Renegotiating a Deadline with Clear Priorities | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At work, two colleagues plan how to request a short extension after a project scope expands..

EN → FR / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Renegotiating a Deadline with Clear Priorities to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

La date limite est demain, mais le périmètre du projet s’est élargi ce matin.

lah daht lee-MEET eh duh-MAN, meh luh pay-ree-METR doo proh-ZHEH say-tay-lar-ZHEE suh mah-TAN. The deadline is tomorrow, but the project scope expanded this morning.
B

De quelle partie le client a-t-il besoin en premier ?

duh KELL par-TEE luh klee-AHN ah-teel buh-ZWAN ahn pruh-MYAY? Which part does the client need first?
A

Le client a besoin du résumé en premier, mais les graphiques détaillés peuvent attendre.

luh klee-AHN ah buh-ZWAN doo ray-zoo-MAY ahn pruh-MYAY, meh lay grah-FEEK day-tah-YAY puh-v ah-TONDR. They need the summary first, but the detailed charts can wait.
B

Alors, demande un court délai supplémentaire pour les sections moins prioritaires.

ah-LOR, duh-MAHND uhn koor day-LAY soo-play-mahn-TAIR poor lay sek-SYON mwan pree-oh-ree-TAIR. Then ask for a short extension on the lower-priority sections.
A

Je ne veux pas donner l’impression de ne pas avoir su gérer mon temps.

zhuh nuh vuh pah doh-NAY lehm-preh-SYON duh nuh pah ah-VWAR soo zhay-RAY mohn TAHN. I don't want it to sound like I failed to manage my time.
B

Présente la demande en parlant de la qualité et des nouvelles informations que tu as reçues.

pray-ZAHNT lah duh-MAHND ahn par-LAHN duh lah kah-lee-TAY ay day noo-VELL an-for-mah-SYON kuh too ah ruh-SOO. Frame it around quality and the new information you received.
A

Je peux dire que je livrerai le résumé demain et les graphiques le jour suivant.

zhuh puh DEER kuh zhuh lee-vruh-RAY luh ray-zoo-MAY duh-MAN ay lay grah-FEEK luh ZHOOR swee-VAHN. I can say I'll deliver the summary tomorrow and the charts the following day.
B

Cela donne au client un calendrier réaliste et un choix clair.

suh-LAH dohn oh klee-AHN uhn kah-lahn-DREE-YAY ray-ah-LEEST ay uhn SHWAH KLAIR. That gives them a realistic timeline and a clear choice.
A

J’enverrai le message bientôt pour que le client ait le temps de répondre.

zhahn-vuh-RAY luh meh-SAHZH byan-TOH poor kuh luh klee-AHN eh luh TAHN duh ray-PONDR. I'll send the message soon so they have time to respond.
B

Ainsi, le changement de calendrier sera clair avant demain.

an-SEE, luh shahnzh-MAHN duh kah-lahn-DREE-YAY suh-RAH KLAIR ah-VAHN duh-MAN. That way, the schedule change is clear before tomorrow.

Word by Word

La La is the definite article meaning “the” before date in this sentence. It marks a specific feminine singular noun. Reuse it before a specific feminine singular noun, for example in la date limite, when discussing a concrete deadline.
date Date means “date” and, with limite, refers to the deadline. The expression date limite is used for the date by which something must be completed. Use it in workplace discussions about deadlines or scheduled dates.
limite Limite means “limit” and gives date the specific meaning “deadline” in date limite. Together, the expression identifies the final date for completing something. Use date limite when setting or discussing a work deadline.
est Est means “is” here, linking the deadline with tomorrow. It states the current status of the deadline. Reuse subject + est + a time or description when giving a factual update.
demain Demain means “tomorrow,” the day after today. Here it specifies when the deadline falls. Use it as a time expression when arranging work or discussing a near-future plan.
mais Mais means “but” and introduces a contrast between the deadline and the expanded project scope. It connects two opposing or unexpected pieces of information. Use mais to explain a problem or change that affects an earlier statement.
le Le is the definite article meaning “the” before périmètre. It marks a specific masculine singular noun. Reuse le before a specific masculine singular noun when referring to an identified thing.
périmètre Périmètre means “scope” here: the extent of what the project includes. The phrase périmètre du projet identifies the project’s scope. Use it at work when discussing what is included in a project.
du Du means “of the” in périmètre du projet. It combines de with le before the masculine singular noun projet. Reuse a noun + du + noun pattern to express a relationship such as the scope of a project.
projet Projet means “project” and is the project whose scope has expanded. Here it refers to a defined work assignment. Use it when discussing the planning, contents, or progress of a work project.
s’est S’est contributes the meaning “has itself” in s’est élargi, describing the project as having expanded. It is part of the form of the reflexive verb s’élargir in this sentence. Use s’est with a following past participle to describe a completed change affecting the subject.
élargi Élargi means “expanded” in s’est élargi. It describes the project scope becoming broader than before. Reuse s’est élargi to report that something has expanded, especially when its extent or contents have increased.
ce Ce means “this” in ce matin and points to the morning connected with the current situation. It appears directly before matin in this time expression. Use ce + a masculine singular noun to identify a particular thing or time.
matin Matin means “morning” in ce matin, referring to the morning of the current day. The expression gives the time when the scope expanded. Use it when specifying when a work event happened.
De De introduces the part being asked about in De quelle partie. In this question, it is required by the expression avoir besoin de. Reuse avoir besoin de + a thing or person when asking what someone needs.
quelle Quelle means “which” in De quelle partie and identifies the particular part in question. Its form matches the feminine noun partie. Reuse de quelle + a feminine noun when asking which specific feminine item is involved.
partie Partie means “part” and refers to one section of the project. De quelle partie asks which part the client needs first. Use it when dividing a project, document, or task into sections.
client Client means “client,” the person whose needs determine the priority. Here it is the subject connected with a besoin. Use it in professional communication about work delivered to a customer.
a A means “has” in a-t-il besoin and forms the question about what the client needs. It belongs to the expression avoir besoin de. Reuse avoir besoin de when describing or asking about a need.
il Il means “he” here and refers to le client. In a-t-il, it follows the verb because the sentence is formed as a question. Use il to refer back to a masculine person or noun already identified.
besoin Besoin means “need” in avoir besoin de. The full expression describes something required by the client. Reuse avoir besoin de + a noun or infinitive when explaining what someone needs.
en En forms en premier, meaning “first” or “in first place” in this question. It marks the requested order of priority. Use en premier when identifying what should be handled before other items.
premier Premier means “first” in en premier and identifies the highest priority. In this expression, it describes order rather than a separate object. Use en premier when saying which task, part, or step should come before the others.
résumé Résumé means “summary” and is the item the client needs first. It refers to a shortened presentation of the project information. Use it when discussing a concise version of a report or document.
les Les is the definite article meaning “the” before the plural noun graphiques. It refers to specific charts already understood in the project. Reuse les before identified plural nouns.
graphiques Graphiques means “charts” or “graphs” and refers to the detailed visual material in the project. Here, the charts are less urgent than the summary. Use it in work discussions about data displays or report contents.
détaillés Détaillés means “detailed” and describes the specific charts being discussed. It indicates that the charts contain additional detail. Reuse a noun followed by détaillé or a matching form when describing detailed work or information.
peuvent Peuvent means “can” in peuvent attendre, stating that the charts are able to wait. It expresses that postponing them is possible. Reuse subject + peuvent + an infinitive to describe what several people or things can do.
attendre Attendre means “wait” in peuvent attendre, meaning that the charts do not need to be delivered immediately. With peuvent, it describes a possible delay. Use pouvoir + attendre when saying that a task or item can be postponed.
Alors Alors means “then” or “so” and introduces the advice that follows from the priority decision. It connects the conclusion to the previous information. Use Alors at the start of a response when proposing the next practical step.
demande Demande means “ask” or “request” here and gives direct advice to request an extension. It is an instruction addressed to one person. Reuse demande + an object when telling someone to make a request.
un Un is the indefinite article meaning “a” before délai. It introduces one additional period of time being requested. Reuse un before a singular masculine noun when referring to one non-specific item.
court Court means “short” and describes the requested délai. It limits the extension to a small additional period. Use court before a masculine singular noun when describing a short period or item.
délai Délai means “period of time” and, with supplémentaire, refers to an additional deadline period or extension. Here it is the extra time requested for lower-priority sections. Use demander un délai supplémentaire when requesting more time for work.
supplémentaire Supplémentaire means “additional” or “extra” and describes time added to the existing deadline. It makes clear that this is an extension rather than the original period. Use it after a noun when referring to an added amount, period, or resource.
pour Pour means “for” and identifies the sections to which the requested extension applies. It links the request with its target. Reuse pour + a noun when specifying who or what a request is intended for.
sections Sections means “sections” and refers to separate parts of the project. The extension is requested for these sections rather than for the whole project. Use it when dividing a report, project, or document into parts.
moins Moins means “less” in moins prioritaires. It lowers the degree of priority assigned to the sections. Reuse moins + an adjective when comparing the priority or degree of several items.
prioritaires Prioritaires means “high-priority” or “priority-related” in moins prioritaires. With moins, it identifies sections that have a lower priority than others. Use it when ranking tasks or parts of a project by urgency.
Je Je means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person expressing the concern. It is the subject of the following verb. Use Je at the start of a sentence when describing your own intention, opinion, or action.
ne Ne is the first part of the negation in ne veux pas. It works together with pas to express that the speaker does not want something. Reuse ne ... pas around a conjugated verb to make a negative statement.
veux Veux means “want” in Je ne veux pas. With ne and pas, the speaker says they do not want to give a certain impression. Reuse je veux or je ne veux pas when expressing a personal intention or refusal.
pas Pas completes the negation ne ... pas in ne veux pas. Together, the two words mean “do not” or “not” in this sentence. Reuse pas with ne around the conjugated verb to negate an action or desire.
donner Donner means “give” in donner l’impression, an expression meaning “give the impression.” Here it describes how the request might appear to others. Reuse donner l’impression de + an infinitive when describing the impression someone creates.
l’impression L’impression means “the impression” in donner l’impression. The article is written l’ before the vowel sound of impression. Reuse donner l’impression de + an infinitive to explain how an action may seem to other people.
avoir Avoir means “to have” in ne pas avoir su gérer. Together with su gérer, it describes having managed or been able to manage something. Reuse avoir followed by a past participle when referring to a completed ability or action in this type of construction.
su Su means “managed to” in avoir su gérer, expressing that the speaker did or did not manage to handle something. It is the past participle related to savoir, used before another infinitive here. Reuse avoir su + an infinitive when describing having managed to do something.
gérer Gérer means “manage” and refers specifically to managing the speaker’s time. The phrase gérer mon temps describes organizing available time effectively. Use gérer + a resource, task, or responsibility when talking about handling it.
mon Mon means “my” and shows that the time belongs to the speaker in mon temps. It comes before the noun it describes. Reuse mon before a masculine singular noun when identifying something belonging to or associated with the speaker.
temps Temps means “time” in gérer mon temps. It refers to the speaker’s available time and how it was handled. Use it in work conversations about planning, schedules, or the amount of time available.
Présente Présente means “present” or “frame” here and instructs the listener to present the request in a particular way. It is addressed directly to one person. Reuse Présente + an object when advising someone how to introduce or frame a request.
parlant Parlant means “speaking” or “talking” in en parlant de la qualité. The expression explains the manner of presenting the request: by discussing quality and new information. Reuse en parlant de + a topic when describing an action carried out by talking about something.
qualité Qualité means “quality” and is one of the reasons around which the request should be framed. It refers to the standard of the work being delivered. Use parler de la qualité when discussing the standard or reliability of work.
et Et means “and” and joins qualité with nouvelles informations. It adds a second reason or topic to the first one. Use et to connect related words, phrases, or reasons.
des Des means “of the” in des nouvelles informations, following parler de and referring to the specific information received. It combines de with les in this context. Reuse parler de + des + a plural noun when discussing particular plural items.
nouvelles Nouvelles means “new” and describes the information received by the speaker. It indicates that the information was not previously available. Use it before a matching feminine plural noun when describing newly received information.
informations Informations means “information” and refers to the new details received by the speaker. These details provide a reason for reconsidering the schedule. Use it when discussing facts or details communicated to someone.
que Que introduces the clause describing the information the listener received. Here it refers back to informations. Reuse que to connect a noun with a following clause that gives more information about it.
tu Tu means “you” for one person in the informal form used between these colleagues. It is the subject of as reçues. Use tu when addressing one familiar or informally addressed person.
as As means “have” in tu as reçues and helps express that the listener received the information. It is used with the following past participle. Reuse tu as + a past participle when referring to a completed action by one person.
reçues Reçues means “received” and describes the new information that the listener received. It appears in the clause que tu as reçues, referring back to informations. Use avoir reçu when describing information or an item that someone has received.
peux Peux means “can” in Je peux dire and expresses the speaker’s ability or possibility to say something. It is followed by the infinitive dire. Reuse je peux + an infinitive when offering or describing something you can do.
dire Dire means “say” in Je peux dire. It introduces the message or wording the speaker could use with the client. Reuse pouvoir + dire when explaining what you can say or communicate.
livrerai Livrerai means “will deliver” and states the speaker’s future commitment to deliver the summary. It is followed by the object le résumé and a time. Reuse je livrerai + an object + a time when making a delivery promise.
jour Jour means “day” in le jour suivant, identifying the later delivery day. The full expression refers to the day after tomorrow in this schedule. Use it when setting or comparing delivery dates.
suivant Suivant means “following” or “next” and describes the day that comes after the first delivery day. In le jour suivant, it establishes the order of the schedule. Reuse noun + suivant when referring to the next item or time in a sequence.
Cela Cela means “that” or “this” and refers to the delivery plan just described. It is the subject of donne and summarizes the previous proposal. Use Cela + a verb to refer to an idea, action, or situation already mentioned.
donne Donne means “gives” in Cela donne au client. It describes what the proposed timeline provides to the client. Reuse donner quelque chose à quelqu’un when explaining that an action gives something to a person.
au Au means “to the” in au client. It combines à with le and marks the client as the recipient. Reuse donner + an object + au + a masculine singular recipient when saying what is given to someone.
calendrier Calendrier means “calendar” or “timeline” and refers here to the planned sequence of deliveries. The adjective réaliste specifies that the schedule can actually be met. Use it when discussing a project schedule or delivery plan.
réaliste Réaliste means “realistic” and describes the proposed calendrier. It indicates that the timeline matches what can reasonably be completed. Use it when evaluating whether a plan or deadline is practical.
choix Choix means “choice” and refers to the clear option the client receives about the delivery plan. It presents an understandable decision rather than an unclear delay. Use it in workplace discussions about available options.
clair Clair means “clear” and describes the choice. It indicates that the client can understand the available option or decision. Use it after a masculine singular noun when describing something easy to understand.
J’enverrai J’enverrai means “I will send” and states the speaker’s future action of sending the message. It combines the subject Je with the future form of envoyer. Reuse J’enverrai + an object + a time when making a future communication plan.
message Message means “message” and is the item the speaker plans to send. Here it is the communication explaining the revised delivery schedule. Use it when referring to a written or electronic communication.
bientôt Bientôt means “soon” and indicates that the message will be sent in the near future. It leaves the exact time unspecified. Use it when promising an action shortly without naming a precise time.
ait Ait means “has” in pour que le client ait le temps de répondre. It is used after pour que to express the intended result that the client has time to respond. Reuse pour que + a subject + a verb when stating a purpose or intended outcome.
répondre Répondre means “respond” in avoir le temps de répondre. It describes the client’s possible reply to the message. Reuse avoir le temps de + an infinitive when saying that someone has enough time to do something.
Ainsi Ainsi means “thus” or “that way” and introduces the result of sending the message early. It connects the action with its practical consequence. Use Ainsi at the start of a sentence when explaining how a previous action produces a result.
changement Changement means “change” and refers to the modification of the project schedule. Here it is the change that should be made clear before tomorrow. Use it when discussing a change to a plan, schedule, or arrangement.
sera Sera means “will be” and states how the schedule change will appear in the future. It links the change with the description clair. Reuse subject + sera + an adjective when describing a future state.
avant Avant means “before” and places the clarity of the schedule change earlier than tomorrow. It is followed here by a time expression. Reuse avant + a time or event when setting a deadline or saying when something must happen.

Grammar Points

s’est élargi

Le périmètre s’est élargi.

luh pay-ree-METR say-tay-LAR-zhee.

The scope expanded.

The reflexive verb s’élargir uses être in the passé composé: s’est élargi.

je livrerai / j’enverrai

Je livrerai le résumé demain et j’enverrai un message bientôt.

zhuh lee-vruh-RAY luh ray-zoo-MAY duh-MAN ay zhahn-vuh-RAY uhn meh-SAHZH byan-TOH.

I will deliver the summary tomorrow and send a message soon.

The futur simple expresses a future plan; the endings appear in livrerai and enverrai.

French Vocabulary

attendre verb
ah-TONDR to wait
besoin noun
buh-ZWAN need
client noun
klee-AHN client
date limite noun
daht lee-MEET deadline
demain adv
duh-MAN tomorrow
détaillé adj
day-tah-YAY detailed détaillés
en premier adv
ahn pruh-MYAY first
graphique noun
grah-FEEK chart graphiques
périmètre noun
pay-ree-METR scope
pouvoir verb
poo-VWAR can; to be able to peuvent
résumé noun
ray-zoo-MAY summary
s'élargir verb
seh-lar-ZHEER to expand s’est élargi

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

chart

Show Answergraphiques

scope

Show Answerpérimètre

client

Show Answerclient

summary

Show Answerrésumé