#85 Changing the Date of a Meeting｜French for Business Communication
Izumi Curious French
#222 Clarifying a Misunderstanding｜French Daily Life Phrases
Izumi
In both professional and everyday communication, misunderstandings can arise from small differences in wording or interpretation.
In such situations, rather than directly contradicting the other person, it is important to clarify your intention and align your understanding in a polite and constructive way.
In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for resolving misunderstandings, following the flow of a conversation, along with key grammatical points.
Contents
Dialogue
Donc, vous ne souhaitez pas continuer ce projet ?
（So, you do not wish to continue this project?）
Je crois qu’il y a un malentendu.
（I believe there is a misunderstanding.）
Ah bon ?
（Oh, is that so?）
Ce que je voulais dire, c’est que nous devons revoir le planning.
（What I meant was that we need to review the schedule.）
Je vois, je comprends mieux maintenant.
（I see. I understand better now.）
Désolé si je me suis mal exprimé.
（I am sorry if I did not express myself clearly.）
1. Indicating That There Is a Misunderstanding
When you try to resolve a misunderstanding, I recommend that you begin by describing the situation gently rather than directly denying the other person’s interpretation.
Example
- Je crois qu’il y a un malentendu.
（I believe there is a misunderstanding.）
The phrase “Je crois que …” (I believe that …) is often used as a softening expression, allowing you to present your view without sounding too direct.
Related Expressions
- Je pense qu’il y a un problème.
（I think there is a problem.） - Il me semble qu’il y a une confusion.
（It seems to me that there is some confusion.）
The expression “il y a” indicates existence, meaning “there is” or “there are.”
In this case, it presents the misunderstanding as a situation rather than placing blame on the other person.
Points
- Vous avez mal compris.
（You misunderstood.） → sounds accusatory - Il y a un malentendu.
（There is a misunderstanding.） → focuses on the situation
2. Explaining Your Original Intention
Next, you should clearly explain what you originally intended to say.
Example
- Ce que je voulais dire, c’est que nous devons revoir le planning.
（What I meant is that we need to review the schedule.）
The key structure here is: “Ce que …, c’est …”
This construction allows you to highlight and clarify the main point of your statement.
Breaking it down:
Points
- Ce que je voulais dire
（What I meant） - c’est que nous devons revoir le planning
（is that we need to review the schedule）
This structure is particularly useful when you need to restate your intention clearly.
The verb “voulais” (imperfect form of “vouloir”) is used here because you are referring back to what you intended to say earlier.
Points
- Je veux dire …
（I mean …）→ used for immediate clarification - Je voulais dire …
（What I meant was …）→ referring back to a previous statement
The phrase “c’est que + clause” introduces the content of your explanation and presents it as a complete idea.
3. Apologizing for Causing the Misunderstanding
When clarifying a misunderstanding, I recommend acknowledging that your way of expressing yourself may have contributed to the confusion.
This helps maintain a positive and respectful relationship.
Example
- Désolé si je me suis mal exprimé.
（I am sorry if I did not express myself clearly.）
The word “désolé” means “sorry” and changes form depending on the speaker’s gender:
Points
- désolé (male speaker)
- désolée (female speaker)
The phrase “si je me suis mal exprimé” uses the conjunction “si ” (if), which introduces a conditional nuance and softens the apology.
The verb “s’exprimer” (to express oneself) is a reflexive verb and is used here in the passé composé (present perfect).
In reflexive constructions, the auxiliary verb is “être,” and the past participle agrees with the subject:
Points
- Je me suis mal exprimé (male)
- Je me suis mal exprimée (female)
The adverb “mal” modifies the verb and means “poorly” or “not clearly.”
The use of the past tense here is important:
Points
- Je m’exprime mal.
（I express myself poorly） → in general - Je me suis mal exprimé.
（I did not express myself well） → in this instance
By using the past tense, you limit the statement to a specific situation, making it more appropriate and polite.
Summary
Key French Phrases
- Je crois qu’il y a un malentendu.
→ A polite way to indicate a misunderstanding. - Ce que je voulais dire, c’est que ～
→ Used to clarify your original intention. - Désolé si je me suis mal exprimé.
→ Used to apologize for not expressing yourself clearly.
