French for Business: Useful Expressions for Meetings and Professional Success

Essential French Expressions for Business Meetings

Introduction

French is not only a beautiful language for travel, culture, and art—it is also a key language for business in Europe, Africa, and Canada. If you are working in a French-speaking environment or attending international meetings, knowing the right professional expressions can help you make a strong impression.

The good news? You don’t need to be fluent to participate confidently in meetings. With a set of practical phrases, you can introduce yourself, share your opinion, agree or disagree politely, and close discussions effectively.

In this article, we’ll explore useful French expressions for business meetings that will help you communicate clearly and professionally.

Starting a Meeting

When a meeting begins, it’s important to greet participants and set the tone.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Bonjour à tous, merci d’être venus. → Good morning everyone, thank you for coming.

• Commençons la réunion. → Let’s start the meeting.

• L’objectif d’aujourd’hui est de… → Today’s objective is to…

• Je propose que nous commencions par… → I suggest we start with…

Tip: Always use vous in business settings unless invited to use tu. This shows respect and professionalism.

Introducing Yourself or Others

Meetings often begin with introductions, especially when participants don’t know each other.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Je me présente, je m’appelle [Name], je suis [Job Title]. → Let me introduce myself, my name is [Name], I am [Job Title].

• Permettez-moi de vous présenter [Name]. → Allow me to introduce [Name].

• Enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance. → Pleased to meet you.

Expressing Your Opinion

Sharing your point of view is a key part of any meeting. French has a variety of polite ways to do this.

👉 Useful expressions:

• À mon avis… → In my opinion…

• Je pense que… → I think that…

• Il me semble que… → It seems to me that…

• Je voudrais ajouter que… → I would like to add that…

Example:

• À mon avis, nous devrions investir davantage dans la communication.
  (In my opinion, we should invest more in communication.)

Agreeing Politely

Agreeing with colleagues in a professional setting requires the right tone.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Je suis tout à fait d’accord. → I completely agree.

• C’est une excellente idée. → That’s an excellent idea.

• Je partage votre point de vue. → I share your point of view.

Disagreeing Respectfully

Disagreement is natural in business, but it should always be expressed politely.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Je comprends votre point de vue, mais… → I understand your point of view, but…

• Je ne suis pas sûr(e) que ce soit la meilleure solution. → I’m not sure this is the best solution.

• Permettez-moi d’exprimer une opinion différente. → Allow me to express a different opinion.

Tip: In French business culture, direct disagreement can be seen as impolite. Always soften your tone with phrases like je comprends or permettez-moi.

Asking Questions or Clarification

If you didn’t understand something or need more details, these phrases will help.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Pouvez-vous préciser ce point ? → Could you clarify that point?

• Pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ? → Could you repeat, please?

• Que pensez-vous de… ? → What do you think about…?

• Quelle est votre opinion à ce sujet ? → What is your opinion on this subject?

Managing the Flow of the Meeting

If you’re leading the meeting, you may need to move the discussion forward.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Revenons à l’ordre du jour. → Let’s return to the agenda.

• Nous allons passer au point suivant. → We will move on to the next point.

• Essayons de conclure cette discussion. → Let’s try to conclude this discussion.

Closing the Meeting

Ending the meeting with clarity is just as important as starting it.

👉 Useful expressions:

• Merci à tous pour votre participation. → Thank you all for your participation.

• Pour résumer, nous avons décidé de… → To summarize, we have decided to…

• La prochaine réunion aura lieu le [date]. → The next meeting will take place on [date].

• Bonne journée à tous. → Have a good day, everyone.

Conclusion

Mastering a few key expressions in French can transform your experience in business meetings. Whether you’re introducing yourself, agreeing or disagreeing politely, or closing the discussion, these phrases will help you sound professional and confident.

👉 Want to practice French for business in real scenarios? Book a lesson with me today, and we’ll role-play meetings, negotiations, and presentations to help you succeed in your career.