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A short work update in French: done, doing, waiting, next

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Give a clear French status update with four useful patterns: what is finished, what you are doing, what you are waiting for and the next step.

In short

Use four short parts: J’ai terminé…, Je prépare…, J’attends… and Je vous tiendrai au courant…. Each part answers a different question about the task.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A colleague gives a short spoken progress update at a French office desk.
J’attends names the answer needed before the next step. Illustration: Atelier

Faire le point · four useful patterns

1 · A finished result

Use the passé composé for a completed action. Name the result the colleague can use.

J’ai terminé…I’ve finished…
La liste est prête.The list is ready.

J’ai vérifié la liste des participants.I’ve checked the participant list.

J’ai ajouté les adresses manquantes.I’ve added the missing addresses.

2 · Work happening now

The present tense can describe the task you are working on now.

Je travaille sur…I’m working on…
Il me reste à…I still need to…

Je prépare le texte des invitations.I’m preparing the invitation text.

3 · An answer you are waiting for

Name the dependency and the action it affects.

J’attends encore…I’m still waiting for…
Pour l’envoi, il me manque…For sending it, I still need…

J’attends la confirmation de la salle avant d’envoyer les invitations.I’m waiting for the room confirmation before sending the invitations.

4 · The next step or update

Use a time for the next check-in, or state the condition for the next action.

Je prévois de…I plan to…
Pouvez-vous confirmer… ?Can you confirm…?

Je vous tiendrai au courant à seize heures.I’ll update you at four o’clock.

Dès que la salle sera confirmée, je pourrai envoyer les invitations.As soon as the room is confirmed, I’ll be able to send the invitations.

How do you give a short work update in French?

Team event · Tuesday morning
TaskStatus
Liste des participantsVérifiée ; adresses ajoutées
Texte des invitationsEn cours de préparation
SalleConfirmation attendue
Prochain pointAujourd’hui à 16 heures

J’ai vérifié la liste et ajouté les adresses manquantes. Je prépare le texte des invitations. Pour l’envoi, j’attends encore la confirmation de la salle. Je vous tiendrai au courant à seize heures.

I’ve checked the list and added the missing addresses. I’m preparing the invitation text. Before sending them, I’m still waiting for the room confirmation. I’ll update you at four o’clock.

The final sentence promises an update at 16:00. The sending time depends on the room confirmation. J’attends encore is a useful way to name a pending answer while showing which work can continue.

A colleague asks one follow-up
  1. Collègue

    Tu peux avancer sur le texte en attendant ?

    Can you make progress on the text while you wait?

  2. Vous

    Oui, je peux préparer le brouillon. Il me restera à ajouter le nom de la salle.

    Yes, I can prepare the draft. I’ll still need to add the room name.

  3. Collègue

    Très bien. Je te confirme la salle après la réunion.

    Very good. I’ll confirm the room after the meeting.

Question 1No account needed
Which sentence explicitly reports a completed check?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

J’ai vérifié la liste.. J’ai vérifié is completed. Je vais vérifier is planned; il me reste à names work still to do.

Question 2No account needed
What has the speaker promised for 16:00?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

A progress update.. Je vous tiendrai au courant à seize heures promises to give news at that time.

Question 3No account needed
Choose the form after dès que for this future action.Dès que la salle ___ confirmée, je pourrai envoyer les invitations.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

sera. For this future sequence, use the future: dès que la salle sera confirmée.

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