Dialogue
Explain a work blocker in French and ask for the next decision
Practise a French conversation about a missing delivery address: explain what is blocked, ask for a decision and agree useful work in the meantime.
- B1
- 11 lines
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In short
Name what is missing, connect it to the affected action, then ask a focused question: Il me manque l’adresse de livraison pour calculer les frais. Peux-tu me la confirmer ? Add what you can still do while you wait.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- Samira
Où en es-tu sur le devis ?
English
How far have you got with the quotation?
- Hugo
Les prix des produits sont prêts. Il me manque l’adresse de livraison.
Say the product prices are ready and the delivery address is missing.
English
The product prices are ready. I’m missing the delivery address.
- Samira
Qu’est-ce que cela empêche de terminer ?
English
What does that prevent you from finishing?
- Hugo
Je ne peux pas calculer les frais de transport sans cette adresse.
Explain which calculation needs the address.
English
I can’t calculate the transport charges without that address.
- Hugo
Peux-tu confirmer l’adresse à utiliser, ou me dire qui peut la valider ?
Ask for the address or the person who can validate it.
English
Can you confirm the address to use, or tell me who can validate it?
- Samira
Je vais vérifier auprès du client.
English
I’ll check with the client.
- Hugo
En attendant, est-ce que je prépare une version sans les frais de transport ?
Suggest a version you can prepare while waiting.
English
In the meantime, shall I prepare a version without the transport charges?
- Samira
Oui, pour notre relecture interne. Indique que les frais restent à confirmer.
English
Yes, for our internal review. Indicate that the charges still need confirming.
- Hugo
D’accord. Je prépare cette version aujourd’hui.
Accept the internal version and say when you will prepare it.
English
All right. I’ll prepare that version today.
- Samira
Et pour l’envoi au client ?
English
And what about sending it to the client?
- Hugo
Je te confirmerai le délai quand l’adresse sera validée.
Say when you can confirm the timeframe for the client version.
English
I’ll confirm the timeframe once the address has been validated.
| Job | French pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Missing input | Il me manque la quantité exacte. | I’m missing the exact quantity. |
| Affected action | Sans cette quantité, je ne peux pas finaliser le devis. | Without that quantity, I can’t finalise the quotation. |
| Decision needed | Quelle quantité dois-je retenir ? | Which quantity should I use? |
Il me manque… describes the missing input directly. Je n’ai pas encore terminé… describes unfinished work: the listener still needs to know whether you need help. Here, the address blocks one calculation, while the product prices and internal review can move ahead.