You’re in an English-speaking meeting. Ideas are flying. You know exactly what you want to say — in French. But finding the right English words in real time feels impossible. You stay quiet. The moment passes.
This happens to almost every French professional who works in English. The solution isn’t more grammar — it’s having ready-made phrases you can reach for automatically. Here are the ones that matter most.
Opening a Meeting
If you’re leading the meeting:
– “Let’s get started, shall we?”
– “Thanks everyone for being here. Let’s dive in.”
– “I’d like to start by going over the agenda.”
– “The purpose of today’s meeting is to…”
– “Before we begin, does anyone have anything to add to the agenda?”
If you’re a participant:
– “Thanks for organizing this.”
– “Looking forward to today’s discussion.”
Giving Your Opinion
Direct:
– “I think we should…”
– “In my opinion, the best approach is…”
– “From my perspective…”
– “The way I see it…”
Tentative (when you want to be careful):
– “I might be wrong, but I feel that…”
– “I’d suggest that we consider…”
– “It seems to me that…”
– “I wonder if it would be worth…”
Strong (when you’re confident):
– “I’m convinced that…”
– “I strongly believe that…”
– “Based on the data, it’s clear that…”
⚠️ French speaker tip: In French meetings, intellectual debate and direct contradiction are normal. In English-speaking (especially Anglo-Saxon) business culture, you need to soften disagreement more. See the next section.
Disagreeing Politely
This is where French speakers often sound too blunt. Never say “No, you’re wrong.” Instead:
- “I see your point, but have you considered…?”
- “That’s an interesting perspective. I’d look at it slightly differently.”
- “I’m not sure I entirely agree. Here’s why…”
- “I understand where you’re coming from, but…”
- “I take your point, but I think we should also consider…”
- “That’s true to some extent, however…”
- “I appreciate that, but I have some concerns about…”
For stronger disagreement (still polite):
– “I’m afraid I see it differently.”
– “With respect, I don’t think that would work because…”
– “I have to push back a little on that.”
Agreeing and Building on Ideas
- “I completely agree.”
- “That’s a great point.”
- “I think [Name] is right.”
- “Building on what [Name] said…”
- “To add to that…”
- “That aligns with what I was thinking.”
- “Absolutely. And I’d also suggest…”
Asking for Clarification
- “Sorry, could you say that again?”
- “Could you clarify what you mean by…?”
- “Just to make sure I understand — are you saying that…?”
- “Could you give an example?”
- “I’m not sure I follow. Could you elaborate?”
Don’t say: “I don’t understand” (sounds too abrupt). Say: “I’m not sure I fully follow that point.”
Presenting an Idea or Proposal
- “I’d like to propose that we…”
- “Here’s what I have in mind.”
- “Let me walk you through the plan.”
- “There are three key points I’d like to highlight.”
- “If you look at the numbers, you’ll see that…”
- “The main takeaway here is…”
- “What this means in practice is…”
Interrupting (Politely)
In English meetings, interrupting is acceptable if done politely:
– “Sorry to jump in, but…”
– “Can I add something here?”
– “If I may…”
– “Just a quick point on that…”
Buying Time
When you need a moment to think:
– “That’s a good question. Let me think about that.”
– “Can I come back to that in a moment?”
– “I’d need to check the exact figures, but…”
– “Off the top of my head, I’d say…”
Closing the Meeting
- “Let me summarize the key action items.”
- “So, to wrap up…”
- “Just to confirm — [Name] will do X by [date], and [Name] will handle Y.”
- “Does anyone have any final questions?”
- “Thanks everyone. I’ll send the minutes by end of day.”
Cultural Differences to Know
Small talk is expected. English meetings often start with 2-3 minutes of casual chat (“How was your weekend?” “How’s the weather there?”). This feels wasteful to many French professionals, but it’s an important social ritual.
“Let me think about it” often means “no.” In English business culture, indirect refusals are common. If someone says “That’s interesting, I’ll get back to you,” they might not be interested at all.
Silence feels uncomfortable in English meetings. In French meetings, pauses for thought are normal. In English meetings, long silences create tension. Fill them with phrases from the “Buying Time” section above.
Practice meetings before the real thing
In our Business English sessions, we simulate real meetings where you practice these phrases until they become second nature. Our AI assistant is there to suggest alternative phrasings in real time.