Text conversation
Inviting colleagues to your leaving drinks, in French
Le pot de départ is a French office ritual. Write the invitation on the team chat, answer replies and thank your colleagues, with the right tone.
- B1
- 3 replies to choose
- Phone-style thread
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
A pot de départ is a small gathering, usually at the office, when someone leaves. The invitation is warm but not too long: Après cinq belles années, je quitte l'équipe… Je vous invite à un petit pot vendredi à 17 h 30. The person leaving usually pays for drinks and snacks; colleagues often give a gift from a cagnotte.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
- Bonjour à tous ! Après cinq belles années, je quitte l'équipe fin du mois 🥲Hi everyone! After five great years, I'm leaving the team at the end of the month.
Invite them
- Oh non ! Tu vas nous manquer 😢 Tu pars où ?Oh no! We'll miss you. Where are you going?
Answer briefly
- Je serai là ! Je ramène des chouquettes 🥐I'll be there! I'll bring chouquettes.
Thank them
Phrases from the conversation
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un pot de départ | leaving drinks |
| quitter l'équipe | to leave the team |
| Tu vas nous manquer. | We'll miss you. |
| un nouveau défi | a new challenge |
| Ça me touche. | I'm touched. |
| J'espère vous y voir nombreux. | I hope lots of you can come. |
Careful with manquer: Tu vas nous manquer means "we'll miss you" (the person missed is the subject). Other office pots celebrate a birth, a wedding, a promotion or retirement (pot de retraite). There's often a short speech (un petit discours) and the manager offers the gift.
- Je vais vous manquer vous.Vous allez me manquer.
"I'll miss you" = vous allez me manquer.
- une fête de départ au bureauun pot de départ
Pot is the usual word.