Handling criticism at work | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a workplace feedback session, two adults discuss frustration during a review and how to make sensitive criticism easier to receive..

EN → FR / Level: B2

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Use Handling criticism at work to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

J'ai remarqué que vous sembliez frustré pendant l'entretien d'évaluation.

zhay ruh-mar-KAY kuh VOO sahn-blee-YAY frew-STRAY pahn-DAHN lahn-truh-TYEN day-vah-loo-ah-SYON. I noticed you seemed frustrated during the review.
B

C'était le cas, même si j'ai essayé de ne pas me laisser envahir par cette frustration.

say-TAY luh KAH, mem SEE zhay ay-say-YAY duh nuh PAH muh lay-SAY ahn-vah-EER par set frew-stra-SYON. I was, although I tried not to let it dominate.
A

Les commentaires étaient directs, mais ils portaient sur le travail.

lay koh-mahn-TAIR ay-TAY dee-REKT, may EEL por-TAY sewr trah-VY. The comments were direct, but they were aimed at the work.
B

Je le comprends maintenant, mais le moment choisi m'a pris au dépourvu.

zhuh luh kohm-PRAHN man-tuh-NAHN, may luh moh-MAHN shwah-ZEE mah PREE oh day-poor-VOO. I understand that now, but the timing caught me off guard.
A

Nous pouvons vous prévenir plus à l'avance lorsque nous prévoyons de vous faire des remarques sensibles.

noo poo-VOHN voo pray-vuh-NEER plooz ah lah-VAHNS lors-kuh noo pray-vwah-YOHN duh voo FAIR day ruh-MARK sahn-SEEBL. We can give you more notice when we expect sensitive feedback.
B

Cela m'aiderait à réagir de manière plus réfléchie sur le moment.

suh-LAH meh-druh-RAY ah ray-ah-ZHEER duh mah-NYAIR ploo ray-flay-SHEE sewr luh moh-MAHN. That would help me respond more thoughtfully in the moment.
A

Votre analyse était précieuse, même là où des révisions étaient nécessaires.

VO-truh ah-nah-LEEZ ay-TAY pray-SYUHZ, mem lah OO day ray-vee-ZYON ay-TAY nay-suh-SAIR. Your analysis was valuable, even where revisions were needed.
B

J'apprécie cette distinction, car elle change la façon dont j'interprète les critiques.

zhah-pray-SEE set dees-tan-SYON, kar el SHAHNZH lah fuh-SON dohn zhahn-tair-PRET lay kree-TEEK. I appreciate that distinction, because it changes how I interpret criticism.

Word by Word

J'ai J'ai means I did or I have in J'ai remarqué, introducing the speaker’s observation. It is used with a completed action such as noticing something. A useful pattern is J'ai remarqué que vous sembliez frustré.
remarqué Remarqué means noticed in J'ai remarqué que vous sembliez frustré. It presents an observation about someone’s state or behavior. It commonly appears after J'ai and can be followed by que plus a clause.
que Que introduces the content of the observation in J'ai remarqué que vous sembliez frustré. It connects the verb of noticing with the information noticed. This same linking pattern is useful after verbs such as saying, thinking, or understanding.
vous Vous means you in vous sembliez frustré and refers to the person being addressed. Here it is the person whose state was observed. It can also appear as the person receiving an action, as in vous prévenir.
sembliez Sembliez means seemed in vous sembliez frustré. It presents frustration as an appearance or impression rather than a direct statement of fact. The pattern sembler plus a description is useful when reporting an impression about someone.
frustré Frustré describes the person addressed as frustrated in vous sembliez frustré. It names the emotional state noticed during the review. It can be used after a verb expressing appearance or observation.
pendant Pendant means during in pendant l'entretien d'évaluation. It places the observation within the time of the review. It is commonly followed by an event or period such as l'entretien d'évaluation.
l'entretien L'entretien means the interview or review in l'entretien d'évaluation. Here it refers to the workplace evaluation meeting, not a casual conversation. It is used with d'évaluation to specify the type of meeting.
d'évaluation D'évaluation means of evaluation and specifies the kind of meeting in l'entretien d'évaluation. The form d' links the noun to the preceding noun. This pattern is useful when identifying an event by its purpose or type.
C'était C'était means that was the case in C'était le cas, confirming that the previous description was true. It refers back to being frustrated rather than naming the situation again. C'était le cas is a reusable way to confirm a preceding statement.
le Le is the article in le cas, the expression used to refer back to the previous situation. Together with cas, it makes the reference specific. The same article appears in expressions such as le travail.
cas Cas means case in C'était le cas. Here it refers to the truth of the previous statement about being frustrated. C'était le cas is useful when confirming that a situation just mentioned applies.
même Même adds the idea of even in même si. Together with si, it introduces a concession: the speaker tried something despite the fact that the frustration was present. The expression même si is useful for acknowledging a condition that does not prevent the main action.
si Si helps form the concessive expression même si, meaning although or even though in this dialogue. It introduces the circumstance that the speaker tried not to let the frustration dominate. It is used before a clause describing that circumstance.
essayé Essayé means tried in j'ai essayé de ne pas me laisser envahir par cette frustration. It describes an attempt, whether or not the result was complete. A useful pattern is essayé de followed by an action.
de De connects essayé with the action attempted in essayé de ne pas me laisser envahir. Here it introduces what the speaker tried to do. It commonly appears after a verb of trying before another action.
ne Ne is the first part of the negative expression ne pas in ne pas me laisser envahir. It helps mark that the speaker tried not to allow the frustration to overwhelm them. In this dialogue, it works together with pas around the action.
pas Pas completes the negation ne pas in ne pas me laisser envahir. Together, ne pas means not and reverses the action that follows. This pair is placed around the relevant verb phrase.
me Me identifies the speaker as the person affected in me laisser envahir par cette frustration. The speaker is allowing the frustration to affect them. It appears before laisser in this reflexive-style construction.
laisser Laisser means let or allow in me laisser envahir par cette frustration. It expresses allowing an experience to happen to the speaker. The pattern me laisser plus an action is useful for describing what one allows oneself to experience.
envahir Envahir means overwhelm or invade in me laisser envahir par cette frustration. The frustration is described as taking over the speaker’s attention or emotional state. The full pattern me laisser envahir par cette frustration identifies what causes the effect.
par Par introduces the source of the overwhelming effect in envahir par cette frustration. It shows that cette frustration is what overwhelms the speaker. This use is common when identifying the force or cause affecting someone.
cette Cette means this in cette frustration and points to the frustration already being discussed. It links the noun to the specific emotional state in the conversation. It is used directly before the singular noun frustration here.
frustration Frustration names the emotion that the speaker tried not to let overwhelm them. In cette frustration, it refers to the feeling caused by the review. It can be used after a demonstrative such as cette when referring to a specific feeling.
Les Les is the plural article in Les commentaires and les critiques. In Les commentaires, it introduces the comments being discussed in the review. It is also used before les critiques when referring to criticisms.
commentaires Commentaires means comments in Les commentaires. Here it refers to the direct feedback given during the review. It is used as the subject of a description and can be followed by information about its focus.
étaient Étaient describes the comments as direct in Les commentaires étaient directs. It presents their quality as part of the review discussion. It is useful for describing what something was like in a past situation.
directs Directs means direct in Les commentaires étaient directs. It characterizes the comments as straightforward rather than indirect. It describes commentaires in this sentence.
mais Mais means but and introduces a contrast in mais ils portaient sur le travail. The comments were direct, yet their focus was the work. It is useful for connecting two contrasting points about the same subject.
ils Ils means they in ils portaient sur le travail and refers back to Les commentaires. It makes the comments the subject of the next statement. It is useful for avoiding repetition after a plural noun has already been mentioned.
portaient Portaient means concerned or focused on in portaient sur le travail. With sur, it explains the subject of the comments rather than describing physical carrying. The pattern porter sur plus a topic is useful when stating what something concerns.
sur Sur means about or focused on in portaient sur le travail. It introduces the topic of the comments. It is part of the reusable pattern porter sur plus a subject.
travail Travail means work in le travail. Here it is the subject that the comments focused on. It commonly appears after a phrase identifying what feedback or discussion concerns.
Je Je means I in Je le comprends maintenant and identifies the speaker as the person who now understands. It is the subject of the statement. It commonly comes before a conjugated verb such as comprends.
comprends Comprends means understand in Je le comprends maintenant. The speaker says that the point is understood at the present time. It can be used with le to refer back to an idea already mentioned.
maintenant Maintenant means now in Je le comprends maintenant. It contrasts the speaker’s current understanding with the earlier moment of the review. It is useful for marking a change in understanding over time.
moment Moment means moment or timing in le moment choisi. Here it refers specifically to when the feedback was given. The phrase le moment choisi describes the selected timing of an event.
choisi Choisi means chosen in le moment choisi. It specifies that the moment was selected for the feedback. It is useful after a noun when identifying which particular time or option was selected.
m'a M'a means has or did to me in m'a pris au dépourvu. It marks the speaker as the person affected by the timing. In this expression, it is followed by pris and the fixed phrase au dépourvu.
pris Pris contributes the idea of caught or took in m'a pris au dépourvu. Here it is not about physically taking something; the full expression says that the timing caught the speaker unprepared. It is used with a person and au dépourvu in this expression.
au dépourvu Au dépourvu is a fixed expression meaning off guard or unprepared in m'a pris au dépourvu. Au links the expression to the state described by dépourvu, while dépourvu conveys the lack of preparation. Use the complete expression when an unexpected event leaves someone unprepared.
Nous Nous means we in Nous pouvons vous prévenir plus à l'avance. It identifies the group offering to give earlier notice. It is used as the subject before pouvons.
pouvons Pouvons means can in Nous pouvons vous prévenir plus à l'avance. It presents the offer as something the group is able or willing to do. It is followed here by the action vous prévenir.
prévenir Prévenir means notify or give notice in vous prévenir plus à l'avance. It describes informing someone before an event or action. The person notified appears directly before it in vous prévenir.
plus Plus means more in plus à l'avance and increases the amount of advance notice. Here it means earlier than the notice previously given or expected. It is used before à l'avance to express greater advance timing.
à À is part of the fixed expression à l'avance, meaning beforehand or in advance. It connects the timing phrase to the action of notifying. The complete expression is used when an action happens before a later event.
l'avance L'avance completes à l'avance, meaning in advance in plus à l'avance. It refers to notice given before the sensitive feedback. The full phrase is useful for specifying that someone is informed beforehand.
lorsque Lorsque means when and introduces the situation in lorsque nous prévoyons de vous faire des remarques sensibles. It connects the offer of earlier notice with the time when sensitive feedback is expected. It is followed by a clause describing that situation.
prévoyons Prévoyons means expect or anticipate in lorsque nous prévoyons de vous faire des remarques sensibles. It describes planning or foreseeing the delivery of feedback. It is followed here by de vous faire plus the remarks.
faire Faire means give or make in vous faire des remarques sensibles. In this context, it describes delivering remarks or feedback to someone. The pattern faire des remarques identifies the feedback being given.
des Des introduces the plural noun remarques in des remarques sensibles. It presents the remarks as feedback items without specifying them individually. It is used directly before the noun and its description here.
remarques Remarques means remarks or feedback in des remarques sensibles. Here it refers to comments that may be difficult to receive. It commonly appears with a description of their tone or subject.
sensibles Sensibles means sensitive or delicate in des remarques sensibles. It describes the remarks as requiring particular care in how they are delivered. It is used after remarques to characterize this type of feedback.
Cela Cela means that or it in Cela m'aiderait à réagir de manière plus réfléchie. It refers back to giving more notice before sensitive feedback. It is useful as a pronoun when responding to a proposal or situation just mentioned.
m'aiderait M'aiderait means would help me in Cela m'aiderait à réagir de manière plus réfléchie. It presents the proposed advance notice as helpful to the speaker. The pattern aider quelqu'un à plus an action expresses what assistance enables someone to do.
réagir Réagir means respond or react in m'aiderait à réagir de manière plus réfléchie. It names the response the speaker wants to make after receiving feedback. It follows à after the expression m'aiderait.
manière Manière means manner or way in de manière plus réfléchie. It identifies how the speaker would respond. The pattern de manière plus an adjective is useful for describing the manner of an action.
réfléchie Réfléchie describes the manner of responding as thoughtful or considered in de manière plus réfléchie. It shows that the speaker wants to think before reacting. It is used to characterize the way the response would happen.
Votre Votre means your in Votre analyse and marks the analysis as belonging to the person addressed. It appears directly before analyse. This possessive form is useful when referring politely to something associated with the listener.
analyse Analyse means analysis in Votre analyse était précieuse. It refers to the listener’s examination or interpretation of the work. It is the subject of the positive assessment in this sentence.
précieuse Précieuse means valuable in Votre analyse était précieuse. It expresses appreciation for the usefulness or worth of the analysis. It describes analyse in the feedback discussion.
là Là means there or, with où, where in même là où des révisions étaient nécessaires. Here it does not point to a physical place; it helps identify the parts or areas concerned. The expression là où introduces the specific points where something applied.
où Où means where in là où des révisions étaient nécessaires. It introduces the area or point at which revisions were needed. Together with là, it connects the assessment with the relevant parts of the work.
révisions Révisions means revisions in là où des révisions étaient nécessaires. It refers to changes needed in parts of the work. It is used as the subject of the statement about what was necessary.
nécessaires Nécessaires means necessary in des révisions étaient nécessaires. It says that the revisions were required in the relevant parts of the work. It describes révisions in this context.
J'apprécie J'apprécie means I appreciate in J'apprécie cette distinction. It expresses recognition or gratitude for a point just made. It is commonly followed by the thing being appreciated, here cette distinction.
distinction Distinction means distinction or difference in cette distinction. It refers to a difference that has just been acknowledged in the discussion. It can be introduced by cette when pointing to a specific distinction.
car Car means because and introduces the reason in car elle change la façon dont j'interprète les critiques. It explains why the speaker appreciates the distinction. It connects the appreciation with its explanation.
elle Elle means it in elle change la façon dont j'interprète les critiques and refers to cette distinction. It makes the distinction the subject of change. It is useful for referring back to a feminine noun already mentioned.
change Change means changes in elle change la façon dont j'interprète les critiques. It says that the distinction affects the speaker’s way of interpreting criticism. It can be followed by the thing or process that is affected.
la La is the article in la façon dont j'interprète les critiques. It introduces the specific way or manner being discussed. It appears directly before façon.
façon Façon means way or manner in la façon dont j'interprète les critiques. It refers to how the speaker interprets criticism. The pattern la façon dont plus a clause is useful for describing how something is done or understood.
dont Dont links la façon with the clause j'interprète les critiques in la façon dont j'interprète les critiques. Together, the phrase means the way in which I interpret the criticisms. It is useful for connecting a noun such as façon with a related clause.
j'interprète J'interprète means I interpret in j'interprète les critiques. It describes the speaker’s way of understanding or evaluating the criticisms. It is followed directly by the thing being interpreted, les critiques.
critiques Critiques means criticisms in les critiques. Here it refers to the feedback being interpreted by the speaker. It appears after j'interprète as the object of interpretation.

Grammar Points

porter sur + nom

Les commentaires portaient sur l'entretien d'évaluation.

lay koh-mahn-TAIR por-TAY sewr lahn-truh-TYEN day-vah-loo-ah-SYON.

The comments concerned the performance review.

In French, porter sur means “to concern” or “to focus on” and is followed by the topic with sur.

de manière + adjectif féminin

Réagir de manière plus réfléchie.

ray-ah-ZHEER duh mah-NYAIR ploo ray-flay-SHEE.

To respond more thoughtfully.

De manière + a feminine adjective forms an adverbial phrase; réfléchie agrees with manière, not with the person reacting.

French Vocabulary

au dépourvu phrase
oh day-poor-VOO off guard; by surprise
commentaire noun
koh-mahn-TAIR comment commentaires
comprendre verb
kohm-PRAHN-druh to understand comprends
direct adj
dee-REKT direct directs
entretien d'évaluation phrase
lahn-truh-TYEN day-vah-loo-ah-SYON performance review l'entretien d'évaluation
envahir verb
ahn-vah-EER to overwhelm
frustration noun
frew-stra-SYON frustration cette frustration
frustré adj
frew-STRAY frustrated
moment choisi phrase
moh-MAHN shwah-ZEE chosen timing le moment choisi
porter sur phrase
por-TAY sewr to concern; to focus on portaient sur
remarquer verb
ruh-mar-KAY to notice remarqué
sembler verb
sahn-BLAY to seem sembliez

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

direct

Show Answerdirects

frustrated

Show Answerfrustré

to overwhelm

Show Answerenvahir

to notice

Show Answerremarqué