#210 Reporting the Completion of a Task｜French Business Phrases

When you finish a task assigned to you at work, it is important to report it to your supervisor or team members.

When reporting the completion of a task, you should clearly communicate what has been completed, where the documents can be found, and what the next steps might be.

In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for reporting the completion of a task, following the flow of the conversation example.

Dialogue

A

Je voulais vous informer que j’ai terminé le rapport demandé.
（I would like to inform you that I have completed the requested report.）

B

Merci de m’avoir tenu au courant.
（Thank you for keeping me informed.）

A

Je l’ai envoyé par email ce matin. Pourriez-vous le consulter quand vous aurez un moment ?
（I sent it by email this morning. Could you review it when you have a moment?）

B

Parfait.Je vais y jeter un œil dans l’après-midi.
（Perfect. I will take a look at it this afternoon.）

A

N’hésitez pas à me dire s’il faut modifier quelque chose.
（Please let me know if anything needs to be modified.）

B

D’accord, merci pour votre travail.
（All right, thank you for your work.）

1. Informing Someone That a Task Has Been Completed

When you report that a task has been completed, you can express it briefly as follows.

In the expression “Je voulais vous informer que …”, the imperfect form “voulais” is used instead of the present tense “veux.”

Here, the imperfect “je voulais” does not indicate a past action. Instead, it functions as a polite or indirect expression that softens the statement and shows consideration for the listener.

The verb “informer” is used in the structure: “informer quelqu’un que …” In this sentence, “vous” represents the person being informed.

The content of the information is then explained in the clause following “que.”

The phrase “j’ai terminé” is in the passé composé, which is used to describe an action that has already been completed.

2. Explaining That the Report Has Been Sent

When you report that a task has been completed, it is helpful to explain where the document can be found or how it was shared.

This makes it easier for the other person to review it.

In the phrase “Je l’ai envoyé,” the “ l’ ” is a direct object pronoun. It is a shortened form of “le” or “la,” used before a vowel.

Here it refers to a previously mentioned noun such as “le rapport” or “le document,” and it helps avoid repeating the same noun.

The phrase “ai envoyé” is a passé composé form composed of: “avoir (auxiliary verb) + past participle” This tense is used to describe completed actions, such as sending, sharing, or uploading a document.

One important grammatical point is that when the direct object pronoun appears before the verb, the past participle agrees with the object in gender and number.

In this example, the pronoun “l’” refers to “le rapport” (masculine singular), so the form remains “envoyé.”

3. Asking Someone to Review the Document

After reporting the completion of your work, you may ask the other person to review the document.

The phrase “Pourriez-vous…” uses the conditional form of the verb “pouvoir,” which makes the request more polite.

The verb “consulter” means “to review,” “examine,” or “consult.” In this context, it refers to checking or reviewing a document.

Compared with “voir” (to see), “consulter” implies a more careful examination of information.

The expression “quand vous aurez un moment” means “when you have a moment.” It is a soft and considerate way to ask for a review while respecting the other person’s schedule.

Each expression has a slightly different nuance, but “un moment” is particularly natural in conversation.

4. Indicating That You Are Available for Revisions

At the end of a work report, it is common to indicate that you are available to make revisions if necessary.

The expression “N’hésitez pas à …” means: “Do not hesitate to …” or “Please feel free to …”

The structure “hésiter à + infinitive” means “to hesitate to do something.” When used in the negative imperative “N’hésitez pas à + infinitive,” it becomes a polite invitation to act without hesitation.

The phrase “s’il faut modifier quelque chose” means “if something needs to be modified.”

Here, “s’il” (si + il) means “if,” and “il faut + infinitive” expresses necessity.

Summary