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Lesson 161 of 240

New here? This is lesson 161 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

I disagree in French

Sam is in a meeting with Claire about the museum audio guide. She wants twelve minutes for every room.

He thinks some rooms need more time, and he has to say so without sounding rude.

By the end, you'll disagree politely, agree in part, and put your own point after maybe-but.

Claire likes that he has a reason, not just a no.

By the end of this lesson

Disagree politely and say what you think instead.

  • Je vois les choses autrement.I see it differently.
  • Je suis en partie d'accord.I partly agree.
  • Peut-être, mais ___.Maybe, but ___.
  • Je suis d'accord sur la durée, mais pas sur le ton.I agree about the length, but not the tone.
  • Désolé, mais je ne suis pas d'accord.Sorry, but I don't agree.
  • Je ne suis pas sûr de ça.I'm not sure about that.

Scene — the timing sheet

Claire sits at her desk with the museum brief. Sam has a printout of the room list and a pencil.

She wants twelve minutes per room. He thinks a few rooms need more. They use tu now, since the first team lunch.

Claire sits at her desk with a blank museum brief while Sam sits opposite with a printout and a pencil, the grey courtyard behind the glass.

Learn — a polite no

Six lines help you disagree without a fight: another view, part agreement, a maybe-but, and a clear no.

You'll also mark what you do agree on, and say you're not sure.

  1. Sam leans in and taps a pencil on a blurred printout, pushing back on the plan.

    Je vois les choses autrement.

    I see it differently.

    When to use it: Say this when you want another view, without a hard no.

    It pushes back on the idea, not on the person in front of you.

    Say it: The s at the end of vois is silent.

  2. Claire gives a small open-handed concession over the blank brief while Sam listens across the desk.

    Je suis en partie d'accord.

    I partly agree.

    When to use it: Say this when part of the idea is fine, but not all of it.

    En partie means only some of their point works for you.

    Say it: The last e in partie is silent.

  3. From behind Claire, Sam holds the printout and lifts one hand to hedge.

    Peut-être, mais ___.

    Maybe, but ___.

    When to use it: Use this to leave a little room, then add what you think instead.

    Fill the blank with the point you want to add, in French.

    Say it: The t in Peut is sounded before être.

  4. Claire sits in profile at the desk with one hand flattened on the blank brief.

    Je suis d'accord sur la durée, mais pas sur le ton.

    I agree about the length, but not the tone.

    When to use it: Use this to accept one point and refuse a different one.

    Name what you share first, then what you will not take.

  5. Sam raises a palm in disagreement, the pencil left on the desk beside the printout.

    Désolé, mais je ne suis pas d'accord.

    Sorry, but I don't agree.

    When to use it: Use this for a clear no that still stays polite.

    Sam says Désolé; a woman would say Désolée in this same line.

    Say it: In d'accord, the e of de is dropped.

  6. Sam sits back with the printout lowered to the lap while Claire sits back from the brief.

    Je ne suis pas sûr de ça.

    I'm not sure about that.

    When to use it: Use this when you doubt a claim but are not ready to refuse.

    Sam says sûr; a woman speaker would say sûre instead.

Story — twelve minutes

Watch Sam push back on twelve minutes. Claire wants a short guide; he thinks some rooms need more.

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

  1. Claire has the timing sheet. The courtyard is grey behind the glass.
  2. ClairePour le musée, je veux douze minutes par salle.For the museum, I want twelve minutes per room.
  3. SamJe vois les choses autrement.I see it differently.
  4. ClaireAutrement comment ?Differently how?
  5. SamJe suis en partie d'accord.I partly agree.
  6. He taps two rooms on the printout.
  7. SamPeut-être, mais certaines salles ont besoin de plus de temps.Maybe, but some rooms need more time.
  8. ClaireDouze minutes partout, c'est plus simple.Twelve minutes everywhere is simpler.
  9. SamJe ne suis pas sûr de ça.I'm not sure about that.
  10. ClaireD'accord, certaines salles auront plus de temps. Et le ton, on le garde léger, non ?Okay, some rooms will have more time. And the tone, we keep it light, right?
  11. SamJe suis d'accord sur la durée, mais pas sur le ton.I agree about the length, but not the tone.
  12. ClaireDonc tu n'es pas d'accord avec le plan.So you don't agree with the plan.
  13. SamDésolé, mais je ne suis pas d'accord.Sorry, but I don't agree.
  14. Claire sits back. She does not look annoyed.
  15. ClaireC'est un bon argument.That's a fair point.
  16. SamJe comprends les deux points de vue.I can see both sides.
  17. ClaireÇa me semble raisonnable. On revoit les durées.That seems reasonable to me. We'll look at the lengths again.

Practice — length and tone

Ten short tasks wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and pick a reply.

Stay with Claire's meeting: length, tone, and a polite no.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    Claire checks that you reject the whole plan. You do. Stay polite.

  3. Fill the gap

    I partly agree.

    Je suis en ____ d'accord.

  4. What does it mean?

    Peut-être, mais ___.

  5. Swap the word

    You accept twelve minutes as a length. You do not accept the light tone.

    Je suis d'accord sur la durée, mais pas sur le ____.

  6. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Tu es sûr que douze minutes suffisent ?

    You're sure twelve minutes is enough?

    And you reply with:

  7. True or false?

    Say this when you like someone's point, even after a disagreement.

  8. Build the line

    I can see both sides

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  9. Fill the gap

    That seems reasonable to me

    Ça me semble ____.

  10. Find the mistake

Say it — make your point

Now you're Sam in Claire's office. 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. ClairePour le musée, je veux douze minutes par salle.For the museum, I want twelve minutes per room.
  2. Sam (you)Tell her your view is not the same as hers.

    Je vois les choses autrement.

    I see it differently.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je vois les choses autrement.I see it differently.
Je suis en partie d'accord.I partly agree.
Peut-être, mais ___.Maybe, but ___.
Je suis d'accord sur la durée, mais pas sur le ton.I agree about the length, but not the tone.
Désolé, mais je ne suis pas d'accord.Sorry, but I don't agree.
Je ne suis pas sûr de ça.I'm not sure about that.
Next: lesson 162Soften the no

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