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Accord de principe: read a conditional agreement in French

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read a French agreement in principle and two follow-up emails. Track room confirmation, budget approval and the condition for sending invitations.

In short

Read accord de principe together with the words that follow it: sous réserve de names conditions still to be met. In the emails below, the workshop idea is agreed, but invitations wait for budget approval and final room confirmation.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Two organisers consider an empty workshop room.
An accord de principe still leaves conditions to confirm. Illustration: Atelier

Professional emails · C1 reading

Un atelier, trois messages

Lundi · accord de principe

Bonjour Adam,

Nous avons obtenu un accord de principe1 pour organiser l’atelier de septembre dans vos locaux, sous réserve de2 la disponibilité de la salle et de la validation du budget. La direction soutient le projet ; elle attend toutefois le chiffrage définitif avant d’autoriser les dépenses.

Merci de vérifier la disponibilité de la salle. Nous attendrons que les deux conditions soient remplies avant d’envoyer les invitations. Nora

Mercredi · une avancée sur la salle

Bonjour Nora,

La salle est disponible à la date envisagée. Le responsable peut la bloquer provisoirement3 jusqu’à vendredi à 16 heures, sans engagement de dépense4. Il attend notre confirmation écrite pour la réserver définitivement. Le budget, lui, reste en attente de validation5. Adam

Jeudi · que peut-on annoncer ?

Bonjour Adam,

Merci. Nous pouvons préparer le texte des invitations, mais leur envoi reste suspendu à6 la validation du budget et à la confirmation définitive de la salle. Je relance la direction ce matin. Si sa réponse arrive avant vendredi à 16 heures, nous pourrons confirmer la réservation dans le délai prévu.

Je vous donnerai le feu vert7 pour l’envoi lorsque ces deux points seront réglés. Nora

Read it in English

Monday: Hello Adam. We have obtained agreement in principle to hold the September workshop at your premises, subject to room availability and budget approval. Management supports the project; however, it is awaiting the final cost estimate before authorising expenditure. Please check room availability. We will wait until both conditions are met before sending invitations. Nora

Wednesday: Hello Nora. The room is available on the proposed date. The person in charge can hold it temporarily until Friday at 4 pm, without committing expenditure. He is awaiting our written confirmation to reserve it definitively. The budget is still awaiting approval. Adam

Thursday: Hello Adam. Thank you. We can prepare the invitation text, but sending it still depends on budget approval and final room confirmation. I’ll follow up with management this morning. If its reply arrives before Friday at 4 pm, we can confirm the booking within the agreed time. I’ll give you the go-ahead to send invitations when both points are settled. Nora

Read the condition and the action together

Four expressions that control the next step
ExpressionFrench exampleWhat it tells you
Agreement in principleLa direction soutient le projet.The project has support.
Remaining conditionLe budget reste en attente de validation.Spending approval is still pending.
Temporary deadlineJusqu’à vendredi à 16 heures.The room hold has an end time.
Permission for a named actionLe feu vert pour l’envoi.The go-ahead concerns sending invitations.

Nous attendrons que les deux conditions soient remplies uses the subjunctive soient after attendre que. Lorsque ces deux points seront réglés uses the future seront for a future event. Both sentences place the next action after the confirmations.

Question 1No account needed
Which statement matches the three messages?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The project is supported, with two confirmations still needed.. The room booking and budget approval remain explicit conditions for sending invitations.

Question 2No account needed
What must happen by Friday at 16 h?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The temporary room hold must be confirmed for a definitive booking.. Friday at 16 h limits the room hold; the workshop itself is planned for September.

Question 3No account needed
Which action is expressly allowed on Thursday?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Préparer le texte des invitations.. Nora allows preparation while keeping sending dependent on the two confirmations.

Question 4No account needed
What does Si sa réponse arrive… tell you about management’s reply?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Its arrival before the deadline is still a condition.. The si clause considers a possible reply before the hold expires.

What is an accord de principe?

Le projet a reçu un accord de principe. La salle est disponible, mais sa réservation définitive et la validation du budget restent à confirmer. Nous préparons les invitations ; Nora donnera le feu vert pour leur envoi.

The project has agreement in principle. The room is available, but its final booking and budget approval still need confirmation. We are preparing the invitations; Nora will give the go-ahead to send them.

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