Business French Approved Suppliers

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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.

  1. “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: mustvs 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

Learn Business French quickly – Get the FULL audiobook here or just the e-book here.