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C1  ·  34 words

Giving and taking criticism in French

The sentences that keep a conversation from escalating.

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From these 34 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

Le tête-à-tête is a French phrase that English borrowed and then made more interesting than it is. In English a « tête-à-tête » is a private and slightly charged conversation between two people; candlelight is never far away, and the word carries a faint air of the drawing room. In French it is two heads facing each other and nothing more, with no temperature at all. Le tête-à-tête in this list is the monthly one-to-one with a manager, and outside the office un déjeuner en tête-à-tête is lunch for two, which may be a date and may be a budget review. The adverb does the same plain work: ils ont discuté en tête-à-tête says only that nobody else was present. Two things go with it. The phrase is traditionally invariable in the plural, des tête-à-tête, the same three words; and it is not the only way to say this, since seul à seul, further down the list, is the neutral one of the pair. Announce a « tête-à-tête » with your line manager in English and you have said something you did not mean.

The words

Verb (2)

adoucirto softenVerbC1
Il adoucit sa remarque sans en changer le fond.He softens his comment without changing what it says.
saluerto acknowledgeVerbC1
Elle salue le travail fait avant de parler du reste.She acknowledges the work done before turning to the rest.

Adjective (2)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective goes

chatouilleuxtouchyAdjectiveC1
Il est chatouilleux dès qu’on parle de son chiffre.He is touchy as soon as his figures come up.
exploitableactionableAdjectiveC1
Un retour exploitable dit quoi faire autrement.Actionable feedback says what to do differently.

Phrase (9)

faire un retourto give feedbackPhraseC1
Elle fait un retour dès le lendemain.She gives feedback the very next day.
formuler autrementto rephrasePhraseC1
Il formule autrement ce qu’il vient de dire.He rephrases what he has just said.
assumer son erreurto own one’s mistakePhraseC1
Il assume son erreur devant toute l’équipe.He owns his mistake in front of the whole team.
faire remonter un problèmeto escalate an issuePhraseC1
Elle fait remonter le problème au niveau supérieur.She escalates the issue to the level above.
accepter la critiqueto take criticismPhraseC1
Il accepte la critique sans se justifier aussitôt.He takes criticism without justifying himself straight away.
clarifier les attentesto clarify expectationsPhraseC1
Ils clarifient les attentes avant de commencer.They clarify expectations before they start.
seul à seulin privatePhraseC1
Ils en parlent seul à seul.They talk about it in private.
nommer le comportementto name the behaviourPhraseC1
Elle nomme le comportement, pas la personne.She names the behaviour, not the person.
éviter les étiquettesto avoid labelsPhraseC1
Il évite les étiquettes et décrit ce qu’il a vu.He avoids labels and describes what he saw.

Noun (m) (14)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

l’entretien de retourthe feedback meetingNoun (m)C1
L’entretien de retour est fixé pour la semaine prochaine.The feedback meeting is set for next week.
l’exemple précisthe specific exampleNoun (m)C1
Un exemple précis vaut mieux qu’un reproche général.A specific example is worth more than a general reproach.
le jugement de valeurthe value judgementNoun (m)C1
Le jugement de valeur ferme la discussion.The value judgement closes the conversation.
l’effet sur les autresthe effect on othersNoun (m)C1
L’effet sur les autres n’était pas voulu.The effect on others was not intended.
le mea culpathe apologyNoun (m)C1
Son mea culpa arrive trop tard.His apology comes too late.
le tête-à-têtethe one-to-one meetingNoun (m)C1
Le tête-à-tête a lieu tous les mois.The one-to-one meeting takes place every month.
l’entretien annuel d’évaluationthe annual appraisal interviewNoun (m)C1
L’entretien annuel d’évaluation se prépare des deux côtés.The annual appraisal interview is prepared on both sides.
l’objectif de progressionthe development goalNoun (m)C1
Un objectif de progression sans échéance ne sert à rien.A development goal with no deadline is of no use.
l’angle mortthe blind spotNoun (m)C1
Chacun a son angle mort et ne le voit pas.Everybody has a blind spot and cannot see it.
le retour des pairsthe feedback from peersNoun (m)C1
Le retour des pairs pèse plus que celui du chef.The feedback from peers weighs more than the manager’s.
l’éloge vaguethe vague praiseNoun (m)C1
Un éloge vague n’apprend rien à personne.Vague praise teaches nobody anything.
le point de suivithe follow-up meetingNoun (m)C1
Le point de suivi est fixé à la fin de l’entretien.The follow-up meeting is fixed at the end of the interview.
le ton de la voixthe tone of voiceNoun (m)C1
Le ton de la voix dit plus que la phrase.The tone of voice says more than the sentence.
le moment choisithe chosen momentNoun (m)C1
Le moment choisi décide de la suite.The chosen moment decides what follows.

Noun (f) (7)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

l’observationthe remarkNoun (f)C1
Son observation porte sur une seule réunion.His remark concerns a single meeting.
la méthode du sandwichthe sandwich methodNoun (f)C1
La méthode du sandwich se remarque au bout de deux fois.The sandwich method is spotted after the second time.
la réaction de défensethe defensive reactionNoun (f)C1
La réaction de défense arrive avant la réponse.The defensive reaction comes before the answer.
l’intentionthe intentionNoun (f)C1
L’intention était bonne, l’effet non.The intention was good, the effect was not.
l’enquête anonymethe anonymous surveyNoun (f)C1
L’enquête anonyme dit ce que personne ne dit à voix haute.The anonymous survey says what nobody says out loud.
la lettre d’avertissementthe warning letterNoun (f)C1
La lettre d’avertissement reste au dossier.The warning letter stays on file.
la sécurité psychologiquepsychological safetyNoun (f)C1
La sécurité psychologique se mesure aux questions qu’on ose poser.Psychological safety is measured by the questions people dare to ask.

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