Dialogue
Affirmer or confirmer? A French conversation about checking a booking
Practise a French booking conversation: someone asserts that a room is free, then the organiser confirms the date, time and attendance.
- B1
- 12 lines
- Practice mode
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In short
Affirmer means to state or assert something with confidence. Confirmer means to confirm a detail, statement or arrangement already in question: confirmer une date, confirmer sa présence. In the conversation, Léa makes an assertion; Nora checks the booking.
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A room is free—or is it already booked?
You are Samir. Léa has told you that the room is available on Tuesday; you phone Nora, the organiser, to check. In practice mode, give Samir’s replies using the English cues. Listen for the precise detail Nora confirms: the booking, its time, then receipt of your message.
- Nora
Bonjour Samir, vous appelez pour la réunion ?
English
Hello Samir, are you calling about the meeting?
- Samir
Oui. Léa affirme que la salle est libre mardi.
Say that Léa asserts the room is free on Tuesday.
English
Yes. Léa says confidently that the room is free on Tuesday.
- Nora
Un instant, je vérifie le calendrier.
English
One moment, I’m checking the calendar.
- Samir
Pouvez-vous me confirmer la réservation ?
Ask Nora to confirm the booking.
English
Can you confirm the booking for me?
- Nora
Oui, je vous confirme que la salle est réservée pour votre groupe mardi.
English
Yes, I can confirm that the room is booked for your group on Tuesday.
- Samir
La réunion commence bien à dix heures ?
Ask whether the meeting starts at ten.
English
The meeting starts at ten, is that right?
- Nora
Oui, de dix heures à midi. Je vous envoie la confirmation par courriel.
English
Yes, from ten until noon. I’ll email you the confirmation.
- Samir
Merci. Je vous confirme ma présence.
Confirm your attendance and thank Nora.
English
Thank you. I confirm that I will attend.
- Nora
J’ai aussi reçu votre proposition de programme.
English
I’ve also received your proposed programme.
- Samir
Vous l’avez déjà approuvée ?
Ask whether she has approved it yet.
English
Have you approved it yet?
- Nora
Pas encore. Pour le moment, je confirme seulement sa réception.
English
Not yet. For now, I’m only confirming that I’ve received it.
- Samir
Très bien, j’attends votre réponse. À mardi !
Say you will wait for her reply.
English
Very good, I’ll wait for your reply. See you on Tuesday!
| Pattern | Example | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| affirmer que + phrase | Léa affirme que la salle est libre. | Léa’s confident statement |
| affirmer + infinitif passé | Elle affirme avoir réservé la salle. | Her statement about her own action |
| confirmer quelque chose à quelqu’un | Nora confirme la réservation à Samir. | An existing arrangement |
| confirmer la réception | Elle confirme la réception du programme. | The message arriving |
| confirmer son accord | Elle confirme son accord sur le programme. | Approval of its contents |
A confident statement still belongs to its speaker: Léa affirme que… In Nora’s reply, checking the calendar gives a concrete reason for je confirme. Receipt and approval have separate objects too. Je confirme la réception tells Samir that the proposal arrived; je confirme mon accord would tell him it was accepted.