email as follows:

• Bonjour Madame Dupont,
  — Dear Ms. Dupont,
• Bonjour Monsieur Martin,
  — Dear Mr. Martin,

In more formal correspondence, forms of address such as Madame, or Monsieur, may also be used. It is important to adjust the opening according to your relationship with the recipient and the purpose of the email.

In the body of the email, stating the purpose of your message briefly at the beginning can make the content easier to understand.

• Je vous contacte au sujet de…
  — I am contacting you regarding…
• Je me permets de vous contacter concernant…
  — I am writing to you regarding…

At the end of an email, expressions such as the following can help create a polite impression:

• N’hésitez pas à me contacter si vous avez des questions.
  — Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
• Je reste à votre disposition pour toute information complémentaire.
  — I remain available should you require any additional information.

The following expressions can then be used as closings:

• Cordialement,
  — Kind regards,
• Bien cordialement,
  — Best regards,

More elaborate and formal closing formulas may be used in formal letters, but Cordialement and Bien cordialement are commonly used to close business emails.

6. Clear Communication Is Particularly Important on the Telephone

Because you cannot see the other person’s facial expressions when speaking on the telephone, it is particularly important to state clearly who you are and whom you wish to speak with.

When making a business call, it is customary to begin with a greeting and then give your name and, where appropriate, the name of your company.

• Bonjour, Marie Dupont à l’appareil.
  — Hello, this is Marie Dupont speaking.
• Bonjour, Marie Dupont de la société ABC.
  — Hello, this is Marie Dupont from ABC.

If you would like to speak with a particular person, you can say:

• Je souhaiterais parler à Monsieur Martin, s’il vous plaît.
  — I would like to speak with Mr. Martin, please.

If the person is unavailable, the following expressions can help prevent miscommunication:

• Puis-je laisser un message ?
  — May I leave a message?
• Pourriez-vous lui demander de me rappeler ?
  — Could you please ask him to call me back?

It may also be difficult to hear clearly over the telephone, or you may not understand the other person’s name or company name. In such cases, you can ask for clarification:

• Pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?
  — Could you please repeat that?
• Pourriez-vous épeler votre nom, s’il vous plaît ?
  — Could you please spell your name?

In business telephone conversations, failing to clarify something you have not understood can lead to errors in important information such as names, dates, and contact details.

It is therefore important to ask politely for clarification whenever necessary and confirm the information you have received.

7. Summary

In business, it is important to choose vocabulary and expressions that are appropriate for your relationship with the other person and the situation.

The main points can be summarized as follows:

When learning expressions used in business French, rather than simply memorizing phrases, it is also important to understand why a particular expression is used in a particular situation.

This will help you choose French that is appropriate for the context.

Izumi Miyajima

Writer

I’m a Japanese writer and language enthusiast with a deep interest in France. Through my articles, I explore the French language, history, and culture.