French course

Lesson 227 of 240

New here? This is lesson 227 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Accepting a complaint in French

A museum client calls Sam's office. A room is missing from the audio guide, and Claire is at the next desk.

Sam has to take the complaint, apologise, own the mistake, and send a corrected file tonight.

You'll learn staff French for a formal sorry, a quick fix, owning the error, and a promise it won't happen again.

Sam says désolé. A woman writes désolée. They sound the same.

By the end of this lesson

Receive a complaint, apologise formally, and fix it.

  • Je suis vraiment désolé pour le désagrément.I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.
  • On s'en occupe tout de suite.We'll take care of it right away.
  • C'est une erreur de notre part.That's a mistake on our side.
  • Je vous le remplace immédiatement.I'll replace it for you immediately.
  • Ça ne se reproduira pas.It won't happen again.
  • On vous envoie la version corrigée ce soir.We'll send you the corrected version tonight.

Scene — the missing room

Same weekday at the small office two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. Sam has headphones on. Claire is at the next desk with a laptop.

A museum client is on the call. The audio guide is missing a room. The courtyard window is open.

Sam sits up as the call connects while Claire works at the next desk in the small office with the courtyard window open.

Learn — a formal sorry

Six staff lines cover a formal apology, owning the mistake, and a fast fix.

You'll also promise it won't happen again and send a corrected file tonight.

  1. Sam leans toward the laptop with headphones on, posture lowered in a formal apology.

    Je suis vraiment désolé pour le désagrément.

    I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.

    When to use it: Say this to a client when something has gone wrong and you need a formal sorry.

    A woman writes désolée, but it sounds the same as Sam's désolé.

    Say it: The last t in désagrément is silent.

  2. Claire leans into the laptop with one hand on the trackpad, ready to fix the missing room at once.

    On s'en occupe tout de suite.

    We'll take care of it right away.

    When to use it: Say this when you start fixing the problem at once, as a team.

    On here means we, the usual spoken way to speak for the company.

    Say it: In s'en, the e of se drops before en.

  3. Over Sam’s shoulder, the laptop is open while Sam’s shoulders drop, owning the mistake.

    C'est une erreur de notre part.

    That's a mistake on our side.

    When to use it: Use this when you own the mistake and do not blame the client.

    Notre part means our side, so the company takes the blame.

  4. Claire’s hands hover over the laptop, ready to replace the incomplete file immediately.

    Je vous le remplace immédiatement.

    I'll replace it for you immediately.

    When to use it: Promise this when you will swap the bad file or item at once.

    Le stands for the file you are replacing.

    Say it: The last t in immédiatement is silent.

  5. Sam sits upright at the desk and lifts one open palm in a calm promise that it will not happen again.

    Ça ne se reproduira pas.

    It won't happen again.

    When to use it: Promise this after you own the mistake, so the client hears it will stop.

    Keep ne and pas around the verb for this firm promise.

  6. Claire works in profile at her desk by the open courtyard window, finishing the corrected file to send tonight.

    On vous envoie la version corrigée ce soir.

    We'll send you the corrected version tonight.

    When to use it: Give a clear time when you will send the fixed file.

    On vous envoie is we send you, spoken for the team.

    Say it: The s in vous links as z into envoie.

Story — the client calls

Watch Sam take the museum client's complaint. He apologises, owns the error, and promises a corrected file.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. The call connects. Sam sits up. Claire is at the next desk.
  2. SamBonjour.Hello.
  3. the clientBonjour. J'ai un problème.Hello. I've got a problem.
  4. the clientIl manque une salle dans le guide audio.A room is missing from the audio guide.
  5. Sam pulls the file up on his screen.
  6. SamJe suis vraiment désolé pour le désagrément.I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.
  7. the clientLes visiteurs n'ont rien pour cette pièce.Visitors have nothing for that room.
  8. SamC'est une erreur de notre part.That's a mistake on our side.
  9. the clientVous pouvez corriger ça aujourd'hui ?Can you fix that today?
  10. SamOn s'en occupe tout de suite.We'll take care of it right away.
  11. the clientLe fichier est incomplet. Vous pouvez le remplacer ?The file is incomplete. Can you replace it?
  12. SamJe vous le remplace immédiatement.I'll replace it for you immediately.
  13. the clientEt le fichier, vous me l'envoyez quand ?And the file, when will you send it to me?
  14. SamOn vous envoie la version corrigée ce soir.We'll send you the corrected version tonight.
  15. SamÇa ne se reproduira pas.It won't happen again.
  16. the clientD'accord. Merci.Okay. Thank you.
  17. Sam hangs up. Claire turns her chair.
  18. ClaireC'était le musée ?Was that the museum?
  19. SamOui. Il manquait une salle.Yes. A room was missing.
  20. ClaireTu lui envoies ce soir ?You'll send it to them tonight?
  21. SamOui, ce soir.Yes, tonight.

Practice — own the mistake

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round still moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    The museum client's call connects in the daytime. You pick up first.

  3. What does it mean?

    On s'en occupe tout de suite.

  4. Fill the gap

    That's a mistake on our side.

    C'est une ____ de notre part.

  5. Pick the reply

    the client says:

    Le fichier est incomplet. Vous pouvez le remplacer ?

    The file is incomplete. Can you replace it?

    And you reply with:

  6. Swap the word

    You have owned the mistake. Promise the client this will not happen again.

    Ça ne se ____ pas.

  7. Build the line

    We'll send you the corrected version tonight.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Match the pairs

    French

    Je suis vraiment désolé pour le désagrément.Drop the English here
    C'est une erreur de notre part.Drop the English here
    On vous envoie la version corrigée ce soir.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  9. What does it mean?

    J'ai un problème.

  10. Find the mistake

Say it — take the call

Now you're Sam on the call with the museum client. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. the clientBonjour. J'ai un problème.Hello. I've got a problem.
  2. the clientIl manque une salle dans le guide audio.A room is missing from the audio guide.
  3. Sam (you)Apologise for the inconvenience, the formal way.

    Je suis vraiment désolé pour le désagrément.

    I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je suis vraiment désolé pour le désagrément.I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.
On s'en occupe tout de suite.We'll take care of it right away.
C'est une erreur de notre part.That's a mistake on our side.
Je vous le remplace immédiatement.I'll replace it for you immediately.
Ça ne se reproduira pas.It won't happen again.
On vous envoie la version corrigée ce soir.We'll send you the corrected version tonight.
Next: lesson 228Helping a newcomer

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these staff lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your formal sorry ready for a client call.

Open Yak Cards