Chapter 41 from the book “Hands Free Business french” is a helpful lesson on Business French Approved Suppliers.
In this lesson we explore how to use the French Verb Demander and the verb Deposer. This is a really useful chapter which pulls together several useful french verbs, and has some ideas about how to use certain words in certain situations. I hope you enjoy this one.
- “an application”: « une candidature »
Example sentence
“Does this company require suppliers to submit an application? No, they have to respond to a call for bids.”
« Cette entreprise demande-t-elle aux fournisseurs de déposer une candidature ? Non, ils doivent répondre à un appel d’offre. »
Breakdown
- “TO REQUIRE”: « DEMANDER »
False friend alert!
“TO DEMAND” is not « DEMANDER ». “TO DEMAND” is « EXIGER ». There is the same difference in intensity between “TO REQUIRE”/“TO DEMAND” as there is between « DEMANDER » and « EXIGER ». « EXIGER » is much stronger.
Now we’ve seen how to make a question by inverting, like in English, the subject and the verb: “does this company require?”
The French also inverts: « cette entreprise demande-t-elle » instead of « elle demande ». Like we’ve seen, this is the formal way of constructing a question.
- “TO SUBMIT”: « DÉPOSER »
You may also say « SOUMETTRE », « soumettre une candidature ». “TO SUBMIT” is also usually « SOUMETTRE » in other contexts.
- “a call for bids”: « un appel d’offre »
This is the same expression.
“a call”, like a phone call, is « un appel »
“a bid” is « une offre ».
- “TO RESPOND”: « RÉPONDRE »
- « RÉPONDRE » can also translate “TO ANSWER”
Quick tip: “must”vs “to have to”
We used “TO HAVE TO” as in “MUST”. There is a slight difference in English.
“TO HAVE TO” implies an external obligation, e.g. “I have to do my homework”: « je dois faire mes devoirs ».
“MUST” usually implies an internal obligation, e.g. “I must change my diet”: « je dois changer mon régime ».
See how in French, it’s going to be translated as the same word, « DEVOIR », that we’ve seen before.
Hence “they have to respond” is « ils doivent répondre ».
If you would prefer to learn less about Business French Approved Suppliers and more Business French about French Career Progression, check this article