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Lesson 212 of 240

New here? This is lesson 212 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

Say no kindly in French

Claire wants a longer audio guide script. Sam thinks the short version still works, and he needs to say no without a fight.

She is kind when she disagrees, and she expects the same from him.

By the end, you'll soften a no, wonder out loud, and offer a middle path.

Claire is on tu with Sam. A client still gets vous.

By the end of this lesson

Disagree with a colleague without losing the relationship.

  • Il y a peut-être une autre façon de voir les choses ?Could there be another way to look at it?
  • Je me demande si c'est toujours vrai.I wonder if that's always true.
  • Tu as peut-être raison, mais ___.You may be right, but ___.
  • Je comprends ta logique, mais ça me paraît trop.I get your reasoning, but it feels like too much.
  • Et si on gardait la version courte ?What if we kept the short version?
  • On peut trouver un terrain d'entente.We can meet in the middle.

Scene — the longer script

Late morning in the small office. Claire has a laptop under her arm and the latest audio guide draft on the table.

Sam sits across from her. She wants extra rooms in the script; he thinks twelve minutes is already the limit.

Claire sets a laptop on the office table while Sam sits across a spread of pages, with the grey courtyard beyond the glass.

Learn — a kind no

Six lines help you refuse a plan without shutting the other person down.

You'll open another view, grant a point, and then suggest a shorter path.

  1. Claire leans in with open hands above the pages while Sam, seated across from her, asks if there could be another way to look at it.

    Il y a peut-être une autre façon de voir les choses ?

    Could there be another way to look at it?

    When to use it: Use this to open a different view without saying the other person is wrong.

    This question keeps the door open; it is a soft no, not a hard stop.

    Say it: In peut-être, the t is sounded before être.

  2. Sam studies the pages, then lifts his eyes as if wondering whether that idea is always true.

    Je me demande si c'est toujours vrai.

    I wonder if that's always true.

    When to use it: Use this when you doubt a claim but do not want a fight.

    Je me demande si wonders aloud; it does not call the other person wrong.

  3. From behind Sam, Claire half-concedes with one hand raised and the other still resting on the pages.

    Tu as peut-être raison, mais ___.

    You may be right, but ___.

    When to use it: Grant a colleague's point, then add the real objection in the blank.

    Use tu with Claire; a client still gets vous.

  4. From above, Sam eases back and spreads both hands over the stack as if the plan is too large.

    Je comprends ta logique, mais ça me paraît trop.

    I get your reasoning, but it feels like too much.

    When to use it: Use this after you have heard the plan and still find it too heavy.

    Ta matches tu with Claire; the line keeps her logic in view, then pushes back.

    Say it: The last t in paraît is silent.

  5. Sam slides a thinner sheaf of pages toward the middle of the table while Claire's fingertips wait at the edge.

    Et si on gardait la version courte ?

    What if we kept the short version?

    When to use it: Offer this as a concrete other path after you have softened the no.

    On gardait is a gentle suggestion, not an order to keep the short script.

    Say it: The t in gardait is silent.

  6. In profile, Claire brings both hands together toward Sam above the table, offering a middle path.

    On peut trouver un terrain d'entente.

    We can meet in the middle.

    When to use it: Say this when you want a compromise and you still want the relationship.

    Terrain d'entente is a set phrase for a shared middle ground.

    Say it: D'entente drops the e of de before a vowel.

Story — she wants more minutes

Claire wants more minutes in the guide. Sam keeps the door open while he holds the short version.

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

  1. Claire sets her laptop on the table. The courtyard is grey beyond the glass.
  2. ClaireLe musée veut qu'on allonge le script.The museum wants us to make the script longer.
  3. SamJe vois les choses autrement.I see it differently.
  4. ClaireAh bon ? Dis-moi.Oh really? Tell me.
  5. SamIl y a peut-être une autre façon de voir les choses ?Could there be another way to look at it?
  6. ClaireLes gens ratent la salle du fond, tu vois.People miss the back room, you see.
  7. SamJe me demande si c'est toujours vrai.I wonder if that's always true.
  8. ClaireAvec une version longue, on dit tout.With a long version, we say everything.
  9. SamJe comprends ta logique, mais ça me paraît trop.I get your reasoning, but it feels like too much.
  10. She does not snap. She just waits, then nods once.
  11. ClaireTu as une autre idée, alors ?So have you got another idea?
  12. SamEt si on gardait la version courte ?What if we kept the short version?
  13. ClaireElle n'est pas aussi complète, ça c'est vrai.It isn't as complete, that's true.
  14. SamTu as peut-être raison, mais le visiteur décroche trop vite.You may be right, but the visitor zones out too fast.
  15. ClaireDonc on coupe encore ?So we cut again?
  16. SamJe ne dis pas que tu as tort.I'm not saying you're wrong.
  17. ClaireDis-moi où on se rejoint, alors.So tell me where we meet.
  18. SamOn peut trouver un terrain d'entente.We can meet in the middle.
  19. ClaireEt le milieu, ça donne quoi ?And what does the middle look like?
  20. SamJe préférerais la version courte. Une phrase sur la salle du fond, et c'est tout.I'd rather go with the short version. One line on the back room, and that's it.
  21. ClaireÇa marche pour moi.That works for me.

Practice — hold the line

Eleven short tasks mix listening, building, and choosing the kind no.

Stay with Claire's tu; a client would still hear vous.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Je me demande si c'est toujours vrai.Drop the English here
    Je comprends ta logique, mais ça me paraît trop.Drop the English here
    On peut trouver un terrain d'entente.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. Put the chat in order

    1. ClaireWhat comes first?
    2. Sam…
    3. Claire…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  4. Fill the gap

    I get your reasoning, but it feels like too much.

    Je comprends ta logique, mais ça me paraît ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    Je me demande si c'est toujours vrai.

  6. Build the line

    We can meet in the middle.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    Il faut vraiment une version plus longue.

    We really need a longer version.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    Claire wants a longer script. Open another way to look at the plan.

    Il y a peut-être une autre façon de ____ les choses ?

  9. Which one doesn’t belong?

  10. True or false?

    Say this when you would rather keep the short audio guide script.

  11. What do you say?

    Claire looks worried you just called her wrong. Reassure her that you are not saying she is wrong.

Say it — say no kindly

Now you're Sam in the office with Claire. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

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

  1. ClaireLe musée veut une version plus longue.The museum wants a longer version.
  2. Sam (you)Open another way to look at her plan.

    Il y a peut-être une autre façon de voir les choses ?

    Could there be another way to look at it?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Il y a peut-être une autre façon de voir les choses ?Could there be another way to look at it?
Je me demande si c'est toujours vrai.I wonder if that's always true.
Tu as peut-être raison, mais ___.You may be right, but ___.
Je comprends ta logique, mais ça me paraît trop.I get your reasoning, but it feels like too much.
Et si on gardait la version courte ?What if we kept the short version?
On peut trouver un terrain d'entente.We can meet in the middle.
Next: lesson 213Negotiate a deadline

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