Module VIII·Article IV·~3 min read
Expression of Agreement and Disagreement
Money, Numbers, and Basics of Negotiation
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Expressing Agreement and Disagreement in French
Complete Agreement
| French | Translation | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Oui, tout à fait. | Yes, absolutely right. | Neutral |
| Exactement / Précisément | Precisely / Exactly | Neutral |
| C'est exact. | That is correct. | Formal |
| Vous avez (tout à fait) raison. | You are (absolutely) right. | Polite |
| Je suis (entièrement) d'accord. | I (fully) agree. | Neutral |
| Absolument! | Absolutely! | Lively |
| Effectivement. | Indeed. | Neutral/formal |
| C'est une excellente idée. | That’s an excellent idea. | Positive |
| Nous sommes sur la même longueur d'onde. | We’re on the same wavelength. | Informal |
Partial Agreement
| French | Translation |
|---|---|
| En partie, oui. | Partly, yes. |
| Vous avez raison sur ce point, mais... | You are right on this point, but... |
| C'est vrai dans l'ensemble, cependant... | It is generally true, however... |
| Je suis d'accord jusqu'à un certain point. | I agree up to a certain point. |
| Oui, mais il faut nuancer... | Yes, but it needs to be qualified... |
| Certes, mais... | Certainly, but... |
| C'est possible, mais... | It’s possible, but... |
Disagreement (polite!)
French culture values diplomatic disagreement. Direct refusal is considered rude.
| French | Translation |
|---|---|
| Je ne suis pas (tout à fait) d'accord. | I (don’t quite) agree. |
| Je vois les choses différemment. | I see things differently. |
| Je ne partage pas votre point de vue. | I don’t share your point of view. |
| Je comprends votre position, mais... | I understand your position, but... |
| Permettez-moi d'exprimer une réserve. | Allow me to express a reservation. |
| Avec tout le respect que je vous dois... | With all due respect... |
| Je ne suis pas convaincu(e) que... | I am not convinced that... |
| Ce n'est pas si simple. | It’s not that simple. |
| Il faut considérer d'autres aspects. | Other aspects need to be considered. |
Negotiation Phrases
Request clarification:
- Pourriez-vous préciser votre point? — Could you clarify your point?
- Qu'entendez-vous par là? — What do you mean by that?
- Pourriez-vous développer? — Could you elaborate?
Acknowledge:
- C'est noté. — Noted.
- Je prends note de votre position. — I take note of your position.
- Je comprends votre contrainte. — I understand your constraint.
Propose a compromise:
- On pourrait envisager une solution intermédiaire. — We could consider an intermediate solution.
- Que diriez-vous d'un compromis? — How about a compromise?
- Et si nous trouvions un terrain d'entente? — What if we found common ground?
Dialogue: Negotiating the Price
— Your offer amounts to 500,000 euros. That’s a bit above our budget. — I understand your constraint. What is your range? — We could go up to 450,000 euros, provided the delivery deadline is maintained. — I’m not sure I can go that low. How about 475,000 euros with payment at 60 days? — That’s interesting. We agree on 475,000, but I’d like the payment to be at 45 days. — Agreed for 45 days. We are in accord.
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