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French meeting actions: who does what, and by when?

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read a short French meeting, then answer eight questions on task owners, dependencies, deadlines and the difference between preparation and approval.

In short

An action needs a verb, a person and a deadline: Malik prépare une première version pour jeudi avant midi. Check the person’s reply, then record the commitment. Keep the person preparing the work separate from the person approving it.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A small office meeting with one colleague accepting a task and another passing over a plain folder.
A clear action names qui fait quoi. Illustration: Atelier
Le tableau des coûts
  1. Samira

    Malik, peux-tu préparer une première version du tableau des coûts pour jeudi avant midi ?

    Malik, can you prepare a first version of the costs table for Thursday before midday?

  2. Malik

    Oui, je m’en charge. Il me faudra les coûts de livraison.

    Yes, I’ll handle it. I’ll need the delivery costs.

  3. Samira

    Nora, peux-tu lui transmettre ces coûts mercredi ?

    Nora, can you send him those costs on Wednesday?

  4. Nora

    Oui, dans la matinée.

    Yes, during the morning.

  5. Samira

    Nous relirons le tableau jeudi après-midi. L’accord final sur le budget reste à demander à la direction.

    We’ll review the table on Thursday afternoon. Final budget approval still needs to be requested from management.

  6. Malik

    D’accord. Je préciserai qu’il s’agit d’une première version.

    All right. I’ll make clear that it’s a first version.

What belongs in an action note
FieldQuestion to askExample wording
ActionQuelle est la prochaine étape ?Préparer une première version.
OwnerQui s’en charge ?Malik s’en charge.
DeadlinePour quand ?Pour jeudi avant midi.
DependencyDe quoi as-tu besoin ?Des coûts de livraison.
ApprovalQui doit valider le budget ?La direction.
  1. Question 1No account needed
    What does Malik explicitly accept?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Préparer une première version du tableau.. Malik accepts Samira’s request to prepare the table. The requested deliverable is a first version.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    Which words show that he accepts responsibility?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je m’en charge.. Je m’en charge means “I’ll handle it”. The other phrases name a need and an outstanding action.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Who supplies the delivery costs?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Nora. Samira asks Nora to send the costs and Nora accepts. Malik receives them.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    When does Nora agree to send them?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Mercredi matin.. Dans la matinée answers the request mentioning Wednesday, so it means Wednesday morning.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    Which time belongs to the team’s review?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Jeudi après-midi.. Thursday afternoon is the review. Thursday before midday is Malik’s delivery deadline.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    What is the state of final budget approval?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    It still needs to be requested.. Samira says final approval remains to be requested from management.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    A colleague says Je peux essayer, mais je dois vérifier ma disponibilité. What should you record?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Availability still to be confirmed.. The colleague offers to try and explicitly needs to check availability. Ask for confirmation before recording a firm commitment.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Which note faithfully summarises the action concerning delivery costs?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Nora transmet les coûts de livraison à Malik mercredi matin.. This keeps the agreed person, action, recipient and time together.

Read the actions back

Je résume : Nora transmet les coûts mercredi matin ; Malik prépare le tableau pour jeudi avant midi. Nous le relisons jeudi après-midi, puis nous demanderons la validation du budget à la direction.

To sum up: Nora sends the figures on Wednesday morning; Malik prepares the table for Thursday before midday. We review it on Thursday afternoon, then we’ll ask management to approve the budget.

Use pour jeudi for a deadline and jeudi for the day an action happens. If the hour matters, add avant midi or a specific time. A short read-back lets each person correct their own task before the meeting ends.

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