#266 Confirming the Purpose of a Meeting｜French Business Phrases

When participating in a meeting, it is important to confirm in advance what will be discussed and what the purpose of the meeting is.

In workplace meetings or discussions with business partners, understanding the objective clearly can help you prepare your remarks and avoid misunderstandings.

In this article, I will explain useful French expressions for confirming the purpose of a meeting, following the flow of a natural conversation.

Dialogue

A

Avant la réunion, j’aimerais clarifier un point.
（Before the meeting, I would like to clarify one point.）

B

Bien sûr, je vous écoute.
（Of course. Please go ahead.）

A

Quel est exactement l’objectif de cette réunion ?
（What exactly is the purpose of this meeting?）

B

L’objectif est de définir le calendrier du projet et les prochaines étapes.
（The purpose is to define the project schedule and the next steps.）

A

D’accord. Est-ce qu’il y a quelque chose que je devrais préparer ?
（I understand. Is there anything that I should prepare?）

B

Oui, ce serait utile de revoir les chiffres du dernier rapport.
（Yes, it would be helpful if you could review the figures from the latest report.）

A

Très bien, merci pour la précision.
（Very well, thank you for the clarification.）

1. Asking About the Purpose of a Meeting

If the agenda of a meeting is unclear, I recommend confirming its purpose in advance.

This sentence uses the interrogative structure “Quel est ～ ?” (What is ～ ?).

The word “quel” is an interrogative adjective meaning “what” or “which.” Its form changes depending on the gender and number of the noun that follows. In this sentence, “objectif” is a masculine singular noun, so the form “quel” is used.

As you can see, the form of “quel” changes to match the noun.

In addition, the adverb “exactement” adds the nuance of “exactly” or “more specifically.”

The phrase “l’objectif de cette réunion” means “the purpose of this meeting.” The noun “objectif” is frequently used in professional contexts, such as work, planning, and project management.

Another French noun meaning “purpose” is “but.” However, while “but” broadly refers to an aim or intention, “objectif” often carries the nuance of a goal to be achieved, making it especially common in business settings.

2. Receiving an Explanation About the Objective

In the dialogue example, the purpose of the meeting is explained as follows:

This sentence follows the structure: “L’objectif + est + de + infinitive.” This pattern is commonly used to express “The purpose is to …”

The verb “définir” means “to define” or “to clarify.” Although “décider” (to decide) has a similar meaning, the nuance is slightly different.

For this reason, “définir” sounds more natural when discussing project planning or meeting objectives.

The expression “le calendrier du projet” means “the project schedule,” while “les prochaines étapes” refers to “the next steps.” In business contexts, “étape” is a common word meaning “step,” “stage,” or “phase.”

The conjunction “et” (and) is used here to connect the two objectives.

3. Confirming What You Should Prepare

Before a meeting, it is also important to check whether there is anything you should prepare in advance.

The expression “il y a” means “there is” or “there are.” By adding “Est-ce que,” the sentence becomes a question.

The phrase “que je devrais préparer” is a relative clause meaning “that I should prepare.” Here, the relative pronoun “que” refers back to “quelque chose” (something).

The verb “devrais” is the present conditional form of “devoir” (must / should). By using the conditional, the sentence sounds softer and more polite, adding the nuance of: “Is there anything that I should perhaps prepare?”

Summary