#212 Requesting a Deadline Extension｜French Business Phrases

In a business setting, unexpected issues or delays in work may require you to adjust a delivery deadline.

In such situations, it is important to explain the circumstances clearly and politely, while requesting an extension of the delivery schedule.

In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for requesting a deadline extension, along with key grammatical points.

Dialogue

A

Merci de prendre le temps de me parler. J’aimerais discuter du délai de livraison concernant notre projet.
（Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I would like to discuss the delivery deadline for our project.）

B

Oui, bien sûr. Y a-t-il un problème particulier ?
（Yes, of course. Is there a particular issue?）

A

Nous avons rencontré un léger retard en raison de difficultés techniques.
（We have encountered a slight delay due to technical difficulties.）

B

Je vois. Quelle serait la nouvelle date de livraison ?
（I see. What would the new delivery date be?）

A

Serait-il possible de repousser la livraison d’une semaine, jusqu’au 10 avril ?
（Would it be possible to postpone the delivery by one week, until April 10?）

B

D’accord, cela devrait être possible. Merci de nous avoir informés à l’avance.
（All right, that should be possible. Thank you for informing us in advance.）

A

Je vous remercie pour votre compréhension.
（Thank you for your understanding.）

1. Initiating a Discussion About the Deadline

When you need to request a change in the delivery deadline, I recommend starting the conversation with a polite and indirect expression.

The expression “J’aimerais …” (I would like to …) is the conditional form of the verb aimer. By using the conditional, you can express your intention in a more polite and reserved manner.

The verb “discuter” is commonly used in the structure “discuter de + noun”, meaning “to discuss something.”

In addition, “concernant notre projet” uses the present participle of “concerner.”

The expression “concernant …” means “regarding” or “concerning,” and helps you clearly specify the topic.

2. Explaining the Reason for the Delay

When requesting a deadline extension, you need to explain the reason. However, I recommend keeping your explanation concise and to the point.

The structure “Nous avons rencontré …” uses the present perfect (avoir + past participle), which is suitable for describing a situation that has already occurred but is still relevant now.

Although “rencontrer” originally means “to meet,” it is frequently used in business contexts to mean “to encounter” problems or difficulties.

The phrase “en raison de + noun” is used to explain the cause:

In this example, “difficultés techniques” is in the plural form, indicating that multiple issues have contributed to the delay.

3. Proposing a New Deadline

When requesting an extension, it is important to present a clear alternative deadline.

The phrase “Serait-il possible de … ?” uses the conditional form of “être” and adds politeness to the request.

In “possible de repousser”, the structure “de + infinitive” is used to express an action as a whole. Here, “repousser la livraison” functions as a single unit meaning “to postpone the delivery.”

The verb “repousser” originally means “to push back,” and in the context of schedules or deadlines, it means “to postpone” or “to delay.”

However, I would like to point out that “repousser” can have different meanings depending on the context. When used with people or proposals, it can also mean “to reject,” so careful usage is important.

Summary