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Does je leur ai expliqué mean they agreed?

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read seven French mediation statements and distinguish explaining, being understood, acknowledging receipt and accepting a proposal.

In short

Je leur ai expliqué means “I explained to them”. It does not by itself establish that they understood or agreed. Ils ont compris concerns understanding; ils ont accepté concerns acceptance. Even ils ont confirmé needs an object: receipt, a time or a proposal may be different things.

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A small architectural model and a blank card sit between two empty chairs.
The arrangement suggests a proposal being discussed and considered. Illustration: Atelier

You help arrange a shared journey and report back after speaking with the companions. The verbs you choose should say what actually happened. Explanation, understanding and acceptance may follow each other, but no single one automatically proves all the others.

What has the sentence actually established?

Vrai ou faux ? Decide before you see the verdict.

  1. “Je leur ai expliqué le nouvel horaire” reports an explanation to a group.

    Je leur ai expliqué le nouvel horaire.

  2. That sentence alone proves everyone accepted the new time.

  3. “Ils ont compris la proposition, mais ils la refusent” can be coherent.

    Ils ont compris la proposition, mais ils la refusent.

  4. Confirming receipt is necessarily the same as accepting the conditions.

    Ils ont confirmé la réception du message.

  5. “Nora a accepté de partir à dix heures” states Nora’s acceptance of that action.

    Nora a accepté de partir à dix heures.

  6. A lack of reply can always be reported as agreement.

  7. “Je vérifie si chacun a compris et accepte” keeps two questions separate.

    Je vérifie si chacun a compris et accepte.

Leur identifies the recipients

Leur in je leur ai expliqué replaces à ces personnes. It does not identify their opinion. A double-pronoun version, Je le leur ai expliqué, adds le for the point explained, but still says nothing about agreement. More pronouns do not add evidence of the recipients’ response.

Quote or summarise the actual answer

Je leur ai expliqué le changement. Nora accepte, mais Paul demande un autre horaire.

I explained the change to them. Nora agrees, but Paul asks for another time.

The second sentence gives the responses rather than assuming a group consensus. If you only heard Nora’s answer, report only hers and leave Paul’s as pending. The exact question may also differ: being free at ten does not automatically accept an extra cost attached to leaving then.

For a concise handover, record message transmis, compréhension vérifiée if that occurred, and réponse donnée. Leave a field unresolved when you do not have an answer. This keeps a communication report from becoming a decision someone never made.

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