#270 Confirming the Details of a Request｜French Business Phrases

When handling work-related tasks, it is important to clarify any uncertainties about a request as early as possible.

By confirming the other person’s intentions, you can not only avoid misunderstandings and mistakes, but also build stronger professional relationships.

In this article, I will explain useful French expressions for confirming the details of a request, following the flow of a practical conversation example.

Dialogue

B

Pouvez-vous préparer le rapport pour vendredi ?
（Could you prepare the report by Friday?）

A

Bien sûr. Juste pour confirmer, vous souhaitez un rapport complet ou un résumé ?
（Of course. Just to confirm, would you like a full report or a summary?）

B

Un résumé suffira.
（A summary will be sufficient.）

A

D’accord. Et vous voulez que j’inclue les chiffres du mois dernier ?
（Understood. And would you like me to include last month’s figures as well?）

B

Oui, ce serait préférable.
（Yes, that would be preferable.）

1. Start with a Polite Confirmation Phrase

When you want to confirm the details of a request, jumping directly into a question can sometimes sound abrupt.

For this reason, I recommend beginning with a short phrase such as “just to confirm” or “if I understand correctly”. This helps you sound more considerate and professional.

This expression is commonly used as a polite way to introduce a confirmation, meaning something like “just to make sure” or “let me confirm something.”

The word “juste” adds the nuance of “just” or “simply,” softening the tone of the question.

In addition, the structure “pour + infinitive” expresses purpose in French. Therefore, “pour confirmer” literally means “to confirm.”

By using this phrase, you can show that you are asking for clarification not because you doubt the other person, but because you want to ensure an accurate understanding.

2. Confirming the Details of the Request

When dealing with a request, it is important to clarify exactly “what needs to be done and to what extent.”

By confirming details such as the format of the final deliverable in advance, you can avoid misunderstandings between expectations and execution.

The verb “souhaiter” means “to wish” or “to prefer.” Compared with “vouloir” (to want), which is commonly used in everyday conversation, “souhaiter” sounds more formal and professional.

For this reason, in business settings, “Vous souhaitez ～ ?” is generally more appropriate than “Vous voulez ～ ?” when confirming someone’s preferences.

In this example, the conjunction “ou” (or) is used to present two options—“un rapport complet” (a full report) and “un résumé” (a summary).

When confirming details, I recommend presenting options in the form “A ou B ?” rather than asking vague questions, since this often makes it easier for the other person to respond.

3. Confirming Additional Details

Checking smaller conditions in advance can help prevent missing information or misunderstandings later.

The structure “vouloir que + subjunctive” expresses “wanting someone to do something.”

When used as a question, it becomes a polite way of confirming preferences or expectations, similar to “Would you like me to … ?”

In this sentence, the speaker is asking whether the other person would like last month’s figures to be included.

In French, expressions of wishes or preferences often require the subjunctive mood. This is why the verb “inclure” (to include) becomes “inclue,” its present subjunctive form, after “que.”

As you can see, “Vous voulez que je + subjunctive” is a useful structure for politely confirming details or preferences in business situations.

Summary