Text conversation
French introductions when you are a visitor, not a new employee
Use a French reception chat to explain that you are visiting, name your host and correct the assumption that you work in the building.
- A1
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In short
Say Je suis en visite to explain that you are visiting. If someone assumes you work there, add Je ne travaille pas ici. J’ai rendez-vous avec Mme Diallo. This gives reception both your role and the person you have come to see.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
You are waiting in a building’s reception area. The receptionist messages you through the visitor chat and assumes you are starting a job today. Correct that one detail politely, then give the information needed to find your host. Vous suits this first professional contact. There is no need to explain your whole work history.
- Bonjour ! Vous êtes la nouvelle collègue de Mme Diallo ?Hello! Are you Ms Diallo’s new colleague?
You are a visitor. Correct the role politely.
- D’accord. Vous avez rendez-vous avec elle ?All right. Do you have an appointment with her?
Your appointment with Ms Diallo is at half past nine.
- Quel est votre nom, s’il vous plaît ?What is your name, please?
- Lina Morel. Je suis à l’entrée.
- Merci. Je préviens Mme Diallo. Vous pouvez attendre près de l’accueil.Thank you. I’ll let Ms Diallo know. You can wait near reception.
Acknowledge the instruction and say where you will wait.
Lina Morel. Je suis à l’entrée.
Lina Morel. I’m at the entrance.
Choose a phrase that states your role
| French | Meaning | Use it when… |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis en visite. | I’m visiting. | You want to state your visitor status. |
| Je ne travaille pas ici. | I don’t work here. | Someone assumes you are an employee. |
| J’ai rendez-vous avec Mme Diallo. | I have an appointment with Ms Diallo. | Reception needs the name of your host. |
| Je suis avec M. Morel. | I’m with Mr Morel. | You are accompanying someone who is present. |
Je suis avec names the person you are with now. It does not by itself say that you have an appointment with them. If your host is upstairs and you are alone at reception, J’ai rendez-vous avec is clearer. If you have come with a colleague, Je suis avec ma collègue explains who is beside you; reception may still need to know whom you are visiting.
Je ne travaille pas ici. Je viens voir Mme Diallo.
I don’t work here. I’ve come to see Ms Diallo.
A short correction is enough
Bonjour, non, je suis en visite is a friendly correction of the assumption. The non answers the question; the next words supply the right information. In writing, keep both parts of the negative around the verb: je ne travaille pas. Then give your name and appointment time if asked. Mme is the written abbreviation of Madame, while M. abbreviates Monsieur.
- Je suis travaille ici.Je travaille ici.
Travailler is already the conjugated verb. Use je travaille for employment; je suis en visite states visitor status.
- Je suis rendez-vous avec Mme Diallo.J’ai rendez-vous avec Mme Diallo.
The expression for having an appointment is avoir rendez-vous, so the first-person form is j’ai.
Before sending a reception message, choose the fact the person needs next: your role, the host’s name, your own name or your location. One clear sentence for each fact makes a short chat easy to follow. When the receptionist tells you where to wait, confirm that place rather than repeating the entire introduction.