Managing a conflict
Vocabulary
- malentendumisunderstanding
- résoudreto resolve
- empathieempathy
- reconnaîtreto acknowledge
- médierto mediate
- apaiserto calm down/soothe
- désaccorddisagreement
- conciliationconciliation
- écouterto listen
- compromiscompromise
Conflict resolution in French requires expressing regrets and wishes using the subjunctive after certain verbs, and knowing how to de-escalate diplomatically.
Subjunctive after emotional verbs:
- Je regrette que tu aies dit cela. (I regret that you said that.)
- Je souhaite que nous puissions en parler. (I wish we could talk about it.)
- Il est dommage que ce soit arrivé. (It's a shame that this happened.)
Expressing regrets about what was said/done:
- J'aurais préféré que tu me le dises plus tôt. (I would have preferred you told me sooner.)
- Si seulement nous avions communiqué davantage... (If only we had communicated more...)
De-escalation phrases:
- Je comprends ton point de vue. (I understand your point of view.)
- Essayons de trouver un terrain d'entente. (Let's try to find common ground.)
- Ce n'est pas ce que je voulais dire. (That's not what I meant.)
Acknowledging fault:
- Je reconnais que j'ai eu tort. (I acknowledge that I was wrong.)
- C'était un malentendu de ma part. (It was a misunderstanding on my part.)
Expressions
- Je regrette que + subjonctifExpressing regret about something
- Essayons de trouver un compromisProposing a compromise
- Je comprends ton point de vueShowing empathy
- Ce n'est pas ce que je voulais direClarifying a misunderstanding
- Mettons-nous d'accord surWorking toward agreement
- Il faut que nous en parlionsInsisting on discussion
Common mistakes
Je regrette que tu as dit celaJe regrette que tu aies dit celaRegretter que requires the subjunctive, not the indicative.
Je souhaite que nous pouvons parlerJe souhaite que nous puissions parlerSouhaiter que requires the subjunctive form puissions.
Il est dommage que c'est arrivéIl est dommage que ce soit arrivéImpersonal expressions of emotion require the subjunctive.
J'aurais préféré que tu me l'as ditJ'aurais préféré que tu me le disesPréférer que requires the subjunctive, even in the past.
Trouvons un terrain de l'ententeTrouvons un terrain d'ententeThe fixed expression is terrain d'entente without the article le.
Quick quiz
Question 1 of 5
How do you say “to mediate” in French?
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