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10 Phrases to Sound Confident in Meetings

12 min
B1

Phrases that change how people hear you

French professionals often know enough English to survive a meeting — but surviving and leading are different things. These 10 phrases shift you from passive participant to active contributor. None are complex. All are used constantly by native speakers.

Taking the floor

"I'd like to build on that." — J'aimerais rebondir là-dessus.
Shows you listened AND have something to add. Much better than just jumping in.
"Can I jump in here?" — Puis-je intervenir ?
Casual but polite way to interrupt. Works in video calls where turn-taking is harder.

Steering the conversation

"Can we circle back to that?" — Peut-on y revenir plus tard ?
Parks a topic without dismissing it. Essential for keeping meetings on track.
"Let's stay focused on..." — Restons concentrés sur...
Redirects without sounding bossy. Add a reason: "...since we're short on time."

Agreeing and disagreeing

"I see your point, but..." — Je vois ce que tu veux dire, mais...
Validates before disagreeing. The "but" is softer when you acknowledge first.
"That's a fair point." — C'est un point valable.
Stronger than "I agree" — shows you evaluated their argument. People remember this.

Pushing for action

"What's our next step?" — Quelle est la prochaine étape ?
Forces a decision. Meetings that end without this produce nothing.
"Who's taking ownership of this?" — Qui s'en charge ?
Politely assigns responsibility. "Ownership" is stronger than "responsibility" in business English.

Buying time

"Let me come back to you on that." — Laissez-moi revenir vers vous là-dessus.
Professional way to say "I don't know yet." Never say "I don't know" in a meeting — say this.
"I'd need to check the numbers on that." — Il faudrait que je vérifie les chiffres.
Shows diligence, not ignorance. Much better than guessing or staying silent.

Watch out

French speakers often say "I am agree" — drop the "am." "I agree" is already complete. Also avoid "I am not accord" — say "I don't agree" or better: "I see it differently."

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  1. ‘I take the salmon, please.’
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  3. ‘I am allergic at nuts.’

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