Things and work

Two subjects held together by the same words: what is in your hand, and what you are paid for. Near the top of the list is le délai, and it is the one word here an English reader will misread with complete confidence. Le délai finit vendredi does not say anything has gone wrong. A délai is time granted: a deadline, a notice period, the window you are allowed. Un délai de trois jours is three days you may take, and dans les délais means on time. Time lost, which is what the English word names, is le retard — le train a du retard. So nous vous accordons un délai is the office being generous with you, and nous avons pris du retard is the office apologising. Read the first as the second and a routine letter turns into a complaint.